Betty Owo, Senior Design Officer at GLA and NLA NextGen Committee member, reflects on the committee first meeting of the year, discussing skills, collaboration, innovation

Earlier this month saw the first meeting of the year for the NLA NextGen Committee. With a refreshed membership, the session looked to define themes of interest for the year ahead for the group. What changes would London's next generation of built environment professionals like to see in the industry?

Skills building, platforming voices and supporting current and future placemakers – these were all key themes running through the lively conversations and discussion at the meeting.

Our committee members have a diverse set of professional skills and have had varied routes into the built environment sector. From planners to architects, communications specialists to development managers, public sector workers to engineers – all kinds of expertise are represented within the group, and each member brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.

The agenda kicked off with an update from the first Sounding Board meeting of the year, where members heard about how insights from Joanna Averley, the Chief Planner at MHCLG, could have long-term implications for the next generation of built environment professionals. Key takeaways included that the government sees planning as a tool to drive economic growth and that the unitarisation of strategic planning authorities could create new opportunities for early-career professionals to engage with strategic growth policies and cross-boundary collaborations. 

Members also heard about the importance of housing delivery in a challenging economic climate and the need for future professionals to explore innovative funding and partnership models to unlock delivery. Finally, the need to address skills and capacity challenges reinforced the importance of NextGen’s work on skills, recruitment, and youth engagement. How can we ensure that the future workforce is prepared to take on these challenges?

The next part of the agenda saw members introduce themselves and their pathways into the built environment, as well as share a key skill they think is important for working within the sector. As we went around, it became increasingly clear that the group particularly valued "soft" skills over technical ones, with five key areas emerging: future-focused thinking, communication & collaboration, critical thinking & innovation, resilience & determination, and a human-centred approach.

We explored how adaptability, collaboration, and continuous learning underpin success in a field that is constantly evolving. We discussed the importance of challenging norms, thinking critically, and communicating effectively across disciplines to drive meaningful change. At the heart of our conversation was the role of empathy – ensuring that our work remains people-centred and responsive to the needs of communities.

We also reflected on the resilience and determination needed to navigate challenges and push for better outcomes. Optimism, confidence, and objectivity were highlighted as key to turning obstacles into opportunities. By fostering these skills, we can not only shape a more inclusive and innovative built environment but also support each other in growing as future leaders in the sector.

Finally, we discussed event ideas for the upcoming London Festival of Architecture and how our event could help built environment professionals develop these soft skills, as well as support the upcoming Skills for Places research launch in April.

As we look ahead to the festival, we are excited to build on these conversations and explore how we can help the next 
generation of built environment professionals develop the skills they need to thrive. Stay tuned to see how NextGen continues to champion skills, collaboration, and innovation in the sector!