GIS life

[KeshavSharma]

Subject: Exploring Career Paths in GIS: Advice & Experiences

Hi everyone! I’m currently exploring career opportunities in the GIS field and would love to hear from others about their journeys. Whether you’re working in urban planning, environmental management, remote sensing, or GIS development, your insights can help guide newcomers like me.

What inspired you to pursue GIS professionally? What skills or certifications proved most valuable? Are there specific industries or roles where GIS is growing rapidly?

I’m especially curious about how people transitioned from education to employment, and what challenges they faced early on. Any advice for building a strong portfolio or landing internships would be greatly appreciated.

Let’s make this a space where we share not just technical tips, but also personal stories that inspire and inform. Looking forward to learning from this amazing community!

Labels: career, GIS, advice

[JesseCloutier · Accepted solution]

Hi @KeshavSharma, and welcome to Esri Community! This is a really great conversation you're inviting and I've shared a synced copy of it in the Esri Young Professionals Network Networking Board, where is has strong overlap and an audience very much attuned to what you're discussing. Any comments left on either copy of the post will load to the other so conversation can take place from both the GIS Life and Esri Young Professionals Network sides of things. I also encourage you to explore the Esri Young Professionals Network Blog, where you'll find many stories from people in GIS that directly speak to these topics you're curious about. For instance, you'll find numerous real-life stories that include applicable advice about GIS internships here, and All the best! 

[SandraFlores-Castillo · Accepted solution]

I actually started my journey in GIS, and that foundation is what eventually led me into the world of photogrammetry at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). What inspired me early on was seeing how spatial data could answer real-world questions and help support transportation, environmental, and community decision-making. Once I worked more closely with aerial imagery and lidar, I realized how much I loved the 3D side of mapping, and that’s how photogrammetry became my career path.

A few things I’ve learned along the way:

✨Build a solid foundation. Courses or hands-on experience with GIS fundamentals, spatial analysis, and cartography are incredibly valuable. If you’re curious about remote sensing, photogrammetry, or lidar, those skills build naturally from GIS and are in growing demand.

📜Certifications can help. ESRI technical certificates, ASPRS certifications, and project-based coursework can strengthen your portfolio and open doors.

Create a portfolio that tells your story. Include maps, class projects, drone imagery, web apps, anything that shows how you think and what you can create. Context is just as important as the final product.

🚀Seek internships and mentorship early. Programs like MnDOT’s Career Pathways (which helped launch my own career) or local government GIS internships are fantastic ways to get practical experience. Never hesitate to reach out, many professionals are more than willing to help guide students.

🌱The field is growing fast. Transportation, UAS/drone mapping, environmental monitoring, 3D modeling, and remote sensing continue to expand. If you enjoy technology, problem-solving, and working with data, there’s a place for you.

Transitioning from education to employment can feel overwhelming, but staying curious, practicing your skills, and connecting with the geospatial community truly makes a difference. You’re already taking the right step by engaging here, and I wish you all the best on your GIS journey!

If you ever want to talk about GIS, photogrammetry, or geospatial careers in general, feel free to reach out!