Further, information can be gathered which will determine homeowner’s insurance costs (potential earthquake patterns are discerned and other weather-related information that insurance companies will use to determine rates) and other factors that affect us personally. Information gather by GIS can be accessed for myriad purposes. Our children are able to gather information for term papers and other school reports. GIS affects us not only now, and in very noticeable ways, but as this new technology continues its rapid growth, GIS will eventually be a constant in countless ways in our lives.
GIS jobs are on the rise and studies show these trends will continue as this technology continues to evolve. Imagine making a contribution to a new program designed to determine, based on arrests, if drugs were being sold within a defined parameter of a school. Perhaps you’ll make a contribution that can help scientists determine the amount of ice that’s melted in Antarctica over the course of a decade. This is all possible and within reach. Your first step towards this career requires GIS training and certification. Once you’ve acquired the proper certification, you will have opened doors to not only many job positions, but you will have also laid the groundwork for promotions, up to and including management roles. Nearly every sector of the work force requires GIS analysis to some degree, and getting in on the ground floor is a possibility that exists now. Training is available that will enable you to walk right into a solid position with the potential for a lifetime of success.
As mentioned above, your first step will be to secure certification in this field. We’ve outlined a few of the varying processes as well as availability of the programs currently available.
- A program with the University of Washington offers a study that “most benefits entry- and intermediate-level users.” This program allows you to take single courses, or you can choose to commit to the entire nine-month course. Many say this is one of the best GIS certification programs available anywhere and that it offers resources available nowhere else. See this Web site for more information.
- By applying through the Open University Program division with San Diego State University, you have the option of choosing courses as you see a need for them, after, of course you’ve gained the initial certification. Financial assistance may exist too.
- If you are a California resident, you may wish to consider a program such as the one offered by the California Forestry Department. Scholarships and on-the-job training opportunities might exist in other state agencies as well.
- Texas residents may find an exciting consideration in what is called a paid GIS internship. This will allow the chosen candidate(s) the unique opportunity to earn the proper certifications while earning a living in the process.
Choosing to pursue this avenue is a leap of faith one takes and which is always a wise investment. The information and possibilities are out there; now it is a matter of the level of commitment job seekers are willing to put into action. Ultimately, the level of success each of us achieves rests firmly on our own shoulders. Part of this responsibility includes an awareness of when we can benefit from the expertise of others and then acting on that awareness. The bottom line is that we are responsible for our own successes and happiness, and therefore, the quality of life we experience can be improved at any point over the course of our lives. It is simply a matter of choosing to act on those responsibilities. The only defined quality of life that matters is the one we choose for ourselves. Aggressive efforts results in consistent steps forward, and occasional rests are valuable directly to how much more energy they offer us.
