Consider a Career in GIS

GIS is a key emerging and evolving industry throughout the world.

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What is a "GIS career"?

GIS careers exist in every imaginable discipline, from environmental science to mining to urban planning to commercial businesses to defense and beyond. As a result, there is no one definition of a career in GIS. A GIS career path has many origins, but there are some core skills required. Read "What Skills Does A GIS Analyst Require?" by GeoCommunity.

The broad range of GIS opportunities available gives you the ability to combine your passions or interests with GIS for a satisfying and successful career.

What do GIS professionals do?

GIS professionals use GIS to visualize, analyze, and model systems to help in the planning and decision-making processes of their organizations. They make geographic information accessible to scientists, planners, decision makers, and the public.

GIS careers typically include positions such as

• Cartographic designer
• Computer programmer
• Database administrator
• Project manager
• System administrator

They also encompass business development, managerial, and administrative roles.

GIS is often associated with making maps, but GIS professionals do much more than that. GIS is used to manage human activities. The ESRI Map Book Gallery illustrates through real-world examples the range of topics, activities, and locales to which GIS can be applied.

Where do GIS professionals work?

Geospatial jobs are varied and pervasive in many fields. View the job listings for a comprehensive overview of the types of organizations currently seeking GIS professionals. Visit ESRI's Industries Gateway to learn how GIS is used across government, commercial, and educational organizations.

GIS jobs range from part-time to full-time posts, and salary varies widely by region, nation, discipline, and experience. Salary.com reports the range in the United States as between $31,387 for an entry-level analyst to $83,333 for a GIS supervisor as of January 2006. View the GISJobs.com Salary Survey for a more in-depth look at salaries.

What skills do successful GIS professionals possess?

The skills required for a specific job depend on your GIS career path. Many GIS jobs are technical and require the skills noted by GeoCommunity. As more businesses discover the benefits of GIS, however, business acumen becomes a highly important skill. Read "Career Convergence: When Business and IT Meet" from Monster.com.

How are GIS professionals educated?

GIS professionals are educated in three main ways.

• Through special certificate programs at colleges and universities (most common)
• Through degree programs at colleges and universities
• As part of their curriculum in other specialties such as while pursuing an urban planning degree

ESRI has compiled a database of higher-education institutions that offer some type of GIS program. You can use it to find a program near you or you can add a program.

Does certification exist for GIS professionals?

The GIS Certification Institute (GISCI) was formed in 2004 to provide certification for this burgeoning profession. Learn more about the certification process, the advantages of certification, and the GIS code of ethics at their Web site.

Is there an ethical code for GIS professionals?

GISCI has developed a GIS Code of Ethics as part of its certification process for GIS professionals. Many GIS professionals are members of and certified by professional organizations relevant to their specific discipline and, as such, are bound by the code of ethics of those organizations.

The work of GIS professionals often has a huge impact on their businesses, local communities, and society as a whole.  They are called on to grapple with issues ranging from how to provide safe, adequate foster care to children in their community to helping establish transfrontier conservation areas (peace parks) across nations. Ensuring equity for all affected parties is a crucial skill for GIS professionals, which requires a high degree of ethical integrity.

GIS Professionals Make a Difference Too

A GIS career can be exciting and have a tremendously positive impact on the world.

At the level of basic science, GIS professionals are improving understanding of how the planet works at all scales. At the application level, GIS professionals are analyzing complex situations, visualizing problems, and creating geographic plans and solutions. They are also increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and helping people make faster and better decisions that consider all the geographic factors necessary to create a sustainable future. And GIS professionals are improving the processes of communication and collaboration, helping to better coordinate work across organizations. As a result, GIS professionals have an opportunity to make a real difference in the world.