Cartographer

Typical Salary

£18,000 To £45,000

Typical Hours

39 to 41 a week

evenings occasionally

How To Become a Cartographer

You can get into this job through:

a university course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
experience in the armed forces

College / University

You can take a degree in:

geography
geographical information systems (GIS)
land surveying
earth sciences
oceanography

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

Apprenticeship

You could complete a geospatial survey technician advanced apprenticeship, or geospatial mapping degree apprenticeship.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

You may be able to get into this job by starting as a trainee cartographic technician and working your way up.

Employers may look for an apprenticeship in geospatial surveying, or A levels or equivalent, in geography, art and design, mathematics or computing.

Other Routes

If you want to work as a cartographer in the armed forces, you can apply to the British army as a geographic technician, or the Royal Air Force as an air cartographer.

After you leave the services, you could use your experience to find work in commercial cartography and mapping.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of geography
maths knowledge
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
analytical thinking skills
excellent written communication skills
excellent verbal communication skills
design skills and knowledge
the ability to work well with others
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Day To Day Tasks

In this role you could:

use desktop publishing and specialist computer software
design digital or paper based maps
check maps and charts are accurate and to scale
edit maps, add and remove new roads, structures or landmarks
collect and analyse data from remote sensors on satellites and planes
use GIS to model and analyse landscape features
plot the heights and positions of geographical features from aerial photographs
carry out topographic surveys of the land and hydrographic surveys of the sea and coastal areas

Working Environment

You could work in an office.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

You can find out more about a career in cartography from the British Cartographic Society and Ordnance Survey.

Restrictions & Requirements

Restrictions & Requirements are not listed for this job.