Every decision made involves some form of Geography. Geography is involved in solving lots of problems like site selection, responding to emergencies, network distribution planning and redrawing of country boundaries. Geographic Information System allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts.
Why Use GIS?
An organization has new and legacy data stored in a variety of formats in many locations. They need a way to integrate their data so that they can analyze it as a whole and leverage it to make critical business and planning decisions. No matter where the data is derived from, the GIS can relate and integrate any data with just a small part that is known.
A career in the field can be exciting and have a tremendously positive impact on the world. You can start your career with GIS as an:
• Analyst
• Technician
• Data Specialist
• Specialist
• Mapping Technician
• Engineering Technician
• Mapping Assistant
• Application Specialist
At the level of basic science, GIS professionals are improving the understanding of how the planet works at all scales. At the application level, these professionals are analyzing complex situations, visualizing problems, and creating geographic plans and solutions.
Considering all the geographic factors that are necessary to form a sustainable future, they are also looking into cost reduction and increasing efficiency in order to help people make better and quicker decisions. Again, they are improving the processes of communication and collaboration, helping to better coordinate work across organizations. As a result, these professionals have an opportunity to make a real difference in the world.
The Geographic Information System professionals are educated in three main ways:
• Through special certificate programs at colleges and universities (most common)
• Through degree programs at colleges and universities
• As part of their curriculum in other specialties such as while pursuing an urban planning degree
The positions mentioned earlier have a salary offered in the range of $25,000 to $60,000 per year! Those who are looking for a job should really scout around because there are a lot of discrepancies in the salary. So if you are okay with relocating then the chances will be higher for you. However, don't expect employers to always be open to covering all of your expenses. Those of you considering international relocation, make sure you understand what you are getting involved with as there's much more to consider than you can imagine.
The mapping industry has developed in leaps in bounds because of rapid technological advancement. Therefore those who have a tertiary education in technical and managerial skills are highly in demand. The need for People with such skills is expected to increase in the coming years. Some are forecasting a large annual growth in the Spatial Data Management fields.
