Professional workforce development, the education of an individual for a particular task or trade, traces its origins from the programs that linked apprentices with the master craftsmen of pre-industrial societies. With the emergence of digital technologies, the emphasis has shifted to making an individual more technically proficient across ever-changing technological platforms. In the Geographic Information Science & Technologies (GIS&T) sector, individuals generally acquire knowledge and skills through degrees and certificates offered by colleges and universities, as well as the various professional and technical certifications that provide evidence of training and development for the workforce. Establishment of the GeoTech Center, the Geospatial Technology Competency Model, and the GIS Certification Institute have all been significant in GIS&T workforce development. Challenges include the lack of standardized duties and responsibilities for occupational titles as well as gaps between industry needs and skill sets provided through formal degrees and certificates.
Workforce needs tied to geospatial data continue to evolve. Along with expansion in the absolute number of geospatial workers employed in the public and private sectors is greater diversity in the fields where their work has become important. Together, these trends generate demand for new types of educational and professional development programs and opportunities. Colleges and universities have responded by offering structured academic programs ranging from minors and academic certificates to full GIS&T degrees. Recent efforts also target experienced GIS&T professionals through technical certifications involving software applications and more comprehensive professional certifications designed to recognize knowledge, experience, and expertise.
GIS education and training have their roots both in formal educational settings and in professional development. Methods and approaches for teaching and learning about and with geospatial technologies have evolved in tight connection with the advances in the internet and personal computers. The adoption and integration of GIS and related geospatial technologies into dozens of academic disciplines has led to a high demand for instruction that is targeted and timely, a combination that is challenging to meet consistently with diverse audiences and in diverse settings. Academic degrees, concentrations, minors, certificates, and numerous other programs abound within formal and informal education.