Careers in Geography
Skills developed throughout our subjects, which are attractive to prospective employers, include:
analytical and technical skills (in the physical and social sciences)
survey skills (physical and social sciences)
writing and information synthesis
communication and group work skills
computing skills
knowledge of social and environmental interactions.
More specifically, in the workforce geographers may perform the following tasks:
observe, measure and collect data and compile maps on climate, vegetation and animals, soils, land surface features and distributions, populations and social, economic, political and land use activities
analyse and interpret a range of statistical data, maps, charts and other geographic information
interpret satellite imagery for assessing and mapping natural resources, land uses and human activities
advise on such issues as industrial and commercial site locations, environmental management, and placement of public facilities and services
advise or act as consultants to governments and organisations on urban and rural land use, regional economic development, resource planning and management, tourism, land degradation and erosion, environmental quality and boundary demarcations
edit and assist in the preparation of maps, atlases, reports and other geographic information for analytical, administrative and cartographic purposes
develop appropriate geographic information systems including information acquisition, coding, geographic database development management and applications
analyse population data and forecast population trends
develop, plan and execute regional and international development assistance projects, analyse and advise on military intelligence
apply remote sensing, computer cartography and geographic information technologies
prepare and write reports and scientific papers.
Geography graduates have found themselves in many different careers in various employment sectors including:
government departments (housing, planning, conservation, natural resource management, transport)
private sector consultants (environment, planning)
social policy agencies (urban housing, social welfare)
private-sector industries (mining, tourism, banking, recycling)
non-government organisations (international aid, community development, environmental development, environmental advocacy)
retailing and marketing
computing, telecommunications
teaching in secondary and tertiary education
human management and public relations
postgraduate studies and research.
Geographers may perform a variety of tasks depending on their area of specialisation.
Economic Geographer works in commercial, trading, banking and industrial organisations, analysing and planning the location of firms or branches of institutions, and documenting the ways labour markets and economic production vary between locations and regions.
Environmental Geographer deals with land and water management, urban and regional planning and natural hazards such as floods, drought and bush fires.
Human Geographer analyses the forces influencing distribution and changes in the patterns of populations, and social, cultural and economic activities.
Physical Geographer studies the physical environment and the forces which shape it. They are concerned with things like climatic variability, land degradation, river quality and coastal erosion; how environmental conditions have changed through time and what they will be like in the future. They often undertake fieldwork to collect primary information.
Some SSEE geographers' careers profiles
