When choosing which subjects to take at GCSE or A level it can be quite a difficult time. Geography is a subject that can open many doors - with both physical geography and human geography being all around us. I guess then the thought is well what career will studying Geography give me, is a natural next question. So in the first of "Where geography takes you " I wanted to share some of the opportunities that are out there.
When I was doing my usual Saturday meander in Epsom I was stopped in my tracks by some amazing soldiers who belonged to a Geographic Squadron - The 135 Independent Geographic Squadron Royal Engineers (V). Well, I had to ask them what this entailed. This squadron is the only unit in the Territorial Army to support the Regular Army, 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic). Their role is creating, producing and reproduction of geographic mapping products in an operational environment plus many other tasks.
They had just returned from Afghanistan where their role was to map the local terrain, identifying the high risk areas that would make the army vulnerable to attack. Preparing maps for the Senior Commanding Officers. As well as a humanitarian role in showing local Afghan children the first sight of a map. Something we take for granted. What you may not realise is that British and American Troops were also in Iceland during the Second World as Iceland was in a prime position in the middle of the North Atlantic. Someone must have been looking at the maps. When you take one of our study trips to Iceland you land at Keflavik International Airport which was originally built to support troops at that time.
So if you are whizz with GIS, and GPS or enjoy geographic data the Army could make great use of your skills.
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