Education · 1 of 5

The path

Short and affordable. A diploma or degree, then a portfolio of real maps and analysis.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Geography, math and any computer course. Start making maps at home with free software.

2. 2

   Diploma or degree

   2 to 4 years

   A two-year college diploma in GIS (geographic information systems) or geomatics, or a four-year degree in geography, environmental science or computer science.

3. 3

   Postgraduate certificate, optional but common

   1 year

   A one-year applied mapping certificate taken after a degree. Many employers treat it as the real entry ticket.

4. 4

   Co-op or first contract

   4 to 18 months

   Almost everyone starts on a term contract with a city, consultant or utility, then converts to permanent.

5. 5

   Build a portfolio

   Ongoing

   Three or four public projects using real open data beat a transcript at interview.