Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/50311
Industry Trends fields. In these fields, GIS is all about data mining and exploration. Whether an agency is tracking fish migra- tions, predicting locations of child predators or seeking new fossil-fuel sources, GIS technology is integral and continues to change and improve. In today's climate of open data and open-source software, for those who can think "outside the box" and create their own solutions on new platforms or in new social workflows, there are even more opportuni- ties that are mostly unexplored. Peter Batty: As geospatial tech- nology becomes so diverse and imbedded in such a variety of applications, I think it's hard to give general advice. But I would make a couple of suggestions. One is don't just focus on the geospatial side of things, become an expert in something else, too, and you will be much more mar- ketable. Increasingly, you don't need specialized skills to develop or implement many geospatial applications. Be an expert in some aspect of electrical engineering or environmental planning or marketing, and learn how to apply geospatial technol- ogy in innovative ways in your field. My second piece of advice in terms of gaining knowl- skills more relevant for the 21st century workplace. This is one factor driving the growth of focused geo- spatial programs at universities and community col- leges at degree and certificate levels. These programs are doing a great service by training the geospatial workforce of tomorrow. They're also providing many opportunities for seasoned geospatial professionals to take on new roles themselves—passing on their vast knowledge by instructing and teaching the next generation of geospatial professionals. But the career opportunities here aren't just for Peter Batty, founder and vice president, Geospatial Technology, Ubisense people who sit in front of keyboards and "do GIS." It's much bigger than that. The real growth opportunity is in the area of spatial thinking. As people in all types of positions become more familiar with the value of geography, they begin to ask more-intelligent questions about the world, and they begin to make more-informed decisions. The coming opportunities for spatial think- ers will be even greater than those we're seeing for geospatial-technology professionals. edge about technology platforms would be to focus on open-source geospatial technologies and modern Web- mapping systems such as Google and Bing Maps. I think these products are where most of the innovation is happening in the industry and where we'll be seeing most growth. Jack Dangermond: Demand for geospatial technology professionals has grown significantly, even during the current economic downturn. I think that this trend is due to the growing understanding of the value of spatial information and analysis. There are many reasons to imple- ment GIS, but the one benefit that we see driving organizations in lean times is cost savings resulting from greater efficiency. And, as we come out of this downturn, the efficiencies realized from GIS will become a standard way of doing business, so the need for geospatial profes- sionals will increase even more. The current high unemployment rate is sending a lot of experienced workers "back to school" to learn new Jack Dangermond, founder and president, Esri 16 GEO W ORLD / DECEMBE R 2O11 Chuck Drinnan: The quality of our workforce education is a most significant issue for our country's economic strength. Our current advanced-education business model places an often untenable financial burden on students and families. This bur- den is reluctantly accepted by our upper-middle-class students, but becomes unacceptable for poor and lower-middle-class students. As a country, we're wasting talent and potential through the lack of proper education. We can't compete globally having a poorly educated work force. The career opportunities for well-educated geospa- Chuck Drinnan, principal, eWAM Associates tial students still are strong and will remain so as more applications for spatial data are developed and come online. GIS technology demands highly trained professionals. Connie Gurchiek: For candidates that stand out, I believe there are still very good opportunities in the geotechnology market. As a new, growing company, we have had the opportunity to review quite a number of resumes dur- ing the last several months— mostly of recent or soon-to-be college graduates. Those that Connie Gurchiek, president, Transcend Spatial Solutions