ORDNANCE Survey has increased its staff count by almost half in the past 18 months and is recruiting more.

The Southampton-based mapping agency is inviting applications for the September 2022 intake of its graduate programme.

There will be 16 jobs in its geospatial graduate programme and its data graduate programme.

Ordnance Survey (OS) has hired 386 more staff since April 2020, boosting the staff count by 46 per cent to 1,325.

Its graduate scheme gives graduates rotating placements across the government-owned business. OS says these could range from learning to use artificial intelligence techniques for faster mapping and monitoring of the planet’s ecosystem, to assisting with electric vehicle infrastructure.

The current graduate programme has been running since 2018.

Jessica Baker, 23, a technical relationship consultant, joined the graduate scheme in September 2019 after graduating from Durham University. In November 2020, she won the Geography in Government (GiG) award for her colour-blind friendly map which was designed to create a more accessible mapping product for leisure customers.

She said: “I’d always liked the visual aspect of maps and was drawn to the power of geospatial data in solving challenges. Due to the small intake of graduates, I knew there would be a more personal approach and the opportunity to be more hands-on and learn on the job.

“I’ve learnt a wide range of technical skills, from working with different data sets that help solve customer problems, to being given the autonomy and responsibility to manage products, budgets, and liaise directly with customers.”

OS says the past 18 months have been critical for geospatial innovation, with its data used by the NHS for vaccination programmes, emergency services and local authority responses.

James Armstrong, 25, who joined the scheme in September 2020, said: “I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted from a career after university and worked for two years as a researcher for mitigating risk from unexploded ordnance in the construction sector. What really appealed to me about OS was knowing that they were everywhere, not just in the paper map sense, but their data is supporting healthcare, environment and planning and I wanted to work for a British organisation that was making a difference and contributing to solving societal challenges.

“Since joining the graduate scheme in September last year I’ve become a jack of all trades – learning how to apply data science, the different datasets and how the products can add value, communicating with customers to understand and find solutions.”

OS graduates can be based anywhere in the UK, with occasional travel to Southampton required.

Alex Wharton, head of resourcing and talent at OS, said: “The graduate programme is a fantastic route into OS where you will develop both technical and professional skills over the next two years. “As we continue to deliver on our growth strategy, it is important we continue to add new thinking and diversity to our organisation and now is a genuinely exciting time to help OS realise our ambition as we continue to provide valuable national mapping services for Great Britain.”

The closing date for applications is Sunday, December 5, and details are at ordnancesurvey.co.uk/careers/graduate-scheme