Procurement description
Pathways to Planning is a graduate recruitment and development programme within the Local Government Association (LGA) Leadership Team. The programme supports councils by attracting, developing, and retaining talented graduates in planning and surveying professions, helping local government build the skills and capacity needed to meet future workforce demands.
Since launching in 2023, Pathways to Planning has placed over 200 planning graduates across more than 100 councils. Participants undertake a fully funded, accredited master's degree while gaining practical experience in local government roles.
In October 2025, the programme expanded to include a Surveying Strand, which places graduates into surveying and construction-related roles within local authorities, including Building Surveying, Quantity Surveying, Building Control, Construction Project Management, and Real Estate and Property Management. Graduates complete accredited postgraduate qualifications, typically recognised by professional bodies such as RICS, CABE, or CIOB. The strand is expected to support around 50 learners initially, with capacity to grow in future cohorts.
The programme has been developed in response to increasing workforce pressures within local government and the Government's ambition to deliver 1.5 million homes, recognising the need for greater surveying and development expertise within councils.
To support new entrants, the LGA is seeking a supplier to design and deliver an introductory e-learning programme for Surveying Strand graduates. Similar to the existing Planning Strand offer, the course will provide a foundation before graduates begin their placements and master's studies. As many participants have degrees in unrelated subjects and little prior knowledge of surveying, the learning must be accessible, engaging, and easy to understand.
The e-learning should introduce graduates to the surveying profession, key terminology, professional roles, expectations of postgraduate study, and how to maximise development opportunities throughout the programme. The course is intended to provide a broad introduction rather than detailed technical training, which graduates will receive through their university studies and workplace experience. It will form part of the LGA's wider learning and development offer, helping to develop a skilled, knowledgeable, and sustainable surveying workforce within local government.