������Ƶ

Omar Algiasena still remembers those late nights working at Walmart in Salmon Arm, finishing up overnights before swapping his worker vest for a backpack and heading down to (������Ƶ). When the rest of the town slept, Omar worked as the overnight support manager at the store and later shifted his focus from inventory management to  geospatial coordinates and mapping technologies.

Originally from Baghdad, Iraq, Algiasena had come to Canada with an engineering degree but wished to pursue a field of work that combined his passion for technology, maps, and information. For this dedicated family man, it meant working nights and studying days.
"There were times I wondered if I could keep going," Algiasena recalled. "I'd finish my shift at seven a.m., catch a quick breakfast, and be in class by nine. Sometimes I felt like I was living in two different worlds."

Taking ������Ƶ's Advanced GIS Certificate* program through InspirED (������Ƶ's Continuing Studies division) was a turning point. Geographic Information Systems — the technology that powers everything from Google Maps and urban planning — aligned perfectly with his interests and background in survey engineering.

*Our program has evolved! Previously known as the Advanced GIS Certificate, ������Ƶ now offers suite of stackable microcredentials designed to provide greater flexibility and targeted learning.

"When I began applying the advanced GIS techniques we learned in class to create more sophisticated maps, things just fell into place," Omar says, his eyes lighting up. "Though I had experience with mapping software before, this program helped me elevate my skills to a whole other level."

The hands-on nature of the program was a tremendous benefit. New challenges appeared with every assignment: spatial structures in the data to investigate, interactive maps to create and real-world uses of geospatial technologies to address.

Algiasena’s determination was rewarded when he received the Esri Scholarship Award for his final GIS project. As one of the world's leading GIS software companies, Esri's recognition was more than just an award, it was validation that he belonged in this field.

Algiasena is now a GIS professional at Esri Canada, the same company that recognized his efforts as a student. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in GIS at BCIT in 2023 and is now pursuing a master's degree in GIS Applications at Vancouver Island University, continuing the educational journey that began at ������Ƶ with InspirED.

"Sometimes I look at my computer, see the maps and visualizations we're creating and think back to those night shifts at Walmart," Algiasena reflects. "It’s a pretty big contrast."

Today his work involves building mapping solutions that allow organizations to make more data-driven decisions — municipal governments developing infrastructure, environmental departments tracking changes to ecosystems.

Algiasena's advice to future students: "If you’re drawn to maps, fascinated by data visualization or curious about how technology can help us understand our world better, GIS might be your path too. Set a clear goal, stay focused when things get tough and trust that opportunities will come your way.”

Ready to chart your own course? Check out ������Ƶ's GIS program offerings today.