Just a couple of weeks ago, the US Department of Labor released is competency model for Geospatial Technology, the result of a two year effort. According to Secretary of Labor Solis, "The geospatial model serves as a guide for those who want to both find a good job and map out a long-term career pathway in any of several geospatial technology fields including surveying and mapping, computer science and information science." But also may begin shaping the future of the GIS profession. When you look at the model (and I know you will), I think you'll agree that it appears to be more complex and specific than it is. The multi-tiered illustration is interactive and reveals mush of the intent as you mover your mouse over the various sections. Just look at it for what it is: a guide for career guidance, curriculum development, professional development, and certification development. It is not one of those in itself, but offers sideboards as to the direction in which the geospatial profession should be moving. Briefly, the new model groups competencies into 9 tiers including foundational competencies (personal effectiveness, academic knowledge, and workplace competencies), core geospatial competencies and competencies for three geospatial sectors: positioning and data acquisition, analysis and modeling, and software and application development. Tiers 6 through 9 represent the specialization that occurs within specific occupations within the geospatial industry. Let's not jump to conclusions about its immediate or intrinsic value but assess this model with a cautious eye to the future of the GIS profession. This model will hopefully provide additional guidance for the National Wildfire Coordinating Group's GIS standards, the National Fire Protection Association's Committee on Data Exchange for the Fire Service (search for DAT-AAA for a list of committee members), and the several other organizations considering standards for their individual disciplines.
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