Developing the Geospatial Workforce

Do we have a sufficient geospatial workforce to meet national needs and spur innovation? Several efforts by the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, NRC Mapping Science Committee, ASPRS, Association of American Geographers, and others are exploring this issue.

National Geospatial Advisory Committee – Workforce Development Subcommittee

• Geospatial Workforce Development Subcommittee Update, June 2010
• Geospatial Workforce Development Subcommittee Update, September 2010

National Research Council Ongoing Studies and Reports

 

• The National Research Council (NRC) will be conducting a study on the future U.S. workforce for geospatial intelligence.  An ad hoc committee will examine the need for geospatial intelligence expertise in the United States compared with the production of experts in the relevant disciplines, and discuss possible ways to ensure adequate availability of the needed expertise.

• NRC. 2010. Precise Geodetic Infrastructure: National Requirements for a Shared Resource, p. 107-108. “The committee found that one of the weakest links in the implementation of the precise geodetic infrastructure was a lack of a trained workforce to develop and maintain the infrastructure  in the coming decades. “

• NRC. 2006. Learning to think spatially: GIS as a support system in the K-12 curriculum. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press.

Geospatial Occupations

• United States Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration), GeospatialTechnology Competency Model (June 2010).
• US Department of Labor’s O*NET Online, Search on “Geospatial”
• DOL Grant to “Define and Communication Geospatial Industry Workforce Demand”

• Geospatial Occupations Q&A Part 1, October 20, 2010
• Geospatial Occupations Q&A Part 2, October 26, 2010
• GIS Job Market Predictions, Directions Magazine, 2004

Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge

• DiBiase, D. DeMers, M., Johnson, A., Kemp, K., Luck, A.T., Plewe, B. and E. Wentz (eds.) 2006. Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge. First Edition. Published by the Association of American Geographers and the UCGIS. Washington DC. 162pp.

Certification

• GIS Certification Institute
• American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. ASPRS Certification Program.
• American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Remote Sensing Core Curriculum
• USGIF Geospatial Intelligence Certificate Program Curriculum Guidelines.

Articles

• Crews, J. 2008. Impacts of a Geospatial Technologies Professional Development Project on Student Spatial Literacy and Interest in Science and Technology in Grades 5-12 Classrooms Across Montana. Dissertation.
• Davis, P. 2010. Can the Department of Labor’s Geospatial Competency Model Translate to the European Union? Directions Maagazine, October 3, 2010
• ESRI. 2004. Curriculum Development and the Workforce. GIS Educator Special Edition ESRI, Summer 2004 p. 2-3
• Estaville, L. 2010. Geospatial Workforce Trends in the United StatesInternational Journal of Applied Geospatial Research, Vol. 1, Issue 1.
• Francica, J. 2009. Does Traditional Market Research Miss the Real Numbers for Geospatial Technology Growth? Directions Magazine.
• Francica, J. and A. Schutzberg. 2010. Attracting Students to the Next GEOINT Workforce, Directions Magazine Podcast
• Johnson, J. 2010. MetaDacum Job Analysis for GIS Technicians
• Marble, D.F. 2006. Defining the Components of the Geospatial Workforce, ArcNews, Winer 2005/2006.
• Gaudet, C. and A. Heather. 2008. Developing the Geospatial Workforce, GIS Development, March 2008.
• Gaudet, C. Appreticeship Trends in Geospatial Technology
• Gaudet, C., Heather, A., and J.C. Carr. 2003. Building the Geospatial Workforce, URISA Journal, Vol 15, Issue 1. p. 21-30.
• Goodchild, M.F. and K.K. Kemp. 1992. NCGIA education activities: The core curriculum and beyond. International Journal of Geographical Information Systems, 6(4), p.309-320.
• MAPPS Powerpoint Presentation to Department of Labor
• Raudibaugh, M. and B. Ferguson. 2010. Assessing the State of Geospatial Education within the Community College System, URISA
• Samborski, B. 2006. A Rose by Any Other Name, GITA Newsletter and follow-up After the Dog Days
• Solem, M., Cheung, I., and Schlemper, B. 2008. Skills in Professional Geography: An Assessment of Workforce Needs and Expectations. The Professional Geographer, 60(3): 1-18.
• Solem, M., Lee, J., and Schlemper, B. 2009. Departmental climate and student experiences in geography graduate programs. Research in Higher Education, 50(3): 268-292.
• Solem, M. and Foote, K. 2009. Enhancing Departments and Graduate Education in Geography: A Disciplinary Project in Professional Development. International Journal of Researcher Development, 1(1): 11-28.
• Sullivan, D. 2007. Developing a Plan for National Coordination of Geospatial Technology Education: A Community College Perspective, Masters Thesis
• Thrall, G., and M. Campins. 2005. Mapping the geospatial community: part 4. GeoSpatial Solutions 15(1):46-52.
• Wright, D.J., M.F. Goodchild, and J.D. Proctor. 1997. Demystifying the Persistent Ambiguity of GIS as “Tool” Versus “Science” The Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 87(2): 346-362.
• Wright, D.J. and D. DiBiase. 2005. “Distance Education in Geographic Information Science: Arena Symposium and an Informal Survey.” Journal of Geography in Higher Education. 29:1; pp. 91-100

AAG

• AAG Resolution Supporting Geography and Geospatial Education, 2010

Additional Resources

• ESRI Consider a Career in GIS
• Geospatial Industry Workforce Information System (GIWIS)
• GeoTech: Empowering the Geospatial Workforce
• Geospatial Industry Snapshot, 2003.
• URISA Salary Survey, 2007

Related Articles

• USGIF Announces Geospatial Intelligence Awards Recipients (eon.businesswire.com)
• New National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Sees GEOINT App Store for Warfighter (geodatapolicy.wordpress.com)

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