Certification

California does not require licensing or certification for GIS Specialists. Employment and advancement opportunities may be enhanced for those who obtain certification through the professional associations . . .. (Quoted from the California EDD)

 

A GIS Certificate or AS Degree lends credibility to student experience because employers can more easily assess GIS proficiency with credentials from accredited institutions. A Certificate or AS Degree in GIS improves the likelihood of a career in the field while continued education by professionals working in the field improves job advancement. Many persons professionally employed in GIS take advantage of GIS job marketability. Those seeking other opportunities within the field are able to realize their aspirations, for instance, to work as a GIS consultant or instructor through certification, AS degree and continued education.

At the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association’s (URISA) web page you can peruse information about certification in the field of GIS: http://www.urisa.org/Organization/about.htm. URISA is the founding member of the GIS Certification Institute, the organization that administers professional certification for the field and is dedicated to advancing the industry (Quoted from URISA). URISA certification qualifies employee skills based on years of experience, education and community service in the field of GIS. Through a ranking system, applicants are scrutinized prior to certification. URISA Certification validates individually acquired GIS-related skills in a manner that can be assessed by employers and others interested in quality assurances or integrity in prospective employees. Please refer to the “Code of Ethics” http://www.urisa.org/.
GISCorps, which provides volunteer GIS support for underdeveloped countries and to support disaster recovery efforts, is also a URISA initiative (Quoted from URISA).

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