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By: Bhesh Thapa, Sun Nov 2nd, 2008
Bhesh Thapa, M.A. Geography, Post Graduate Diploma in GIS & Remote Sensing, GIS Engineer, Farrer Consulting Limited, the UK www.farrerconsulting.com Email: bheshthapa@yahoo.com Background As you know the UK is formed by Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England in 1801. About 84% population (2007) of the UK lives in England. The UK a country of diverse and ancient heritage is immensely rich & a working destination of 26 countries of European Union, especially eastern European former communist countries. The government data shows about 1.5 (2007) million people from Eastern EU are working in the UK. To get a job in the UK is not easy, need a certain legal documents such as: bank account and National insurance card. But to get these legal documents need address proof. To get an address proof need rented/owner of a house or flat. Unfortunately, a letting agencies (authorise house rent agent) asked your employer letter and enough bank balance to rent a house or flat. GIS We know Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based mapping scientific technology & an one of the most rapidly growing and significant branches of geography. It involves the application of information technology to the task of understanding and managing the world around us. A GIS is capable to integrate the different discipline. The main objectives of GIS is data capturing, storing, manipulating, analysing and presenting geographical information about the characteristics and distribution of features in the physical and human environments. GIS Experience My Local Government GIS Experiences started by Mid-Devon District Council, Devon. Later, Birmingham, Oxford, Coventry, and Manchester based, in England. Devon is a famous for holiday makers and beautiful county site is located on South west of England. Holiday Parks, a superb selection of clean and safe family beaches around the coast and numerous family holiday attractions including adventure parks, farm adventure parks, surfing schools, water parks, steam railways, zoos and top family museums all is one of the most popular holiday and short break destinations for families in the UK. The role of job was managed the Local land property Gazetteer later linked into national land and property Gazetteer. The National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) covers the whole of England and Wales and contains more than 30 million residential, business and non-mailing addresses. It is a comprehensive and continually updated database, created by those with local knowledge in each local authority, the body with legal responsibility for street naming and numbering of property. I used CAPS Uniform GIS software in Mid Devon District Council. This software is a new for me but as a GIS & Remote Sensing degree holder and as well as past GIS experienced of Nepal became easier to understand the procedure. Birmingham Birmingham is the second largest city of England. The city is familiar for ethnic minority people mostly Asian, Caribbean and African origin. Birmingham Central Library is the largest public library in the Europe where lends eight million books each year. The city has three universities and more than 430 schools where one million people live. In the 6th Century Birmingham was just one small settlement in thick forest- the home (ham) of the tribe (ing) of a leader called Birm or Beorma.City centre shopping area served by three railway stations and 129 bus routes, is located in West Midlands, England. The region has extensive networks of rivers, canals and lakes providing a wildlife resource of European importance. There are 821 km of canals and rivers with public navigation - the highest total for any region. I appointed for a project in National Traffic Control Centre, a Highway Agency, Birmingham. The purpose of job was highway GIS data analysis using MapInfo GIS software, especially geometric data correction. The data finally prepared to inform the motorist as soon as possible regarding the event through electronic media. Oxford The Oxford city is the city of Dreaming Spires, is famous the world over for its University and place in history. For over 800 years, it has been a home to royalty and scholars, and since the 9th century an established town. Oxfordshire District Council is a local government office which is located in South East England. The Council located at Wallingford a historical town which is near by Oxford city. The council offered a job for Positional Accuracy Improvement project regarding Planning application using Arc View GIS software. At that time, my family were in Birmingham not possible travel everyday to come in Oxford. So I rented a room in Reading town where can be seen Nepalese family settled in this area came from Pokhara region, Nepal. Unfortunately, I left this job after six months as I got another job offer by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Birmingham. The council office was not far away just twenty minutes walking distance from my home (rented). The purpose of job role was to produce various types map. The data imported from Excel and Access text data convert into GIS format regarding vulnerable and decent private sector houses those are not in British Standard. The project completed after six month and my family moved to south (Swindon) from Birmingham. We have not seen any Nepalese family in Birmingham so that my family not interested stay more. We moved to south of England in Swindon town near Reading. Swindon is a newly growing industrial small town where more than 150 house holders Ex Ghurkha Army (British Army) are settled. Swindon divided into 22 political ward boundaries. It’s origin as a small market town, used mainly for barter trade until the mid-1800s. The original Swindon is now known as Old Town. Take time to wander through its quiet courtyards and alleyways or enjoy a vibrant mix of traditional shops and pubs alongside modern outlets and stylish cafes and bars. Silbury Hill is one of the strangest structures in the world. This tall, conical grass-covered hill is entirely manmade, and we have no real idea why it is there. The hill stands in the middle of the Wiltshire Province near Marlborough, Swindon. We know the small town has less opportunity or let say “big city big opportunity”. Swindon is a small town is not favorable for me in terms of GIS job opportunity. My younger brother and relatives are settled in Swindon. My family decided to stay in Swindon permanently. But, I have always curiosity to look new things and visit some where. Which is why, my job nature and hobby is like a coincidence. The country site of the England is really fantastic and beautiful. Even in Nepal, I visited most of the Himalaya belt and rain shadow area of Nepal, as well. My article published on www.cjreport.com regarding the Kaligandaki River Valley, Nepal, was prepared by fifteen days organized trekking in the rain shadow area of Himalaya, Nepal. Coventry Again, I got another GIS job opportunity in Coventry City Council near Birmingham, for one year highway asset management project. The Coventry is approximately 100km away from Swindon which is why not possible travel everyday from home. Coventry had become an important centre of the cloth trade, and throughout the Middle Ages was one of the largest and most important cities in England. By the 20the century the city evolved into major centre of the British motor industry came to an end in 2006. Coventry has comparatively little in the way of contiguous satellite towns and dormitory settlements. During world war second the city suffered more damage than any other British city during the Luftwaffe attacks, with huge firestorms devastating most of the city centre. The city was targeted due to its high concentration of armaments, munitions, aircraft and aero-engine plants which contributed greatly to the British war effort. The main purpose of the project was mapped the council highway asset (traffic sign post, CCTV camera, street light etc) using MapInfo GIS software finally the data concerned to control the crime in the city. Wherever I worked the nature of job was temporary. I was looking a permanent GIS job role in the south East England near to Swindon. I got a permanent job offer in Manchester is approximately 250km North from Swindon when I was working in Coventry city council. Manchester The city is first computer invented & third largest city, located in East Midlands, England, was made a city in 1853. In the late 18th century, with the coming of the industrial revolution, the textiles industry boomed and was a world famous cotton textile industrial city. Now-a-days, the city of independent mind and spirit, Manchester offers something for everyone – whether you’re a footie fan, a film buff, a culture vulture or a follower of fashion. I got a GIS opportunity to implement my skill, experiences and qualification in Farrer consulting Limited, a group of Biwater Services Co. Ltd by 2007 Head office, Manchester. Manchester is nearly 150km north from Swindon. After a year worked in Manchester my job has been transferred in Basingstoke city regional office which is 56 miles distance from Swindon. I used to travel every day by car from home, Swindon. Farrer Consulting Limited is a leading authority in strategic infrastructure and environmental asset management experience in the selection and operation of both network analysis systems & GIS and has employed proprietary software packages on a number of schemes. The company is a national and international consulting organisation, with a major presence across a number of market sectors in the UK. All aspects of mapping and network analysis work, including input from GPS survey units, have been undertaken by Farrer. The Company serve the water and wastewater, rail, airports, highways, municipalities and energy sectors. MapInfo, Small world and Arc Map GIS software are using in different projects. In the UK, Farrer Consulting utilises the latest in GPS techniques, using the UK SmartNET, combined with satellite signals, a moving receiver can retrieve a position to 20mm accuracy. Global Positioning Systems (GPS), to survey and collect field data for our clients. This information is then combined with existing (cleansed) data to produce as complete and helpful a picture as possible. Summary I got the fantastic GIS job opportunity & excellent worked environment in the numbers of local government projects in England. The past experiences are implementing in an internatinal company named, Farrer Consulting Ltd. We know the GIS, a multidisciplinary scientific technology is linked the spatial and nonspatial data to analyze and visualized the outcome. I used the GIS software in various projects such as; Local Land & property Gazetteers, planning, housing strategy, highway asset management and sewerage system in England. This is not limit of GIS application can be use in various sector, such as; research,security or defence sector, environment, & transportation, etc. Farrer is one of the international company stemming from the Biwater Services group Ltd using GIS software in various projects. Such as Scotish Waterways system, Highway Asset Management,Utility Services in the UK and Ghana and Sudan Involving Water Distribution Management. Farrer is involved in developing further projects in Sri Lanka, Angola, Rwanda and Vietnam as well. Reference: