What's your job about?
Eagle Technology is the New Zealand Distributor for Esri ArcGIS software. GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is a system that creates, manages, and analyses data that has a location associated with it. In other words, it makes maps on a computer that can be used to help people better understand the world around them.
I work within the Eagle Technology GIS Technical Solutions Team. We provide information to new clients about how they could use ArcGIS within their business and inform existing clients about updates being made to the software.
My specific role is using the Utilities Network extension to map Water, Electricity, Gas and Telecommunications Networks. This extension allows you to create a “Digital Twin” which is a digital representation of the real world, the idea being that the digital version of the network will behave in the same way as it would in real life.
What's your background?
I grew up in Hastings and moved to Wellington for University in 2007. Graduating in 2010 with a Geology degree I got a job back in Hastings working for a Geotechnical Engineering consultancy. I was shipped off to work in all corners of New Zealand, working in Huntly, Westport, New Plymouth and Ohai (40 mins west of Invercargill).
After six months working in NZ, I was offered a FIFO 8/6 (Fly in Fly out) job in remote Western Australia working for a gold mining company (Anglogold Ashanti Australia) I would work for eight days staying on-site and then have six days off. My first year was spent working in ‘Brownfields Exploration’ where we were drilling to better define a known gold deposit.
After one year of working in Exploration, I began working in the mining team to start digging up the gold we had previously defined with the drilling. I was working with mining contractors to help extract the gold in the most efficient way, advising on the geological properties of the deposit.
Two years later I decided to take a six-month break from the +40OC degree desert and move to a (at times -40OC) ski town, Banff, Canada working at Mt Norquay Skifield. Once the snow had melted it was time to go back to Western Australia, working for the same company although this time working in ‘Greenfields’ Exploration where we would spend up to four weeks at a time camping in the Great Victorian Desert looking for the next big gold deposit.
After around six years away from NZ, I decided it was time to go back. Although not before a bit more travel, spending one-month skiing in Japan, two months travelling from Nairobi to Capetown and a further 2 months travelling from London to Kazakhstan as part of the ‘Mongol rally’ (Our car was too crap to make it all the way to Mongolia, If you’re interested check it out here: https://www.theadventurists.com/adventures/mongol-rally/)
Returning to NZ I found myself back at the same Geotechnical Engineering firm as in 2010, this time working again all over NZ and with some projects in the Philippines. While travelling for work was interesting, at times it can be difficult and doesn’t allow for much stability in your life.
Throughout my career, I had used various software programs and had developed an interest in GIS. I saw this as an opportunity to have more stability and flexibility with my job i.e. no longer have to work in remote locations like Ohai!) This is when I applied to be an Intern at Eagle Technology, first completing the six-week Geospatial Accelerated Learning Program (GALoP), and going on to work within the business to learn more about GIS and start my new career as a Spatial Analyst.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
We have access to all the tools available (usually a company might only be licensed to use certain parts of the software) and, we have first access to the new software releases.
Another great thing about my job is that I am working with the NZ experts in GIS and also have direct lines of communication with Esri people developing the software. So, if you ever have a problem or you there is something you would like to learn there will be someone who can help you solve the issue or teach you what you need to know.
What are the limitations of your job?
Because my role requires constantly learning about new software updates, one limitation is that you can find yourself never really sinking your teeth into one aspect and always having to keep up with the moving target of an ever-developing software.
Another thing I find difficult is having to run presentations to a large range of customers. Although I feel once I am more confident in the software more confidence with presenting will also come.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
Three pieces of advice for myself when I was a student: