'Each team I joined embraced me with open arms'

• Applying for Esri Ireland's Graduate Program. 
• Graduate Program rotation through Esri Ireland's business functions.
• Mentorship, learning and development.
• Advice and takeaways for other graduates. 

Katherine Burton studied history and geography at UCD and works as a content curator at Esri Ireland, starting out on their Graduate Program. 

·        Tell us about yourself, where you're from and what you studied in college?

My name is Katherine Burton, I’m 26 and from Co. Dublin. I graduated from University College Dublin with a bachelor’s degree in history and Geography in 2018, which is where my interest in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) began, and a Master’s degree in Geospatial Data Analysis in 2019. When I’m not working, you’ll find me hiking up the Dublin/Wicklow mountains or learning how to play the guitar!

·        How did you find out about the grad programme?

At the time, I was working for another geospatial company that I joined immediately after completing the master’s degree. I saw that Esri Ireland were advertising for a role on their Graduate Programme while browsing their social media. Having previously used Esri’s world leading mapping and location analytics software at university, ArcGIS and seeing that Esri Ireland had won multiple Great Place to Work awards as well as the programme providing a lot of variety, I knew I had to apply!

·        What is the graduate programme like?

The graduate programme was a fantastic experience. I had the opportunity to work across a number of departments, from Technical Support to Sales and Marketing and then Professional Services. I received a lot of support from the managerial team and my colleagues. From the very beginning, I was assigned a Career Coach who helped and still helps to guide, support and mentor me on my career journey. I’ve plenty of opportunities to upskill,  and complete training courses.

·        Explain what the work experience was like

 I was warmly welcomed into every team I joined and fully immersed in their projects. In Technical Support, I was given the role of support analyst where I worked with the customer and the team to find a solution for their issue. In Sales, I presented demos of our software to potential customers. Marketing allowed me to explore my creative side and create topical, interesting maps for media and PR . In Professional Services, I been working on engaging projects where I was able to further improve my technical skills while also gaining vital experience in working within a project team.

·        What do you plan to work as after the programme and why?

Since completing the Graduate Programme in November 2022, I have moved into the role of Content Curator. My main goal is to work with internal and external bodies to enhance the value of ArcGIS, Esri’s GIS system, which is used by its customers to make maps, visualise, analyse data, and share and collaborate. I’m also working on content for the ArcGIS for Schools Programme, an initiative offered by Esri that provides free access to its ArcGIS Online platform for Primary, Secondary and Post-Secondary schools across the island of Ireland. I love this role because it allows me to draw upon the technical, interpersonal and communication skills that I have learnt along the way. I can definitely see myself continuing to learn and grow at Esri Ireland and to further my career in the geospatial industry.

·        What's your advice to graduates applying to the programme?

Prepare as best as you can for the interviews but once you are there, relax and allow yourself to convey not only your technical skills but also your personality and passion, which for me is all GIS!  

-ENDS-