Allison Hooper

Darwin NT

Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning with Honours 2009

On campus study or online study? How was your experience studying either on campus or online?

I studied on campus, and lived on campus as well for the 4 years of my degree. Studying on campus was fantastic to build social networks with fellow students, which have since transitioned into professional networks now we’re all working.

How did you find your UNE lecturers/professors?

The teaching staff were excellent — knowledgeable, experienced, professional and very helpful, and always available to meet with students.

What was your end goal when you started your degree?

To gain a practical qualification that would lead to relevant full time employment. When I completed my degree, I was accepted into the NT Government’s Graduate Development Program, and from there appointed to a permanent position.

How are you using what you learned in your degree in your professional life?

A lot of the practical aspects were really useful when I first commenced as a statutory planner, such as considering aspect, calculating area, applying scale, and undertaking fieldwork to understand natural landscapes. In my current role as a strategic planner, the theory behind planning, such as spatial and social geography, has been more important as I work with stakeholders to develop plans for the future.

What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

To continue contributing to a sustainable built environment that responds to our changing climate and lifestyles.

What does living in the NT mean to you?

Living in Darwin, it’s having the best back yard in the country — national parks, natural swimming holes, great fishing, and the best sunsets. You’re close to South East Asia and transit hubs to the rest of the world — I’ve been known to weekend in Singapore, while my colleagues regularly spend down time in Bali and Timor Leste. And you never have to worry about a cold Armidale winter!

Anything else you would like to add.

Working in the NT has provided me the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects that at times are unique to the NT, and which to some extent have fast tracked my career.