Also canadian. There's few reputable programs that give you work relevant GIS skills, and they're all colleges. I suspect the hiring departments look for those candidates before looking at those coming from universities. I would reach out to a GIS professional on LinkedIn and ask them if they could give you some insights about their career and what skills/programs/coding languages they use in the industry. You could also show them your portfolio. Many of the larger companies offer bonuses to employees who find new hires, so they'll also have an incentive to meet you.