Individuals who learn the GIS course, have gained skills in mapping, remote sensing, geographical feature understanding, soil structure understanding, surveying, and geographic data analysis. They can get jobs in areas that require GIS skills and none other. Some of the jobs that these individuals can take include LiDAR analyst, GIS geomatics software engineer, Geodesist, GIS analyst, cartographic technician, and GIS technician. However, with time, the GIS field has become so flooded and the need for the people in direct GIS fields has declined. Therefore individuals are forced to look for jobs in other fields. However, these fields may need skills acquired by a student i.e. GIS education may be limited. What are some of the GIS alternative careers?
1. Land survey
Surveyors are involved in measuring and determining boundaries between owners of land and legal boundaries between countries. Land transactions also need a surveyor to measure the land. When constructing engineering projects the surveyors are also needed. These surveyors need to use GIS software for purposes such as measuring distances and angles. Other tools used include the measuring tape and the strings. To get the data online GIS mapping software is used to draw the surveyed area and a detailed map that shows the reports. These can be shared with the stakeholders and the architects, cartographers, and other engineers.
2. Academic jobs
Most GIS institutions have teachers that specialize in explaining the features and the uses of GIS software. The students and teachers rely on a wide range of GIS facilities. Some facilities such as books, learning aids, and even displays need to be designed with GIS knowledge in mind. Therefore if you did a GIS course and you are finding it hard you may take the academic sector as an alternative. You can opt to work as a GIS educational consultant, in a GIS book printing firm, as a GIS book author, and GIS software installer for schools. This will be a perfect alternative to diminishing GIS careers. You will have a chance to make use of your GIS course skills in your job. Moreover, the use of GIS software can be applied to the institutions; when writing the book you need screenshots of the GIS software step by step so that you insert them into your book. That is a perfect opportunity for you. Unlike any other field, GIS educational programs are ever there so the need for academic materials will always remain.
3. Mining resource locator
GIS integrates mostly with the mining companies and industries. GIS is interested in natural features their location and the mapping. Therefore if you have studied a GIS course you may need to take a step and join the mining industry. How will GIS contribute to your work when in the mining industry? For one, you will be able to understand the location of resources such as minerals easily. Secondly, through the study of rock structure, soil patterns, and natural resource distribution, you may be able to understand areas where there is a high possibility of getting minerals. Mining depends on GIS and it is always the use of GIS to get the right direction.
4. Health and epidemiology analyst
Public health needs GIS to understand some things. For example to understand the trends of the epidemic break out and the spread of certain diseases in different locations all over the world. The case of cancer and the spread of cancer has used this approach to understand the trend. Some tools used to perform these tasks include geographic information systems (GIS), disease surveillance, big data, and analytical approaches like the Geographical Analysis Machine (GAM), Dynamic Continuous Area Space-Time Analysis (DYCAST), and cellular automata, agent-based modeling, spatial statistics, and self-organizing maps. This help identifies the health risk and the extent of their effects on the demography. With GIS software and tool knowledge, it is possible to take these health sector jobs, because they really need you.
5. Transportation planner
In the transport sector, GIS knowledge and skills are highly needed. When planning transport routes, GIS location and spatial data are needed to get the right results. For example, GIS provides transport models and algorithms that can be applied in the transport sector. Therefore road construction planning and other transport means would need GIS to analyze the area and make the right choice.
6. Federal government planner
The government controls most of the resource allocation and development projects. Within the federal government security and the government protection agencies would rely on GIS for more information. Individuals would be needed as GIS analysts. Therefore these jobs like analyzing the demography and planning resource allocation may be contracted from time to time.
7. Programmer.
GIS students and experts can have an alternative in the field of programming. You can make programs that perform part of the GIS software analysis and functions. You can also come up with alternative software programs and websites as well as mobile applications for GIS. Though off their GIS field they create a job out of GIS.
8. Archaeologists and history
To map the locations where history took place and get evidence GIS mapping tool is needed. Therefore with a GIS education, you can land a job in these fields. You may have several other skills that you gain from the field. When these skills combine with GIS skills you fit in the area of history and fossil evidence searching.
9. Communication management and electrification.
Becoming a telecommunication manager can be easy with GIS skills. This is because you can analyze the population distribution, natural features on your way, and alternative routes. To get all this data you need GIS software to analyze so many factors and come up with detailed reports. Therefore GIS can land you such jobs.
10. Agricultural jobs.
GIS software enables you to get to the world map and view the climatic conditions. You are also able to understand the different types of soils from the map. Also on the map, there is information regarding the natural features and their effects. With this knowledge, you can have a job in the agricultural sector and in most cases within a government office.
11. Geospatial research officer
GIS research needs the use of GIS software so as to come up with accurate data. To make a good research paper and articles you would like to use the GIS for information borrowing, information citing, and analysis.
Though there are diminishing jobs in the world market, most jobs apply the use of GIS skills. Therefore jobs related to GIS outside of the GIS field can be an ideal alternative.