Building My Path in GIS and Environmental Engineering

 

As I continue working toward my GIS certificate at the University of West Florida and my Associate degree at Valencia College, I have been reflecting on how the GIS industry connects directly to infrastructure and environmental systems. After I started my internship, I realized how strongly the GIS industry connects to infrastructure, public utilities, and environmental systems. What once felt mostly academic in the classroom became much more meaningful when I saw how GIS is used to manage water, wastewater, and critical infrastructure in real-world settings. 

Through my internship with the Orange County Utilities Department, I have been able to see this connection firsthand. In this role, I assist with spatial data editing and mapping projects related to water and wastewater systems. This experience has strengthened my understanding of how accurate spatial data directly impacts public services and environmental management.

One of the biggest highlights of my internship has been seeing how GIS supports real-world infrastructure systems that communities depend on daily. It has reinforced my decision to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering. I hope to combine engineering principles with geospatial technology to address environmental and infrastructure challenges in the future.

In addition to gaining technical experience, I recently created and updated my LinkedIn profile to better reflect my academic and professional direction. My approach was to clearly communicate three key areas: my GIS technical skills, my internship experience in utilities, and my long-term goal of transferring into environmental engineering.

You can view my LinkedIn profile here.

Creating my LinkedIn profile helped me recognize how each step, coursework, internship, and future academic goals connect to a larger professional path. 

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