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Old 01-12-2015, 01:40 AM
 
Location: U.S.A., Earth
5,511 posts, read 4,439,088 times
Reputation: 5764

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Geographic Information System. There's a degree here, but also a certification that requires testing, and another one that requires logged experienced? I've known one person who did work with that and AFAIK, he's been having trouble finding work (although it seems it's more so the issue of finding the work, as opposed to the credentials and availability of work), and another person who's getting a degree with that. Anybody have any experiences and knowledge with this? Are the jobs about as "plentiful" as similar studies? It seems using GIS to support another discipline is the way to go. Like Math + computer science vs. just math major alone.

I've heard of this study only relatively recently. One source says they want folks who can do software programming (like Visual Basic or Java), but pay isn't great (especially since you may as well be a software developer in that case). Others say the technical background is there, but not quite so high.
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Old 01-12-2015, 07:41 AM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,480 posts, read 47,405,393 times
Reputation: 77676
I know very little about it, except that the pay isn't brilliant. The only person I know that does it has a sort of personality glitch, so I can't say whether jobs are hard to come by or he is so obviously not going to fit in that he can't get hired or keep a job. It's possible that more rational people aren't having the employment issues with that field.
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Old 01-12-2015, 01:33 PM
 
Location: West Florida
16,826 posts, read 14,969,207 times
Reputation: 23376
Well, from my experience with GIS, it's generally an intro to a higher-end position.
For example, I work for a utility engineering firm. Most of us, when initially offered employment with the company, started off as GIS Specialists. This was to familiarize us with design, drafting, terminology in our respective field. It was more of an entry-level engineering job.
Pay wasn't bad at all. Not great, but far from bad.
A quick look at job search engines show that it's in fairly high demand in similar engineering fields, and generally requires either an A.S. or B.S. in an engineering-related field, or years of experience, as you'll likely be using CAD software and such. Pretty much all of them are gateways to more advanced engineering careers.
Definitely a good starting point if looking to enter the field.
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Old 01-12-2015, 02:31 PM
 
Location: Liminal Space
1,023 posts, read 1,542,758 times
Reputation: 1324
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arcenal352 View Post
Well, from my experience with GIS, it's generally an intro to a higher-end position.
For example, I work for a utility engineering firm. Most of us, when initially offered employment with the company, started off as GIS Specialists. This was to familiarize us with design, drafting, terminology in our respective field. It was more of an entry-level engineering job.
Pay wasn't bad at all. Not great, but far from bad.
A quick look at job search engines show that it's in fairly high demand in similar engineering fields, and generally requires either an A.S. or B.S. in an engineering-related field, or years of experience, as you'll likely be using CAD software and such. Pretty much all of them are gateways to more advanced engineering careers.
Definitely a good starting point if looking to enter the field.
It's the same story in my field, urban planning. GIS skills are a great entry point into your first (or second, third, etc) internship/jobs, as employers are looking for someone who can do the grunt work of data analysis and mapping. As you move up the ladder, soft skills, negotiation, public speaking and decision-making become more important. Therefore GIS-focused jobs typically don't offer the best pay but they are a good starting point into further steps in the career. A few select individuals become advanced GIS specialists but this requires additional programming skills and staying on top of the latest software.

Check out GISlounge.com for a deeper gauge on the career.
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Old 01-29-2015, 10:45 PM
 
Location: Tippecanoe County, Indiana
26,372 posts, read 46,199,122 times
Reputation: 19454
I have experience in the GIS field and am trying to find a different position due to a change of circumstances. The issue with GIS is the diversity of applications, position openings, and overlapping skill sets can get complex when trying to find new opportunities for openings with available connections. If anyone has a bit more in-depth experience regarding the avenues to apply for positions within the GIS field that would be much appreciated.
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Old 01-30-2015, 01:11 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
2,815 posts, read 2,108,122 times
Reputation: 2970
Quote:
Originally Posted by ackmondual View Post
Geographic Information System. There's a degree here, but also a certification that requires testing, and another one that requires logged experienced? I've known one person who did work with that and AFAIK, he's been having trouble finding work (although it seems it's more so the issue of finding the work, as opposed to the credentials and availability of work), and another person who's getting a degree with that. Anybody have any experiences and knowledge with this? Are the jobs about as "plentiful" as similar studies? It seems using GIS to support another discipline is the way to go. Like Math + computer science vs. just math major alone.

I've heard of this study only relatively recently. One source says they want folks who can do software programming (like Visual Basic or Java), but pay isn't great (especially since you may as well be a software developer in that case). Others say the technical background is there, but not quite so high.
I would recommend GIS as a degree for people who can't "hack it" in Computer Science but still want to go into software development. The amount of programming knowledge needed to get a good GIS Programmer job is not that great and the career can be lucrative and rewarding.
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Old 01-30-2015, 01:31 PM
 
Location: Turlock, CA
323 posts, read 373,102 times
Reputation: 492
I have a GIS degree (AS only). If you want to do data entry and analysis, it's a good field to be in. The trouble is that the work generally falls into two categories; you work for a company with an existing GIS who want you to input the data and get them information rapidly, or you work for a company with no GIS who want you to create the entire thing from scratch. Either way it's rough.

The other part is that you're constantly having to explain to people that your maps are just for overview purposes. People have this idea that the GIS is the truth and make all kinds of ill-advised decisions based on your product.
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