Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 20
Ten Interesting
Geographical
Occupations
In This Chapter
Mapping a career in cartography
Planning a job in the health services or transportation fields
Analyzing employment prospects in marketing
H undreds of geography departments in colleges and universities around the world offer courses and
degree programs that prepare people for exciting and rewarding careers. Here are ten examples of how
geographic education gets put to work.
Air Photo Interpreter/Remote Sensing Analyst
Aerial photographs and satellite images are key sources of information about Earth's surface and,
therefore, important tools for geographic analysis. Numerous government agencies employ thousands
of interpreters and analysts to monitor goings on in foreign countries as well as to keep tabs on do-
mestic agriculture, forestry, and other items of environmental interest. City and regional planning au-
thorities, as well as civil engineering and consulting firms, also hire specialists who use these tools to
acquire information about their employers' respective areas of interest and provide input into maps and
databases that aid planning. Indeed, nearly all maps produced under government auspices these days
are based on information provided by air photos and satellite images.
Area Specialist
An area specialist is a person who possesses a high degree of expertise in a particular part of the world.
Latin Americanist, Africanist, and Sinologist (China expert) are typical job titles. Government agen-
