GIS Certificates How They Can Work For You

GIS Certificates How They Can Work For You

GIS Certificates How They Can Work For You Geographic and geospatial information systems, or GIS, is an area of study and technology proving its worth in one industry after another. Whether healthcare, law enforcement, energy and utilities, transportation, or such public sectors as government and disaster relief, the ability to tag apparently different types of information with location has given managers and executives new insights. GIS has become a mainstay of both strategic planning and operations management. The technologies and their practice have opened doors not only for organizations to become more effective and efficient, but for individuals to build their careers. GIS requires people who can understand geographic theory, grasp data analysis, use the tools, and bring the threads together to weave a coherent picture. It s demanding and important work. To do it, you need the practical educational and experiential background. This e-book is about the first part: Getting the appropriate education. If you ve already received a degree, the prospect of interrupting your life and career to attend school is probably discouraging. But you have an alternative in online certificate programs. Online education has become a boon to millions. It lets you study without traveling from home or work (or being able to continue studies even if you do travel) and fit classes into your schedule. A certificate program helps you gain verifiable recognition of your mastery of a new topic without the need for another degree. In reading this e-book, you can expect to learn more about certificate programs and their benefits, how they build on your existing degree, and whether working toward earning a certificate is an approach that might make sense for you. Examples of how GIS is used: HEalTHCarE CrImE TranSporTaTIon EnErGy GovErnmEnT UTIlITIES DISaSTEr relief Page i

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5 What Is a Certificate? How Certificates Can Benefit you How Can a Certificate Build on my Degree? Should I Get a GIS Certificate? Conclusion

1 What Is a Certificate? A certificate is a document attesting to your mastery of a subject. They have a long history in professional education and typically indicate that you have demonstrated a specific level of knowledge in a topic. There are two common types of certificates. One is granted by a college or university. That type of certificate attests to the successful completion of a specific course of study. The student usually takes four or five courses and can typically complete them in less than one year. It is less than a conventional degree, in part because there are usually no educational requirements outside the specific area of study to complete. The second type is granted by an educational or professional organization, or sometimes even a product vendor, and states that the holder has demonstrated a particular level of subject mastery, generally determined by a series of tests, are frequently difficult and complex. This category of certificate is often obtained by an individual to prove expertise in an area. The information technology field has used them as a way to prove that an individual is well versed with a type of database software, network, or some other technology in common use. Similarly, there are two types of certificates available in GIS. One is an industrial recognition of professional achievement called the GIS professional certification, or GISp. Multiple GIS organizations are associated with the program, which is overseen by the GIS Certification Institute. The idea has a lot of merit but one downside: It assumes you already are proficient in GIS. The other type of certificate is the one that universities offer in GIS. It offers a path for people looking to expand their career prospects to gain demonstrable skills in the field. Page 1

2 How Certificates Can Benefit you Like any course of study, undertaking the necessary work to obtain a GIS certificate is a serious undertaking. But there can be good reasons for pursuing one. A GIS certificate can offer you significant benefits beyond simply having another item to add to your resume. Here are a few: EnHanCE a DEGrEE A college degree is an excellent credential when building a career. But a degree only testifies to a previously learned set of skills. A GIS certificate isn t a replacement for a degree, but it demonstrates that you ve achieved a baseline of knowledge that will let you comfortably work as a GIS technician, or show you have complementary skills that can prove important to your existing job. ImprovE your CompETITIvEnESS and marketability Companies need the new advantages that growing technical trends can offer. They want to get up to speed quickly and often hire people who can bring knowledge of the field with them. You have skills and knowledge critical to an important emerging area of business technology. The additional background brings strength to your analytic and strategic planning skills. The advantages you offer improve your competitiveness in your current job, field, or leverage into a new role. Page 2

Instructors have hands-on work experience in GIS and can explain not only the theory, but how to apply it in the real world. BUIlDS SpECIfIC SkIllS It may be that you have already been exposed to GIS at work. But learning on the job is difficult. A GIS certificate from an accredited university makes the path to knowledge smoother. You have online access to the software most widely used in the industry. Instructors have hands-on work experience in GIS and can explain not only the theory, but how to apply it in the real world. It s much easier than learning it all on your own. keeps you CUrrEnT Working at a job, or even a series of jobs, can put you into a rut. A GIS certificate can help keep your skills current. You learn to work on the leading edge of business practices that many other people still have no experience in. Getting a GIS certificate today can be like picking up basic computer skills in the 1980s. Page 3

3 How Can a Certificate Build on my Degree? If you already have a college degree, you might wonder what the use of a certificate might be. After all, you have a skill set and probably a job. But degrees, even from the best colleges, have their limitations. A degree is a snapshot in time. The paper may represent you years ago, possibly when you were far younger and less mature. You might have found that your specific area of study never became your field of professional occupation a common occurrence. Because a degree is fixed in time, it also loses relevancy. Knowledge and technology keep advancing and, in the business world, what doesn t keep moving falls down and dies. For a person s career, the equivalent can mean becoming predictable and obsolete. The process of obtaining a GIS certificate immediately makes your skill set current and relevant. Knowledge and technology keep advancing and, in the business world, what doesn t keep moving falls down and dies. Page 4

4 Should I Get a GIS Certificate? A GIS certificate can offer many benefits, but it still may not make sense for everyone. Here is a list of questions to ask yourself. Your answers can help you decide whether to pursue a certificate. To WHaT DEGrEE DoES your CUrrEnT job or field USE GIS? Training in GIS can make sense if you can employ what you learn in what you do for a living. The technology can be useful in virtually any industry, but that is not to say it is applicable to all careers. If you can t see how GIS could help you in your job today, or somewhere down the line, spending significant time learning how to use it might not make sense. WHaT IS THE potential of GIS To your job or field? Even if your company doesn t use GIS or if your profession hasn t yet embraced it, consider the future. If what GIS has to offer could eventually benefit what you do, learning more about it now might make sense. HoW much Do you know about GIS now? You might be the sort of person who naturally gravitates to technology, immediately grasps its uses, and has an interest in GIS. In such a case, it could be that you ve already informally learned a great deal about the topic. Now you have to determine whether pursuing a certificate would advance your interests in the field. Page 5

Getting a degree would also be important if you were interested in eventually moving into management or in advanced use of GIS. Do you HavE a CollEGE DEGrEE? Certificates are usually intended for someone who already has a degree. If you do, then a certificate might make sense. If you don t have a degree, you might consider instead a bachelor s in GIS. HoW Do you EnvISIon your future In THE GIS field? A GIS degree could be sufficient background for a person interested in becoming a GIS technician. However, the amount of background you would get through an undergraduate or graduate degree program would be significantly more. Getting a degree would also be important if you were interested in eventually moving into management or in advanced use of GIS. Page 6

Industry Sidebars IF YOu ArE CONSIdErING ANY FuTurE IN GIS, IT CAN HELP TO KNOW HOW IT relates TO SPECIFIC INduSTrIES. HErE ArE SNAPSHOTS OF HOW GIS IS APPLIEd IN SOME OF THE MOrE COMMON FIELdS. HEalTHCarE Public health was one of the earliest uses of applying location to problems. Mapping was famously used in 19th century London to track a cholera outbreak. Since then, GIS has become an important tool. researchers use it to track disease patterns. Hospitals can use it to better plan capital expenses and service design. GIS has become invaluable in helping to understand healthcare consumption to better reduce costs while improving services. CrImE Mapping, visualization, and data analysis tools let law enforcement personnel better manage crime. They can uncover subtle patterns that can predict crime before it actually happens. Instead of guessing at signs of trouble, GIS helps officials move to true analysis. GovErnmEnT Public sector use of GIS has represented about a third of the industry. using the technology can help better understand population growth patterns, which can lead to more efficient service delivery. Officials can also employ GIS to analyze the impact of regulations. TranSporTaTIon If an analysis of geography and location could make sense anywhere, it would have to be transportation, which is the practice of moving people and goods from one location to another. GIS can help map out better routes for movement of goods, anticipate future road needs, and reduce traffic congestion. UTIlITIES Whether water, electric, gas, sewage, telephone, or cable, utilities must provide services at specific locations and move material or information to or from them. They involve infrastructure such as wires, poles, and buried pipes. GIS can help find the best routes for the infrastructure, monitor the status of infrastructure, track problems for quicker repairs, and dispatch and manage fleet vehicles. EnErGy Companies in the energy business depend on infrastructure assests, much as utilities do. But the scale and scope are far larger. Pipelines can run a thousand miles or more. Energy exploration involves tracking complex geological factors while considering environmental impact. GIS can help find the most cost effective layouts for infrastructure and help manage the resource exploration process. DISaSTEr relief Natural and man-made disasters have tremendous impacts on people. GIS can aid officials in managing relief efforts in numerous ways, including tracking where problems are worse and finding the safest ways for workers to reach people in need. Cloud-based GIS systems can also allow people to report problems or find where to reach relief. Page 7

5 Conclusion ultimately, only you can decide if a GIS certificate would make sense for your career and future. However, obtaining a certificate can be an excellent way to get some exposure to the field. Then you can make a more informed decision whether GIS is something you would like to do more extensively in the future. for more InformaTIon: www.americansentinel.edu info@americansentinel.edu 866.922.5694 Consumer disclosure information: www.americansentinel.edu/doe Page 8