The information that is stored and available in GIS is mainly a lot of data, and the analysis that comes with it helps GIS officers to plan public services and utilities to the areas that need it. GIS jobs are more and more also becoming IT jobs. GIS officers work with the Geographical Information System on a daily basis and of course all information of geographical structures that already exists has to be put into the system too. All paper maps from the past have to be converted or digitized to GIS datasets. All geographical information concerning location of utilities, bridges, road barriers, and even street lights, and just about anything else that is out there is captured with the help of global positioning system tools.
GIS officers create computer programs to bring this information from one format to whatever format it has to go. A GIS officer can create a presentation with information that is available in the geographic information system. The information that is available to him is used when utility companies have to calculate to what capacity they have to bring their services to take care of a certain area. Sometimes they work for customers from the business world. Supermarkets often have studies done by GIS officers to see if there is a potential need for building more stores in a certain area. GIS analysts and officers analyze data. They make maps and develop new GIS software.
GIS analysts and officers work for government organizations as well as private companies. They can work on a federal or on a state level and contribute to the improvement of the industrial but also agricultural growth of an area.
It is unnecessary to say that candidates for these positions need to be more than just computer savvy. A basic IT tech degree can open doors to job entry positions. To have a successful career as a Geographic Information System officer a more specialized education and extra certifications are most certainly required.
At this moment there is a shortage of skilled GIS personnel. An even bigger need for skilled GIS personnel in the near future is very obvious. GIS offers many job opportunities and is definitely a field that needs to be discovered by ambitious people.
Skilled GIS officers can be self employed and do work for the private sector and for the government. They can also work on a salary for companies that accept work from the government of private companies. The state and federal governments often offer job opportunities for skilled GIS personnel. On average they pay sixteen to twenty four dollars an hour and most Geographic Information System analysts work just forty hours a week. This is a fairly new field of work and the last ten years the number of jobs in this field has about doubled. A much bigger growth is expected in just the next few years.
