Map out your career graph

Students of geography can work in various capacities, be it as GIS professionals, cartographers, logistics managers or medical geographers, writes Usha Allbuquerque

DO the natural wonders of the world fascinate you? Do you spend hours watching National Geographic’s breathtaking accounts of volcanoes erupting, and under-water explorations, deadly earthquakes and terrifying typhoons? But are you also afraid of taking up geography because your friends may consider you a nerd! Or worse, you don’t know what you will do after that?

Geography has been a much maligned, less popular subject in school. Yet a study of geography is a thrilling introduction to a range of insightful knowledge about the physical world we live in and how we can learn to use it to our advantage. Geography is a blend of both social and pure sciences, that has helped scientists understand the physical structure of the earth, its different and varying physical features and their influences on the economic, political and cultural life of all creatures that inhabit the earth.

So, geography is a multi-disciplinary science that covers history, sociology and economics as well as geology, meteorology and the sciences. The knowledge and use of geography has helped scientists predict and deal with natural calamities, enhance soil fertility where required, demarcate geographical boundaries and provide logistics and remote-sensing data for a range of uses from tourism and travel management to town planning.

Geographers study and interpret the occurrence, distribution and interrelationship of physical and cultural elements in the world. Using field techniques, statistical methods, cartography and computerised data, they analyse different natural and geographical phenomenon. The techniques and approaches used in geography provide graduates with a broad range of skills that are useful in a host of careers. In understanding and making sense of the world around them, geography graduates develop skills in areas such as spatial awareness, data gathering, information retrieval, problem analysis and solving, project planning and management, and report production and presentation, both written and verbal.

Apart from teaching, there are a number of specialised areas where a degree in geography is useful. A large number of geography graduates decide to do higher studies, go for a professional qualification, or take up management.

In addition, geographers are well equipped with the skills to work as part of a team, where there is a need to deal with a variety of data and material, a valuable skill in today’s complex work environment.

Some of the jobs where geography graduates with relevant training can work include:

Cartographers: They evaluate sets of geographical data and present it in the form of diagrams, charts and spreadsheets as well as conventional maps. New techniques such as GIS (geographical information systems) and digital mapping are creating further opportunities.

Environmental consultants: They work in areas such as air and land contamination, water pollution, waste management, environmental policy and ecological/land management. Your time is spent carrying out field surveys, monitoring levels of pollution/contamination, analysing your data, carrying out audits, formulating policies, writing reports and attending meetings with clients.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is a relatively new field which incorporates the use of computer-based systems to handle spatial information for a variety of uses. With the use of computer programming and graphics, GIS professionals analyse geographical information and apply it for use in areas such as making weather forecasts, handling of physical resources like coal and oil, environmental planning, collating and comparing census data, building of roads, monitoring and exploring agricultural inputs, conducting demography studies and so on.

Remote sensing scientists: They process satellite images and aerial photographs by computer to enhance specific features of interest and assess their significance. Such information is vital during census mapping, for technological mapping and preparing atlases.

Town planners: They direct or undertake the planning of land use. This involves taking into account the views of interested parties in order to find a balance between the conflicting demands of housing, industrial development, agriculture, recreation, transport network, the environment etc.

Distribution/logistics managers: They manage the supply, movement and storage of goods and materials. They plan, organise and co-ordinate the flow and storage of materials through the process of manufacture from supplier to customer.

Medical geographers conduct research studies along with doctors and medical experts in determining the origin and spread of epidemics, and the impact of different physical and natural factors – vegetation, minerals, water supply, climate and environment on health patterns.

Academics: They research and teach at the college or university level.

Geography graduates can also enter a wide range of occupations, many of which may not be directly related to their degree. Their communication skills, numerical ability and analytical skills are valued in some common areas of employment. These include:

Nature conservation — the protection, management and enhancement of wildlife habitats. The work may include conservation tasks, ecological surveys, negotiation with planners and developers or educational and interpretative work.

Tourism — the development and promotion of quality tourism products to attract visitors and produce significant economic benefits to the region.

NGOs — They cover a wide range of activities aimed to help people develop their skills or habitats thus improving their quality of life, such as a local community project aimed at the regeneration of an area.

Retail/supply chain management — exercising overall control of the activities and resources of a store, with the aim of maximising profits, increasing customer satisfaction and ensuring continued business growth. This includes responsibility for the day-to-day management of the staff and stock control.

Transportation — identifying the need for transport infrastructure using statistical analysis to forecast developments and assisting in the planning phase.

Geography is a subject that can be taken up after plus two with science, commerce or humanities subjects. Most universities offer geography at the graduate and post-graduate level in both science and humanities faculties. But a graduate course in geography is often only a foundation for further professional studies in the area of interest. These could include environmental studies, conservation, water management, plant and soil science, geographical information systems, environmental remote sensing, surveying, urban and rural planning and teaching. Those keen on pursuing Geographical Information Systems must possess computer programming skills.

It is also possible to study subjects unrelated to your first degree at the postgraduate level. These include degree or diploma courses in law, mass communication or journalism and management of various kinds—retail, event, leisure, risk—as well as those related to business process outsourcing and insurance.

Post-graduate studies in specialist areas of geography are offered at the Centre for Study of Regional development at JNU, New Delhi, the Delhi School of Economics, Pune University, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Meerut University. Courses in cartography are available at the University of Madras, Aligarh Muslim University, Osmania University, Hyderabad and University of Pune. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi offers a courses in Geographical Information systems. Courses in town planning are offered at the School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi and at the Association of Town Planners, New Delhi.

Geographers can work with the Survey of India in planning and surveying as also in areas such as mapping and cartography. They can work with book publishers and manufacturers of geographical equipment, with travel agencies, market research organisations, shipping, insurance and financial firms. Environmental consultancy firms, environmental protection agencies, and those handling environment impact assessments require geographers. Public utilities and organisations involved in rural and urban planning, government departments such as those concerned with mines & minerals, population and demographics, planning, logistics, food chain and the rural sector recruit geography specialists. The National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad, and remote sensing centres in different parts of the country, as well as the Institute of Population Studies, Mumbai, take on geographers.

GIS specialists work for organisations dealing with power and telecommunications, health, pollution monitoring, water resources management, disaster management and urban planning. Marketing and management companies also use GIS professionals to explore new markets and plan strategies for distribution. Foreign companies are also outsourcing GIS high-resolution mapping technologies for commercial applications.