GIS Professional GIS Professional GIS Professional GIS Professional Certification and Certification and Certification and Certification and GISCIGISCIGISCIGISCI

Presented By: Presented By: DateDate

Member OrganizationsMember Organizations

TerminologyTerminologyCertification: A voluntary process by which individuals who have demonstrated a level of expertise in the

f i id tifi d t th bli d th profession are identified to the public and other stakeholders by a third party. Recognizes expertise.

C tifi t A d i t i di id l i i Certificate: An award given to an individual recognizing completion of an academic or training program.

Licensure: The granting of a license to practice a profession. Often regulated by states and indoctrinated in legislation. Guards against incompetence.

Accreditation: The process of evaluating the academic qualifications or standards of an institution or program of study in accordance with pre-established criteria.

Why Certify?Why Certify?Although GIS has many uses, GISCI believes there is a GIS profession believes there is a GIS profession.

GIS professionals understand and apply the full range of GIS capabilities, most commonly as their primary professional role.

Who Qualifies?Who Qualifies?Other professionals (surveyors, cartographers landscape ecologists cartographers, landscape ecologists, planners, etc.) are typically not GIS professionals but they can be professionals but they can be. GISCI does not look to restrict the use of GIS GIS. GISCI looks to identify GIS professionals and separate them from casual users of the technology.

SelfSelf--regulationregulationUnlicensed professions regulate themselves themselves.

V l t tifi ti th Voluntary certification programs are the most popular form of self-regulation.

Certification protects the profession from those erroneously claiming to have expertise in the profession.p p

PractitionerPractitioner vs. Professionalvs. Professional

GISCI refers to non-certified GIS titi users as practitioners.

J li S ith T k Julie Smith – Took an Introduction to GIS course at a local course at a local community college and can locate her house on Google Earth.

Practitioner vs. Practitioner vs. ProfessionalProfessionalGISCI refers to certified GIS users as certified geographic information systems professionals orgeographic information systems professionals or GISPs.

J li S ith GISPJulie Smith, GISP…

Julie Smith, GISP has met the minimum standards for educational achievement Julie Smith GISPeducational achievement, professional experience, and manner in which she contributes back to the profession.

Julie Smith, GISPcontinues to educate and reeducate herself while preparing for renewal of pcertification.

Julie Smith, GISP has had her professional background scrutinized and reviewed by an independent third party organization. An Institute comprised of leading non profit

A person like Julie Smith, GISP lives in all 50 St t d 11 comprised of leading non-profit

associations (AAG, NSGIC, UCGIS, and URISA) focused on the application of GIS and geospatial

50 States and 11 foreign countries.

sciences.

Julie Smith, GISP must abide by higher guidelines for ethical behavior.

Julie Smith, GISP is more than a practitioner of GIS technology. Julie Smith GISP is a Smith, GISP is a professional.

What can What can Certification Provide?Certification Provide?1) Professional recognition program for established

GIS professionals. p

2) Means of identification that can be used by ll l th bli d th colleagues, employers, the public, and other

licensed or certified professionals.

3) Implementation of a professional code of ethics that identifies bad practices and upholds good practices

4) Professional development yardstick through 4) Professional development yardstick through initial and renewal of certification requirements.

That’s Great, but What Can That’s Great, but What Can ,,Certification Provide for Me?Certification Provide for Me?

From the 2006 “State of the GISP” Survey7% received a salary increasey20% received a one time monetary bonus20% received a title change or promotionAn additional 30% feel it imp o ed ho the a e pe cei ed An additional 30% feel it improved how they are perceived in their organization. Almost 60% of the respondents to the 2006-07 URISA S l S l l i i th t 3 Salary Survey plan on applying in the next 3 years. 85% of employers were supportive of the effortThe Salary found a $12,000 differential between the y $ ,salaries of GISPs and non-GISPs for comparable positions.Upon certification, GISCI sends a letter to your employer Upon certification, GISCI sends a letter to your employer that highlights the achievement and explains how they can help with the renewal of certification of certification effort.

No Formal Test!No Formal Test!No Formal Test!No Formal Test!

PointPoint--basedbased and selfself--documenteddocumenteddocumenteddocumentedBased on achievement in three achievement in three categoriescategories:

Educational Educational attainmentEducational Educational attainmentProfessional experienceexperienceContributionsContributions to the professionContributionsContributions to the profession

A PointA Point--based Systembased SystemGISCI Professional Certification created a system that adds objectivity (points) to system that adds objectivity (points) to the subjective (one’s career)

The URISA Certification Committee spent 4 d l i th i t t 4 years developing the points system

The result of their effort is the GISCI Certification Program

BenchmarkBenchmarkEDUCATIONEDUCATION – Bachelor’s degree with some GIS courses (or equivalent)some GIS courses (or equivalent)EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE – Four years in GIS

li ti d t d l t ( application or data development (or equivalent)CONTRIBUTIONSCONTRIBUTIONS – Annual membership and modest participation in a GIS professional association (or equivalent)

Minimum Category Minimum Category g yg yPointsPointsEducational Achievement 30 points

Professional Experience 60 pointsProfessional Experience 60 points

Contributions to the Profession 8 points

Additional (Flex) Points in any of the 52 pointsAdditional (Flex) Points in any of the three Categories:

52 points

Total = 150 points

Flex points allows one to make up for a l k i i h i lack in one category with an excess in another

The Educational The Educational Achievement SectionAchievement SectionThere are 3 components to the Educational

Achievement Section: Achievement Section:

1 Credential Points (degrees in any field)1. Credential Points (degrees in any field)

2 Course Points (geospatial technology 2. Course Points (geospatial technology courses)

3. Conference Attendance Points (days spent at relevant meetings and spent at relevant meetings and conferences)

Credential PointsCredential Points

Master’s Degree or Higher 25 ptsBachelor’s 20 ptsAssociate’s 10 ptsGIS Certificate* 5 pts

*400 or more student activity hours

Select the highest earnedSelect the highest earned

Course PointsCourse PointsStudent Activity Hours:Student Activity Hours:Hours spent in a classroom seminar or Hours spent in a classroom, seminar, or

conference, plus hours spent completing assignments reading studying or other assignments, reading, studying, or other preparations for the course.

Geospatial technology courses and related courses taken are worth:courses taken are worth:

1 point for every 40 student activity 1 point for every 40 student activity hours

Course Point ExamplesCourse Point ExamplesExamples:1 The applicant completed an 8 hour 1. The applicant completed an 8 hour

workshop:8 hours / 40 (set value) = 0 2 EDU points8 hours / 40 (set value) = 0.2 EDU points

2 The applicant completed a 15 week 3 2. The applicant completed a 15 week, 3 credit course:3 credits x 15 weeks x 3 (set value) = 135 hours3 credits x 15 weeks x 3 (set value) = 135 hours

135 hours / 40 (set value) = 3.38 EDU points

Conference Conference Attendance PointsAttendance Points

Conference attendance points are a result f th b f t t l d th t thof the number of total days that the

applicant has spent at meetings and conferences sponsored by professional societies and regional and local usersocieties and regional and local user groups.

Conference Attendance Conference Attendance Point ExamplesPoint Examples

Conference Attendance Points are determined by the number of days and not hours spent atby the number of days and not hours spent at each event. The number of days attended should always result in a whole numbershould always result in a whole number multiplied by 0.1.

Th li t tt d d th 2004 ESRIThe applicant attended the 2004 ESRI International User Conference: August 9-13 = 5 days x 0.1 (set value) = .5 EDU points

Professional ExperienceProfessional ExperienceJob experience is the most important factor

in GIS qualifications because:in GIS qualifications because:

Performing in a job provides learning Performing in a job provides learning experiences that allow growth and growth and expansion of skill setsexpansion of skill setsexpansion of skill setsexpansion of skill setsWork environment with other professionals allows transfer of transfer of professionals allows transfer of transfer of knowledgeknowledge

Three Tiers of Three Tiers of Professional ExperienceProfessional Experience

Tier I: Analyst, System Design, Programming: Typical tasks include database design or management, d t ti l i f f ti l i t li ti documentation or analysis of functional requirements, application design and evaluation, implementation management, and system administration. = 25 Points Per Year25 Points Per YearTier II: Data Compilation, Data Maintenance, Teaching: Typical tasks include editing data, map composition, report generation database maintenance data validation instructional generation, database maintenance, data validation, instructional training, and teaching. = 15 Points Per Year15 Points Per YearTier III: GIS User: Typical tasks include utilization of applications i l i ti l t h l i C did t b i l d i involving geospatial technologies. Candidates may be involved in managing or coordinating GIS, but not involved in the technical implementation of GIS. = 10 Points Per Year10 Points Per Year

fThe Professional Experience Point Schedule Schedule Breakdown

Professional Professional Experience WorksheetExperience Worksheet

Professional Exp. Professional Exp. ppWorksheet Worksheet -- ExampleExample

EXP-W Worksheet: Example #1*Title (from résumé): Senior GIS Analyst

Employer: Anytown, USASt t D t 5/12/01 E d D t 3/3/06 Y / M h E l d 4 83Start Date: 5/12/01 End Date: 3/3/06 Years / Months Employed:

# of yrs + (# of months / 12) =4.83

Experience Level % Full Time

Years/Months

Pts/Yr SubtotalTime

Equiv.Months

(from above)

Tier 1 - GIS Programmer or Similar .70 x 4.83 x 25 84.53

Tier 2 - GIS Technician, Educator or Similar .25 x 4.83 x 15 18.11

Tier 3 - GIS User .05 x 4.83 x 10 2.42

Supervisory Bonus (“%FTE” cannot exceed 1.00) 1.00 x 1.08 x 10 10.8

Total this worksheet: 115 86Total this worksheet:(Add figure to EXP-S)

115.86

Professional Profile

Professional Profile –

lExample

44--year Minimumyear MinimumApplicants must have a combination of at least 4 years (48 months) of professional least 4 years (48 months) of professional GIS experience to apply for GIS Certification Certification. If the applicant has met the minimum

i t ith l th 4 f requirement with less then 4 years of experience then the applicant must wait

til 4 f f i l GIS until 4 years of professional GIS experience is accrued.

Contributions to the Contributions to the ProfessionProfession

Documents and activities that add to the professional body of knowledge for the professional body of knowledge for the benefit of the professionbenefit of the profession as a whole –not just the employer and clientnot just the employer and client.

The 8 Categories of The 8 Categories of ggContribution PointsContribution Points

GIS PublicationsGIS P f i l A i ti I l tGIS Professional Association Involvement GIS Conference Participation GIS Workshop Instruction GIS Conference PresentationGIS Conference Presentation GIS Awards Received GIS V l t Eff tGIS Volunteer EffortsOther GIS Contributions

Additional RequirementsAdditional Requirements

Code of Ethics & Rules of Code of Ethics & Rules of C d tC d tConductConductRenewal of CertificationRenewal of Certificatione e a o Ce t cat oe e a o Ce t cat o

Every five yearsMinimum points in two categoriesMinimum points in two categories

Recognizing a GISPRecognizing a GISP

Lynda Wayne, GISP

Renewal of certificationRenewal of certification

Applicants must earn the following points in the five years following initial in the five years following initial certification:

Educational Achievement 10 points

Professional Experience (No minimum) 0 points

Contributions to the Profession 10 points

Fl P i t 20 i tFlex Points 20 points

Total = 40 points

For more information: For more information: www.gisci.orgEmail: info@gisci.orgPhone 847-824-7768Phone 847-824-7768Fax 847-824-6363