Careers in GIS are an
interesting phenomenon because the field is still relatively new, yet the
demand for GIS work is high. As such, there
are heated deliberations over what constitutes a “GIS professional”. DiBiase thinks that a “GIS Professional [is]
someone who makes a living through learned professional work (see table below)
that requires advanced knowledge of geographic information systems and related
geospatial technologies, data, and methods” (1).
Bill Huxhold was a GIS professional in the nineties who
promoted creating a system of qualifications to be called a GIS professional. Huxhold protests were heard, as he eventually
convinced the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) to
establish a certification committee to study the problem. His ideas became popular in the GIS community
as well.
Citation:
DiBiase, David. 2012.
“Strengthening the GIS Profession” ArcNews.
This is interesting information. The fact that there are qualifications being implemented tells us that GIS is becoming more realized as a legitimate field. Do you know why the fields for cartographers and photogrammetrists are growing the fastest? I'm curious.
ReplyDeleteThis is extremely interesting to read now that I am in a GIS course. It's good that Mr. Huxhold pushed for the creation of a system of qualifications in order to be called a GIS professional. Like other professions, it seems like it would be ridiculous to not have qualifications for the profession, and it is interesting to see how his idea changed things in the GIS environment. I also wonder why mapmakers are the most growing of the GIS jobs.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment, the other side of this argument argues that map making should be protected under the first amendment to the constitution with the freedom of expression.
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