Cartographer

Cartographers use their technical, scientific and design skills to make maps. The work may involve producing detailed town plans, Ordnance Survey maps, road atlases, maps of other countries, specialist maps for geological, political and environmental purposes, navigational charts used by sea-going vessels, or weather maps used by meteorologists. Cartographers may revise out-of-date maps or work on regions that have not been mapped before. They research information from a variety of sources and may have to take into account new road or housing developments, whether the land use has changed, or the impact of an environmental or meteorological event on an area. They use the latest high-tech equipment and graphic design and image manipulation software to measure, model and analyse geographic information.

They may also use aerial photographs, collect and analyse data from sensors and satellite technology, and undertake topographic (land) and hydrographic (marine) surveys.

Entry level
Cartographers usually have a degree in a mapping-related subject such as single or joint-honours courses in geography, mapping sciences, geomatics or geographic information systems (GIS). You should check college and university prospectus details carefully to ensure that the course has sufficient emphasis on cartography/GIS/mapping. These courses usually require the study of geography, and possibly also a science subject, at A level/H grade, or equivalent. Other useful subjects include art and design, design and technology and ICT.

Relevant HND courses include subjects such as physical geography, geographical information systems and geography techniques. These may sometimes lead to junior posts such as cartography or mapping technician.

Making the grade
Training on the job includes learning new technology such as digital mapping systems. The UK Hydrographic Office offers specialised training in marine cartography for new employees, including learning how to use hydrographic digital data systems.

The Survey Association offers a Survey Technician Training Course aimed at new entrants to geoscience careers, or those with experience but no formal training.

There is an NVQ at Level 4 in Spatial Data Management.

Experienced cartographers may progress to senior or management positions. Some choose to specialise in an area such as photogrammetry. Willingness to relocate may be important in smaller, commercial companies.

Postgraduate qualifications may be necessary to achieve career progression. The Royal Geographic Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) offers Chartered Status.

Personal qualities
As a cartographer, you should have a genuine feeling for maps, combined with the precision, patience and powers of concentration necessary to undertake work in which the preparation of a single sheet may take several weeks. Artistic flair and a sense of design are valuable assets.

Cartographers have to be experts in communication: in real life roads are not red, nor motorways blue, and there are no dotted lines marking the borders between countries, but we see these things on a map and immediately know what they mean.

Looking ahead
Computerised mapping techniques and GIS have both revolutionised cartography and reduced the need for as many cartographers as before. There is enormous competition for the comparatively few employment openings which occur. Potential employers include government departments and national organisations like the Ordnance Survey, Met Office and Civil Aviation Authority; local, district and regional authorities; and the private sector such as map publishers, the AA or RAC. There are also opportunities to work abroad, for example for oil companies.

About 10% of cartographers are self-employed, and short-term contracts are becoming increasingly common.

Alternative suggestions
Other possibilities might include architect, architectural technologist, artist/illustrator, graphic designer, surveyor or town planner.

Take-home pay
Salaries and conditions vary between employers and between the public and private sectors. Typical starting salaries range from around £15,000 to £18,000, rising after three to five years to around £20,000 to £25,000. Senior salary levels are generally in the range £25,000 to £45,000.

Effects
Most cartographers work normal office hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Some employers may offer flexitime options.

Sources of information
Association for Geographic Information: www.agi.org.uk
British Cartographic Society: www.cartography.org.uk
British Geological Survey: www.bgs.ac.uk
Ordnance Survey: www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk
Royal Geographical Society: www.rgs.org
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors: www.rics.org
Survey Association: www.tsa-uk.org.uk
Society of Cartographers: www.soc.org.uk
UK Hydrographic Office: www.ukho.gov.uk

CRCI: BC
DP Group: 3