Thursday, January 15, 2009

GIS, Montana, and how Nevada just sucks


There is a certification I want, called the GIS Professional Certification, but I'm no where near qualified for it yet.  I need 2 more years of work experience before I can get it.  But I was hoping to get it as soon as I can, because it's sort of a rare thing, and if you have it, you can go and get a job just about anywhere.
 
In Nevada, that is...  Apparently the same isn't true in Montana... I have been on their mailing list for 2 days, and they are planning their regional user group meeting in Cor D' Leign, ID this upcoming April, so the mailing list is pretty active.  First of all, the fact that they have a user group so big that they need to plan 3 months in advance puts Nevada to SHAME.  But what was more interesting than that, is that every email I have gotten so far, the senders have GISP in their signature blocks.
 
Furthermore, they are trying to get presenters for the conference  and they are making a big deal about how that earns you BIG points for the GISP cert application... Which means EVERYONE is trying to get it up there!
 
I may be the biggest fish in the waters here, just by getting a degree in this stuff...  Which I thought meant I would be REALLY big up there, considering they don't even offer a GIS degree...  But then I just come to realize that their surveying degrees kick our GIS degree's ass...
 
That, coupled with the Surveying program's department head saying a high percentage of his graduates are currently unemployed, pretty much says to me that the GIS community is flooded up there, and I'm not the best in the area...  At best, I am the same as everyone else, and I lack a local connection to put a good word in for me...
 
Conclusion:  I was convinced I had a one up on the world no matter where I go...  But now I am afraid that I'm just up a creek without a paddle. 
 
I also know Utah, Colorado, and Arizona all kick our GIS program's ass as well...  And California has the Spatial@UCSB program starting up, which means I don't stand a chance there either...   So shit...  I may just be in the wrong field. 
 
When I started GIS, all the statistics were saying GIS would be the fastest growing field (Behind medical) in the next 10 years.  Apparently I just accidentally hopped on a bubble that is popping as we speak :(
 
And even if my hopes for a unification of GIS and Civil Engineering does happen... I'm still a solid 5 years away from being able to get in that money pit either....  Frankly, the next 5 years scare me shirtless :(