Whatdoes GIS stand for and what is it?
GIS stands for geographic information. GIS is a combination of hardware, software, and the people who use it to create and analyze spatial (maps) data with attribute information for an unlimited number of uses. It is commonly used for asset management, retail site selection, facilities maintenance,etc.
What kind of education and training do you need?
GIS is used by all age groups from a variety of education backgrounds. However, if pursuing a career in GIS, a bachelor's degree is preferred for most jobs.
What software do you use and how hard is it to learn?
I ues software from ESRI ( Environmental System Research Institute). I believe thier software is the most powerful and easiest to use.
What is the average salary of a GIS specialist?
The average salary for a GIS specialist is difficult to list. There are GIS Specialists just out of collage who may make a salary around $26,000 to one with years of experience who may make $40,000-$50,000.
What other kind of jobs can you get as a GIS specialist?
GIS specialists are eseful for any number of industries, such as real estate, health care or marketing. Having a good knowledge of GIS can provide you with an excellent tool set which might put you ahead of another comparably qualified individual.
What do you like most about your job?
I like that i can use GIS for so many different applications. I work with the fire departments, police departments, water/sewer, engineers, planners, and help out a number of non-profit organizations such as boy scouts.
What do you like least about your job?
The thing i like least about my job is spending so much time in front of a computer.
How do you become a certified a GIS instructor?
there isn't such thing as a certified GIS instructor. You can be a certified insturctor for a parrticularGIS software. Qualifications depend on the the company. For example, to be a certified ESRI instructor, you have to have had formal training on the specific software you want to teach, and take a proficiency exam.
How do you use GIS at the water department?
I use GIS to maintain an inventory of water and sewer feature locations, future planning, and comprehensive water modeling.
If a high school student was interested in a career in GIS, what would you tell them?
I highly encourage people to pursue careers in GIS. There are so many opportunities to work in whatever industry you choose. When it comes down to it, GIS is all about points, lines, and polygons. It doesn't matter if you are in diaster management, or Pizza Hut, the applications are the same. They just use different data.