Is anyone working in GIS? (credit, 2009, degrees, degree)

[eofelis]

I'm a non-trad undergrad student in college. My major is geology and I'm doing a minor in GIS. I'm starting to think that this GIS minor is almost as good as another degree. If I don't get a geology or science job I can probably get a job doing GIS somewhere. It's a good skill.

Right now I'm an intern at the local Bureau of Land Management field office as a GIS Tech. It's not geology, but I like it a lot. I'd like to get hired on permanent at the BLM if I can.

Is anyone doing GIS in public or private sector jobs?

[brightdoglover]

A young friend of mine was adrift with his pointless psych degree and started thinking about a master's in city planning. So many jobs listed GIS as a requirement that he got a certificate in it, and then an internship (government) using it. He's now getting a master's and hopes to get a real city planning job, but there seems to be a fair number of jobs that are specifically about GIS use. You're certainly right about it being a good skill.

[Hannican]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

A young friend of mine was adrift with his pointless psych degree

^ Sounds familiar!

I'm currently enrolled in a distance learning GIS Degree program with American Sentinel University, (technically it's their BS in Information systems program, with specialization in Geographic Information Systems... but I digress...). For anyone else who happens by this thread, you can get additional info about my program here: http://www.americansentinel.edu/onli...gis-degree.php

I can concur that there are tons of GIS related jobs out there, even now in the down economy! Before I delved into the current degree program, I did some research to see what types of fields are going to be expanding in the near future, especially due to concerns about the current economy, and this was one of the hottest sectors.

If you're looking for more specific information on how EXACTLY to find a job in the GIS world, here are a couple of very helpful blog posts that I recently found:

OMG!: How to find a GIS job in tough economic times

Being Career Smart in the Layoff World | GIS Pathway...

Hope this helps! Good luck to you out there!

-Tom

[gea12345]

Originally Posted by Hannican

^ Sounds familiar!

I'm currently enrolled in a distance learning GIS Degree program with American Sentinel University, (technically it's their BS in Information systems program, with specialization in Geographic Information Systems... but I digress...). For anyone else who happens by this thread, you can get additional info about my program here: GIS Bachelors Degree Online | American Sentinel University

I can concur that there are tons of GIS related jobs out there, even now in the down economy! Before I delved into the current degree program, I did some research to see what types of fields are going to be expanding in the near future, especially due to concerns about the current economy, and this was one of the hottest sectors.

If you're looking for more specific information on how EXACTLY to find a job in the GIS world, here are a couple of very helpful blog posts that I recently found:

OMG!: How to find a GIS job in tough economic times

Being Career Smart in the Layoff World | GIS Pathway...

Hope this helps! Good luck to you out there!

-Tom

i have no response, but i am going to click on your post so the links come up.

Personally, I am philosophically against online classes. Face to face interaction is part of the learning process. However, for those who live in rural areas, have children, live in the military, live on anstronaut space station have no choice! if they want to get ahead.

But people please remember that not all schools are equal. And in my opinion, online degrees are better when you are trying to get a promotion.

I also dont' generally trust posters who post online schools on blogs as if disinterested.

[Hannican]

Hi Gea, I agree with your point about online classes vs campus based classes to a certain extent. If I had the opportunity to learn face to face in a classroom, I would probably go that route, but it's just not an option for me since I have to work full time so that I can afford to put myself through school.

I also agree that not all schools are equal, and I think that's also fairly obvious. The important point about online colleges is making sure that your school is accredited (there are a great many online universities that are NOT accredited... which basically means your degree is worthless). At least if they're accredited, SOMEONE recognizes that they're a legitimate education provider.

This article might also alleviate a bit of your uneasiness about online degrees- this is from Reuters, and relatively recent (January, 2009):
"Online Degrees Now Widely Accepted By Consumers and Employers"
Online Degrees Now Widely Accepted by Consumers and Employers | Reuters

Now I'm not saying that my school is the equivalent to Harvard, or that any of the online schools are for that matter, but my program IS accredited, and my classes are basically the same as those that any traditional campus-based student would take in a GIS program that teaches face to face...

In my opinion, the quality of your education is more about how much effort you're willing to put into it, rather than the format that it's presented in. That's why online classes work for me.

[gea12345]

[quote=Hannican;8353259]Hi Gea,
quote]


Yes, before i responded to your open post, i looked up the school you posted to confirm that it is accredited. And it is.

But i stand by my opinion, that i think face to face education is superior to online education...just my opinion

and i have done both online and face to face classes.

And yes, i already discussed that some people don't have the opportunity to take classes with the professor in the classroom.

And yes, if the point is to encourage people to pursue a GIS degree, then that is great!!

so I encourage you to Link at least 3 schools online and face to face, so there is not the APPEARANCE of promotion!

good luck with your new degree!!