Careers
For those interested in a career in cartography or the geospatial sciences
Our definition of cartography describes it as the ‘art, science and technology’ of mapmaking, a definition which illustrates the breadth of the discipline.
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The terms ‘mapmaking’, ‘geodata visualisation’ and ‘cartography’ essentially mean the same thing: taking geographical data and transforming it into a map.
Making maps is an exciting and creative profession with a wide range of career possibilities. As new technology continues to evolve, the discipline progresses in tandem, creating new roles in an increasing number of professions. If you love maps, can pore over them for hours and wonder how they're made, then cartography may be the career for you! It's an exciting opportunity to combine design, technology and geography.
The two main groups of employers of map producers are public organisations and commercial companies. The examples below which utilise cartography and geodata visualisation give an idea of the breadth of the profession:
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The Ordnance Survey
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The UK Hydrographic Office
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The Military
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The Civil Service
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DEFRA
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The Countryside Agency
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The British Geological Survey
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The British Antarctic Survey
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National and Local Government
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The Emergency Services
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London Transport
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Map publishers (paper and digital maps and atlases)
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Commercial mapping companies
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Oil companies
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Freelance cartographers
Other professions such as land surveying, satellite remote sensing, aerial photography, geographical information systems, photogrammetry, hydrography, and geodesy as well as cartography are sometimes grouped together as ‘geomatics’ or the ‘geosciences’. However, cartography remains essential to the successful visualisation of spatial data, and the demand for skilled cartographers is strong.
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As well as design and production, the practice of mapmaking involves other areas. The following occupations involve specialist training, at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
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Topographical surveyor
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Land surveyor (surveying is a separate profession, but the map data gathered forms the basis for the maps)
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Planner
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Hydrographer
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Photogrammeter
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Map curator
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Academic researcher
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Historical cartographer
Useful links:
The usual route is one of the following:
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A university course
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An apprenticeship
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Working towards this role through your current job
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Experience in the armed forces
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Experience in the wider geospatial industry
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What makes a good cartographer?
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a keen eye for detail
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patience and being thorough, knowing that accuracy matters
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a creative and technical mind
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an interest in graphics and good design
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a knowledge of computer literacy
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the ability to manage data sets, large and small
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the ability to liaise with a client to understand requirements
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the ability to offer different map design options
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the knowledge to represent geographical data well
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the knowledge of and adherence to proven cartographic practices
You can take a degree in:
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Geography
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Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
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Land Surveying
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Earth Sciences
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Oceanography
Courses in cartography in further and higher education in the UK are limited. There are no dedicated courses in cartography at NVQ or degree level, but cartography forms an element in a number of courses in related subjects, including geography, GIS and geomatics.
Currently Newcastle University, Glasgow University and Canterbury Christ Church University offer cartography-related courses.
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Employers may also accept degrees in other subjects like computer science, software engineering or graphic design. A postgraduate qualification may help you to find work in a specialist field of cartography like GIS.
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Due to the absence of specific training courses in the discipline, those wanting to enter the cartographic professional usually need to be taken on by a company and trained on the job.
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Membership of the British Cartographic Society is useful for establishing contacts within the industry and for keeping up to date with technology and current publications. The BCS hold an annual conference and other events which provide good networking opportunities to keep up to date with developments in the industry.
The International Map Industry Association (IMIA) brings together producers and traders of maps and map data worldwide. Their website carries job vacancies: www.imiamaps.org
Lis-Maps, run by the BCS Map Curators’ Group, concentrates on map librarianship matters but also discusses the wider aspects of cartography. Joining instructions can be found at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/lis-maps.html
What government agencies are responsible for mapping?
Other useful websites: