Careers: Government & Transport

Geography’s emphasis on seeing connections between differing aspects of society is a highly prized skill among those working in and around the halls of power...

Patrick Rickles

Patrick Rickles, Head of Business Intelligence and Spatial Data Science

HM Courts and Tribunal Services

Degree: MSc Geographic Information Science, UCL

I was curious about the public sector and how I might be able to apply my skills and knowledge to positively impact policies and decision making. I am currently at HM Courts and Tribunals Service (an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Justice), leading teams on data visualisation, solutions architecture and spatial analyses, such as travel time calculations. The main part of my role is to manage a team and more widely promote best practice in data visualisation and incorporate GIS to enrich outputs. I am actively building the organisation’s geospatial data capabilities and repositories, training people across the Ministry of Justice and acting as the department’s representative for Esri, Ordnance Survey and Microsoft.

Tom Grahamslaw

Tom Grahamslaw, Associate

WSP

Degree: Geography, University of Leeds

Following graduation, I joined WSP as a Graduate Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Consultant. I have developed a career within ITS focusing on the application of technology to enable operational and safety benefits to transport projects. I have been involved in the development of various Smart Road concepts and currently lead the operational safety delivery of a programme of smart motorway schemes. Leadership, communication and technical ability, alongside critical geographical knowledge are the skills that enable success in my role. Very few industries are moving at such a pace.

Geographical knowledge is applied to my work on a frequent basis. A geographical background provides a unique position for any career, enabling us to understand complex issues and how these impact the world around us.

Cengizhan Sehir

Cengizhan Sehir, Global Trade Programme Manager for Americas and Turkey

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Degree: Geography and Economics, Aberystwyth

I lead on regional activities for the Global Trade Programme in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The programme’s primary objective is to utilise economic diplomacy to promote global prosperity, growth and gender impacts whilst alleviating poverty in our partner countries. I lead on these developments within the Americas geographical region as well as with Turkey.

Geography is part and parcel of working at the FCO. Having an understanding of the world is what our job is all about, both the human and physical side of things. Having a wide variety of skills and knowledge that geography develops as well as just being able to operate with different people.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses addressing the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. • Geography BA (Hons) • Geography BSc (Hons)* • Geography with Year Abroad BSc (Hons) • Geography (Combined) BSc/BA (Hons) • International Development Studies (Combined) BSc/BA (Hons) • Natural Hazard Management (Combined)