Esri Young Professionals Network Blog

From community college to coding and GIS, this is my story of resilience, growth, and how the 2025 FedGIS Conference helped me connect the dots between computer science and meaningful real-world impact.

GIS conference attendance has been a profoundly transformative part of my career. Each instance has provided learning and networking opportunities and has also been a catalyst for professional development.

From the GIS-Pro Conference to the Esri User Conference or local meetups, these events have the power to inspire and motivate you and to guide your career in directions you might never have considered.

Are you looking to enhance your GIS skills and make a significant impact early on in your career? Join Esri's no-cost Make an Impact with Modern Geo Apps course and learn how to build modern geo apps without writing a single line of code—a truly impressive and valuable skill to learn!

Young professionals will benefit from the course's flexible, interactive learning environment. Each week will focus on a different modern geo app: ArcGIS Instant Apps, ArcGIS StoryMaps, ArcGIS Dashboards, and ArcGIS Experience Builder. 

My name is Olivia Koch, I’m an upcoming undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island majoring in Environmental Science and Management, and I want to share why I think it is fundamental to attend one of Esri’s GIS conferences as an aspiring GIS professional. 

This is my experience volunteering at the 2025 Federal GIS Conference representing Esri as a Student Assistant, my major takeaways, the best advice I learned, and steps you can take after reading this blog to become more involved in the GIS community! 

My GIS journey began with a light table in a geology undergraduate remote sensing course.

In remote sensing, I learned that different bands of satellite imagery—each capturing a distinct part of the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible light to infrared—could reveal details that traditional fieldwork couldn’t, like vegetation health or water content.

Here is my pathway to remote sensing and GIS and I hope this encourages you to chase your dreams!

As we celebrate Women's Herstory Month, we reflect on the pioneering work of Louise Jefferson, a visionary cartographer whose artistic precision and geographic storytelling helped shape how we visualize space and history. Her contributions continue to inspire modern GIS professionals, reinforcing the power of mapping as a tool for representation and change.

As a Student Assistant at the Esri Federal GIS Conference 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to network with industry leaders, dive into advanced technical sessions, and gain firsthand experience in event operations.

From learning new spatial analysis techniques to connecting with professionals in Homeland Security, Crime Analysis, and Geospatial Intelligence, this experience was truly unforgettable.

Join me as I reflect on the lessons, connections, and inspiration I gained at FedGIS 2025!

In the world of work, fostering a strong relationship with your manager is key to personal growth and career success.

Let's explore the art of 'managing up:' discover practical strategies to align with your manager's goals, enhance communication, and drive mutual success. Learn how taking initiative and offering solutions can set you apart as a valuable team member.

Elevate your professional relationships and career growth by mastering the art of managing up!

As a young professional or student, it is important to find ways to maintain and advance your ArcGIS and GIS knowledge and skills. Esri Academy is an amazing resource with thousands of trainings for ArcGIS and GIS, but what does that entail?

As you look through the course catalog, you will see a variety of trainings and courses covering everything and anything GIS and ArcGIS.  Whether you want to take a course with an instructor or sneak in a seminar during lunch, Esri Academy has it!  The different formats can help you learn in the way that is best for you and your busy schedule. Let’s dive-in to the different training formats.

Starting a new GIS department at an existing company is unpredictable. Use these clues to set realistic expectations for yourself and your company. 

There are 2 “who’s” to consider when you are discovering what your GIS department will become.

1. Who will support you
2. Who will be using your systems