I went to COGS with the open mind to try and absorb as much as I could. As the year progressed I found myself interested in the GIS for Business. The courses that went along with this concentration were more of what my original interest in geography, location analysis and working with Census data to understand the demographics of an area. Also, the requirement of the term long research project was more appealing to me due to the interaction with instructors and gaining experience while taking relevant courses. Overall, my education experiences I can say by going to COGS was “the best experience of my life.”

After COGS, I received a job with Dawson Geophysical Company as a Hazard Mapper (Assistant to Head Mapper). This job required me to use a GPS unit to find all features on any given property. This would include: structures, fencing, gates, utilities, phone and any other features that would be considered hazardous for our large equipment. This data was then put on a map for the surveys collect GPS points for seismic purposes. The position was located in Midland, Texas gaining international work experience.

As I moved on from that position I currently work for the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) as a GIS Officer. This job is in an office setting where I am a part of planning and decision making within a specific area. My responsibilities include using GIS to help plan winter plow routes and road construction to effectively make smart decisions, as well as using statistics to be informative throughout other divisions of the entire department.