Philippe Gratton
I completed a BA Honours in Geomatics in December of 2011 after having obtained a college diploma in Geomatics and working for four years in the field. Looking to advance in my career, I felt the need to obtain a university degree to complement my technical experience obtained in college and in the workforce. The Geomatics program offered at Carleton University not only gave me the opportunity to broaden my technical abilities and sharpen my critical thinking skills but also exposed me to a wide range of academic disciplines which led to new found interests. The program’s diversity gave me insight into many facets of geomatics including remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS). Shortly after graduating from Carleton, I landed a job as a Geomatics Technician at the National Capital Commission (NCC) in Ottawa, validating the importance of completing a degree to achieve my career goals.
My degree strengthened my knowledge of geomatics and equipped me with the necessary background to further my career. The addition of the honours thesis (the highlight of my degree) to this degree gave me confidence and determination to successfully transition into the workforce and I strongly believe it to be a great starting point to further my education. I am currently employed in a full time geomatics position gaining valuable technical experience in anticipation of potentially enrolling in a graduate program. My advice for future students or those currently enrolled in the program is to strongly consider the Honours Research Thesis as part of your undergraduate degree as it will offer you valuable independent research and problem solving experience. My degree has allowed me to grow personally and professionally and has proven to be a great catalyst.