Top 5 Marketable GIS Skills

Geography majors are lucky because unlike other disciplines in the humanities, geographers get the unique opportunity to specialize in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a powerful technological tool used in just about every industry. GIS is a highly marketable skill that directly translates into a career path.

After completing the GIS minor at UCLA, I got the chance to put all of the skills I learned to the test during my summer internship at Esri, one of the world’s largest innovators in GIS technology.  During my time at Esri, I found shocking holes in my GIS education. I could not believe that some of the largest trends in the industry were almost completely ignored from my curriculum. I quickly realized that if I wanted to make GIS into a career, I would have to supplement my UCLA education with some more specialized knowledge. That’s when I decided to ask almost everyone I talked to at Esri this question:  

 “What are the most marketable skills for a GIS Professional?”

                I wanted to share the responses I received with other fellow GIS students and graduates so that they too could figure out where to focus their efforts beyond the basic GIS fundamentals. Across the table, the same things came up over and over again. Here are the top five marketable skills for a GIS Professional:

1.     Web/Mobile is the largest trend in GIS. Web/Mobile technology takes GIS from the hands of millions to the hands of billions. From GPS navigation to location based apps, such as Waze Social GPS & Traffic, Foursquare and Shopkick, there is an enormous opportunity for employment and entrepreneurship. “Cloud computing” is the big buzz word in the geospatial community this year. The primary GIS technology to learn about is ArcGIS for Server, which will allow you to create, manage and distribute web and mobile GIS applications. The main obstacle for students who want to learn ArcGIS for Server is the lack of a Web GIS class offered to the student body. Upon graduating from UCLA, I took a course in Web GIS through UC Riverside Extension with one of the pioneers of web GIS, Esri’s Senior Web Applications Developer, Pinde Fu. I found the course to be valuable and I suggest that GIS students express a desire to their department to have a “Development for Web GIS” course added to their curriculum. You will need to learn about client-server applications and web architecture; this can be accomplished in an intro level Computer Science course in web technology. You will also need to gain some development skills such as learning how to use JavaScript, Silverlight or Flex APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to create mashup applications (which dynamically combine content or functions from multiple Web sites). The best way to learn is to come up with an idea for an app and then develop it through trial by fire. To gain experience, I propose that some students develop this app idea that I came up with. 

(Contributed by Brian Sims, Tom Wayson, Pinde Fu, Seth Sarakaitis, Mark Stewart, Ashley Pengelly, Lara McLaughlin, Tim Daly, Chris D’Amour) 

2.       Database Administration and Management are highly sought after skill sets; they are the glue that hold GIS together. In the working world, there are often multiple users working on the same geodatabase. That means that the data needs to be in a central repository so that the data can be simultaneously edited or used. Currently, the main technology to accomplish this is Esri’s ArcSDE. A budding technology to accomplish this is cloud storage; however there are still privacy issues surrounding the “cloud” solution. Different users of the data may require varied levels of permission to access different parts of the database. That is where a database administrator comes into play, the admin must have a working knowledge a Database Management System (DBMS) such as Oracle, SQL Server, SQL Server Express, MySQL or PostgresSQL (the last three mentioned are free). Another very important thing to learn is how to form Structured Query Language (SQL) statements. To gain familiarity with these highly marketable skills, take at least one intro level class in SQL and basic database administration.  I suggest that GIS students express a desire to their department to have a “GIS Database Administration” course added to their curriculum.

(Contributed by Seth Sarakaitis, Mark Stewart, Tom Wayson, Brian Sims, Ashley Pengelly, BJ Swanner, Chris D’Amour) 

3.       Programming skills will set you apart from the rest of the pack. The automation of repetitive procedures will make you a more effective GIS Professional, especially in data intensive environments where a lot of geoprocessing needs to occur. The learning curve for programming is steep and requires a lot of upfront time investment before you will see a return on your efforts. Getting a strong technical grounding early in your career will make you a better communicator. Luckily, the best language for GIS is Python, which is relatively easy to learn compared to other programming languages. Not only are most ArcGIS geoprocessing tools built using python but a vast majority of big-name web services are built on python. This list includes Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, reddit, Spotify, turntable.fm and Yahoo! Groups. Learning Python will be worth your time and once you know enough in one language, you can easily pick up other programming languages. I stumbled upon a course by a programmer who was fed up with the lack of resources to learn Python. He decided to write his own 200 page e-book called Real Python geared towards first time programmers. For $14, you can buy the e-book, receive hundreds of examples of code, and gain access to the course’s online member forum. This is great place to start. 

      If you are interested in web GIS development and building web apps, you should invest your time in learning JavaScript. The main advantage to JavaScript is that it is supported by all browsers so it can reach the largest amount of people. A good resource for learning JavaScript for free is Codecademy. 

     (Contributed by Greg Pleiss, Guy Noll, Lisa Stanners, Jaisudha Purushothaman, Pinde Fu, Lara McLaughlin, Tim Daly, Tom Wayson, Brian Sims, Matt Bottenberg) 

4.       IT knowledge – A GIS Professional is often the most technical member of a cross-disciplinary team. Because of this, GIS Professionals will often be looked to for their technical expertise even if the nature of an issue is well outside their job description. It is crucial for the GIS professional to become familiar with the fundamental technology that supports a GIS, including desktop and server operating systems and database management systems. The ability to troubleshoot both  spatial data issues and also SQL security and server connections is often what separates a GIS analyst from a GIS professional. Consider taking an introductory course in Information Technology (IT) as well as following trends in technology. (contributed by BJ Swanner)
   
      It is important to gain some equipment expertise. As a GIS Professional, your main job will be to work with data and you will need to be knowledgeable of how that data is created (ex. GPS, Trimble, EchoSounder, etc). If you can answer what makes the data collection method good and what makes it bad, then you are on the right track. (contributed by Guy Noll, Matt Bottenberg) 

5.       Interpersonal skills are critical in the work place. You need to be able to communicate with large spectrum of people, from non-technical clients to highly technical developers. This skill is intangible but crucial to your success as a GIS Professional. When a GIS professional possesses a unique combination of technical skill and interpersonal skills, they tend to rise up through organizations very quickly. This role as “information liaison” is a coveted position and very marketable. The 80/20 rule of interpersonal skills says that GIS work is 80% relationships and 20% technology. Whenever you have opportunities to work in groups and make presentations, take them!

(Contributed by Doug Cribbs, Greg Pleiss, Bill Earnshaw, Daryl Smith, Mike Wilbern, BJ Swanner).

Keep in mind that these top 5 marketable skills are above and beyond the basic GIS fundamentals. The list is intended to be a guide for students who are already working towards a concentration in GIS, who are looking for ways to set themselves apart from the rest of their competition. You will notice that these top marketable skills are much more related to Computer Science than to Geography. Consider taking on a second minor in Computer Science (CS) or taking supplemental coursework at a community college.

A lot of people think of GIS as just a tool that they will use in some other field.  This is fine if you want to be a professional in another field, but if you want to be a GIS Professional then you should put in the extra hours to learn some Computer Science skills (contributed by Brian Sims).

In conclusion, college GIS courses typically teach students the skills to perform GIS analysis. Students interested in pursuing a career in GIS will need to augment those skills with broader IT and CS skills including data management, IT infrastructure (virtualization, etc), and programming. If you take the time to strengthen your abilities in these areas, you will surpass your competition (contributed by Tom Wayson). 

Idea For a New UCLA Mobile App

I am proposing an idea for a mobile app that will promote UCLA’s GIS program and offer students a chance to gain some highly marketable skills. This mobile app will be unlike any other ever created for UCLA. On the application’s most basic level, it will help students, faculty and guests find where they are going. The app will then incorporate a community editing aspect that allows the student body and university to participate by tagging events right onto the map. Developing this app will require collaboration between Computer Science and GIS students as well as some professors willing to volunteer their time and expertise.

Web/mobile technology is one of the largest trends in not only GIS but in the world. The students who build this app will gain real world experience and set themselves up for a job right after college. This would be an incredible opportunity for some motivated individuals to rise above and beyond the rest of the pack.

What Map Phone Apps Currently Exist for UCLA?

I conducted a Google search to see what location based apps for Android and iPhone exist for UCLA. I found two apps and tested them out on my handset. “UCLA Pinpoint” is an app that uses the google basemap API; however, instead of calculating the shortest route between buildings, it simply draws a straight line from Point A to Point B. This is not very helpful, good luck walking through walls!

The other app is “UCLA Mobile”, UCLA’s main app for the campus. The app features several modules that include News, Happenings Calendar, Directory, Map, BruinBus and more. The Map tab takes you to a window which allows you to “Search for Location” or “Browse Locations”. The app uses UCLA’s Interactive Map as the basemap. There is a nifty feature which allows you to ask for walking, biking or driving directions. However, when I asked for walking directions from Royce Hall to the Bruin Bear, it sent me on an epic 1,962 mile journey starting in Platteville, WI. The BruinBus tab provides students with real time estimates of next bus arrival time as well as shows bus routes on the map.

With current GIS technology, we have an opportunity to do SO MUCH BETTER. 

What Will the Proposed App Do and How Will You Build It?

This app will be a mashup, meaning that it will dynamically combine content or functions from multiple sources.

Not only could this app succeed at providing the shortest route between buildings, but it could take you right to your classroom doorstep. If you have ever tried to find your class in Math Sciences, then you know how useful this would be (hint: you enter this labyrinth on the 5^th floor).  Esri has already created a customizable app called Campus Place Finder (ArcGIS 10.1). The student development team would need to download this app’s JavaScript source code and configure it for UCLA’s campus. The development team would need to gain access to the facilities management GIS data. 

What if you could sync up the class schedule to the map? You would know what class was happening in every room at any given moment. No more walking into the wrong classroom!

The coolest part of the map would involve the community editing aspect. If you get the Den Sports Club involved, they could update all sports events. Student associations and governing bodies such as ASUCLA, SAA, SEC and USAC could provide campus event updates. The hundreds of clubs on campus could tag their events right onto the map. Imagine walking through campus and being able to see what is going on all over campus at that moment.

Have BruinAlerts be geotagged. Did a lab in Engineering IV just go up in flames or was there a robbery in John Wooden Center? These pieces of security information are location based and should be on a public map right when they occur.

Get social media involved (youtube, twitter, facebook) – did a fantastic dancing flash mob wedding proposal just occur in the middle of Bruin Plaza? Tag the video right onto the map in the very spot where it happened!

As for the app’s basemap, I digitized UCLA’s campus to integrate into the Esri World Topographic Basemap. Since I am not the authoritative data holder for UCLA, my contribution to the Esri basemap should be swapped out with official UCLA GIS data. This will require the UCLA GIS program to participate in Esri’s Community Maps Program. Over 80 college campuses have already taken advantage of this program and allowed Esri to host their basemap for them. Click on  this link to get info on how to participate in the Community Maps Program.

Another important resource to develop this app is the Mobile Web Framework (MWF) initiative, a group at UCLA dedicated to mobile development. They have biweekly developer meetings at UCLA and their expertise may prove to be integral in the development of this app. MWF collaborated with UCLA to develop “UCLA Mobile”.

        One of the first steps to developing this app would be to create something called a "wireframe" using a website such as www.balsamiq.com.  A "wireframe" is a concept design mockup, it can be used to pitch the app as well as communicate basic design requirements. 

Spreading the Word & Growing the GIS Program

A great way to market the app would be to have a student present the application during freshman orientation to each group that comes through and make the app downloadable straight from www.UCLA.edu. Placing QR codes around campus that link to the app download would generate a public conversation. Have students blog about the app, have the Daily Bruin cover it, do a press release to local TV stations. Say that people in the GIS Program did it!

QR Code

This app would showcase the possibilities of GIS and get people excited about the joining the program. While UCLA is primarily a research institute, it would be beneficial to the university to cultivate a more practical hands-on approach to the GIS Program. The theoretical overload and outdated lab tutorials that were presented to me in “Geography 7: Intro to GIS” almost made me quit GIS altogether. If the Geography department can re-brand the GIS program as forward-thinking and tech-savvy, the university will not only see more cutting edge research being performed, but it will see more students getting jobs. My suggestion to the UCLA Geography Department is that they add “Development for Web/Mobile GIS” to the curriculum. The app development could even be a big class project for a Web/mobile GIS class. Do this and people will be flocking to Geography/GIS major, it will grow faster than the department ever imagined. People will figure out that GIS is a valuable discipline and YES you can get a job! Web/mobile GIS is the wave of the future, hop on board people!



If you are a UCLA student, Faculty Member, Professor or Esri employee interested in helping develop this app, please e-mail me at kelsey.ck@ucla.edu and I will bring you into the loop!