Cultural connection and career progress define life at Esri Australia

Once Ben Gan starts talking about the fascinating field of geographic information systems (GIS), it’s hard to get him to stop! Luckily, a role at Esri Australia connects him with equally passionate experts united in their pursuit of solving real-world problems and connecting global communities through science. 

‘The industry prospects and excitement remain true. It's ever-changing, which makes it very interesting to be in this space’ 

One-of-a-kind opportunities 

Ben Gan admits his work at Esri Australia is difficult to describe in layman’s terms. But the variety and complexity of his role as Senior Consultant, Professional Services is what makes it so interesting. He loves coming to work each day with the certainty that his knowledge and expertise will have expanded by the time he gets home.

“Our work in professional services is project based, which makes it highly dependent on what problems the client is trying to solve. For me, a project can be as short as three days or as long as four months, so you’re always working on finding new solutions and different ways of using our tools and products to get the best outcome. No two days are the same.”

Earning his Bachelor of Science and Applied Geology in 2015, Ben found the job market for geologists in Perth to be a tough one to break into. So, the following year, he relocated to Brisbane and began studying for a Master of Geographic Information Science (GIS). 

“I had struggled with drawing maps by hand all through my bachelor’s degree,” Ben says. “So, the computer-based tools used in GIS really helped me with that. I knew it was a field that interested me, so I began applying for jobs mid-way through my master’s degree and was lucky enough to start working as a casual GIS analyst.” 

Continuing to work in the GIS space in the years post-graduation, Ben had come to know of Esri Australia as an industry mainstay and, in his own words, a “dominant player”. So, when an opportunity arose to join our team, Ben’s curiosity was piqued.  

“Obviously, the opportunity was a very exciting one. And now that I’m further into my journey with Esri, the industry prospects and excitement remain true. It's ever-changing, which makes it very interesting to be in this space. But I remember when [HR] spoke to me about the job, there were a lot of functional things about working here that checked all the boxes for me; from superannuation policies, to professional development opportunities and even that I could walk to the office from my house!” 

Connecting diverse communities 

Something Ben was delighted to discover when he joined, was the commitment to inclusion and cultural diversity. Ben hails from Malaysia but is of Chinese descent, so when he received an invitation to Chinese New Year celebrations, he was excited to share the festivities with his colleagues for the first time in his working life. It even inspired him to share it with his LinkedIn network. 

“As I read through the details, I couldn't help but notice the thoughtful touches sprinkled throughout the event – from fortune cookies to meat buns, a Lion Dance performance, and the grand finale? Drinks and mahjong on the balcony! The perfect way to connect, unwind and celebrate the final days of the auspicious occasion. These gestures and celebrations remind us that cultural appreciation benefits everyone, just as accurate maps connect us to diverse communities.” 

Whether in the office or on the other side of the globe, Ben loves getting the chance to connect with our multidisciplinary team, whose expertise is as diverse as their lived experiences. He’s formed valued relationships with colleagues all around the world, whether it’s more broadly…  

“The breadth of Esri’s network means we have a global community to touch base with. You could take your career anywhere in the world you wanted and have strong support to help you grow and learn. There are lots of smart people in the company and they're always willing to help one another, share experiences and exchange technical knowledge.” 

… Or at exciting online events.  

“I attended Esri’s 2023 Boot Camp and met people from New Zealand, Hong Kong, the Philippines and the United States who I still connect with on LinkedIn. Esri also hosts a global user conference in California each year, which I haven’t been to yet, but many of my American colleagues have reached out in the lead up to ask if I'm going.” 

A prospering career 

As Ben continues to grow his career with Esri Australia, he sees an exciting pathway awaiting him. He’s already achieved incredible success through ongoing support and investment in developing his skills.  

“One of my friends is a solutions architect, and I thought his job sounded really cool. So, in my first few months with Esri Australia, I spoke with my manager and they agreed to let me shadow our solutions architect so that one day I could have those skills myself.” 

Recently, Ben’s initiative paid off in a major way: 

“A leader of mine said that the diagram I drew was so good that he wants to buy me dinner next time he comes to Brisbane!” 

From having no experience to having his designs praised at such a high level, Ben’s career has well and truly flourished. He acknowledges the efforts of his leaders to enhance his professional development and is excited for what's to come. 

“My managers have asked me what I want to achieve in my career, and I told them that I’d like to progress to executive management, maybe even become CEO one day. They’ve been so supportive, and are constantly thinking of ways to help me achieve that goal. I’ve seen other managers in the company support their employees to pursue higher leadership, so I’m confident in my future with the company.” 

Are you ready to make big ideas happen?
Explore a career with Esri Australia today