How do you prepare for 100 Million more people?

I spent an hour with some Ball State University students this morning discussing the role of planners in development. These students are a fortunate group, as the job growth for planners through 2018 is projected at 19% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and it is cited as one of the top 50 careers for 2010 by US News & World Report. It’s no wonder since America will add about 100 Million people by 2050. These young planners are currently studying how best to plan the communities where your kids and all of their new friends will live in the future. It’s a difficult task.

The real estate development industry should be very interested in what they are learning. We should be working alongside them and sharing information. They will be planning the cities and neighborhoods in which we want to build new buildings, and they are reading up on mixed use development and urban infill. They’re learning that their Generation Y, with 86 Million people aged 15-28, will be the driving force of purchasing decisions in our new economy.

We need to support and be involved in the more than 70 accredited planning schools around the country. Its in everyone’s best interest that these students are fully prepared for the dynamic changes that are taking place in demographics, spending patterns, technology, energy, government regulations and real estate investments. I learn as much from my visits with planning students as I do networking with peers, and I bet you would find the same. I would encourage other developers to get involved in whatever planning school you have nearby. You can see a list of them here.