MapPros! Careers in Geospatial Technologies

Jon Atwood

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"People skills are a must to be able to exchange with co-workers. A lot of problems or questions are answered by asking more experienced workers."

"Choose a field that interests you and go for it. Don’t give up when the going gets tough."

"Your best bet is to take whatever is available, get your foot in the door, and learn as much as you can. Take what you learned and try to apply it as best you can in your next job."

Jon Atwood

Field: Public Safety
Job Title: GIS Technician
Place of Employment: microDATA GIS, Inc., St. Johnsbury, Vermont

What is your current job and what does it entail?

911 is the official national emergency number in the United States. When you dial 911 you are connected to a dispatcher who uses a map screen to display the address associated with your phone number, and then routes your call to the appropriate local emergency agency(ies).  The validity of the dispatcher’s map display and the subsequent selection of the emergency responder is dependent on the accuracy and currentness of the GIS data being used. 

I am a GIS technician who performs many tasks related to the 911 data, including importing GPS and other spatial data from field techs throughout the country, preparing data for field techs to verify, creating wall maps and atlases, managing databases, post-processing field collected data, and other miscellaneous GIS related tasks.

In your day-to-day activities, who are the people that you interact with regularly (e.g., foresters, engineers, etc)?

Mostly e911-related people, project leads who deal with MSAG (master street address guides) databases and other e911-related data. I also occasionally interact with software programmers who develop custom software used to facilitate field collection, data processing, and database relating.

For your position, what skills do you need in geospatial technologies?

I need lots of experience with Arc 3.3 and 9.x, as well as the custom software used here. Most of the software here is unique and requires extensive training. Knowing about GPS systems, as well as database design and manipulation, is also key.

For your position, what skills outside of geospatial technologies are required?

People skills are a must to be able to exchange with co-workers. A lot of problems or questions are answered by asking more experienced workers.

What was the key factor in your career decision?

Personal interest in the geo-spatial field, mostly GIS and remote sensing.

What do you like most about your career?

The technology and potential applications that GIS and remote sensing have to offer. Many disciplines have or are starting to grasp how much potential GIS offers them.

What do you like least about your career?

With so many disciplines involved in my field, it becomes difficult to keep up or become familiar with the various backgrounds people have: geology, forestry, planning, emergency services, etc. Also, knowing different software packages is expensive and takes time to learn.

What do you do to relax?

I prefer working out, mountain biking, snowboarding, or hiking to relax. Videogames get the job done too.

Who are your heroes/heroines?

My parents.

What advice would you give a high school student who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in your field?

Choose a field that interests you and go for it. Don’t give up when the going gets tough. There are so many applications of GIS; however finding a job or internship that really appeals to you is difficult. Your best bet is to take whatever is available, get your foot in the door, and learn as much as you can. Take what you learned and try to apply it as best you can in your next job.

Are career opportunities in your field increasing or decreasing and why?

Definitely increasing – but don’t tell anybody, because I want to find a better job. If more people discover GIS, finding a decent job is going to become even more difficult.

E-mail: nivlac_sebboh@yahoo.com or jatwood@microdatagis.com

Salary Range: $25-40,000

Degree Major Institution
B.A. Geography University of New Hampshire