How to Become a Map Maker
We rely on maps to take us across town and around the world. Without them, we'd literally be lost. But did you ever consider who actually creates the maps we rely on so much? Cartographers, or mapmakers, help us get where we're going. Here's how to become one.
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Instructions
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If you have even the slightest interested in becoming a mapmaker, you'll want to start with the basics: education. There are no specific entry requirements to become a mapmaker, although most employers prefer you to have a Bachelor of Science majoring in computing or geography.
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Enroll in college. Obviously, you'll want to get your basic classes out of first, but as you start taking courses that have to do with mapping and cartographing, you'll immediately get the feel for this highly-specialized career.
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You should already be studying maps as a hobby. Look at maps from different eras. Note how mapping has become more sophisticated over time.
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Get familiar with some of the equipment that mapmakers use. Start investigating Geographic Information Systems (GIS), cartography and photogrammetry. Also, an understanding of "remote sensing" (observing and measuring aspects of the Earth from a distance) is incredibly important.
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Get a Bachelor of Science degree in cartography, geography, engineering, forestry or physical science.
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Learn as much about computers as you can, as cartographers rely on computers for mapping more than ever. That said, some mapmakers have postgraduate qualifications in GIS as well.
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During summers and before you go to college (or if you're ambitious, during school) get a job at a construction site, architectural or engineering firm or government agencies. Other areas of potential for mapmakers are in urban planning, emergency preparedness and natural resource exploration.
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