The Many Career Paths of GISc
A Look at What Geographic Information Science Could Mean for Your Future
There’s an old adage nearly everyone’s heard: “Work a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” As true as this sentiment may be, the facts about employment suggest that a majority of people are not working jobs they love. In fact, far from it.
Consider these less-than-thrilling statistics:
- 13 percent of employees enjoy their jobs1
- 51 percent of U.S. employees are engaged in their job2
These numbers tell a difficult truth: most people don’t work in jobs they find fulfilling. So, how can this be changed? One way is for the workforce to pursue skills that could allow them to move into a field they could enjoy while ensuring a healthy job market and economic outlook for the future. This isn’t an easy task. Someone may want to be a rock star; however, the job opportunities, not to mention the longevity of that career, are both quite limited.
So what is a skill set with the flexibility to span across various industries while offering financial stability at the same time? Well, one such field is geographic information science (GISc), and it’s being utilized to reimagine and revolutionize countless industries across the globe. What this means for anyone out there who is unhappy with their current job situation is simple, and extremely powerful: It means that if you have a passion for the natural world, urban and social issues, or even politics or finance, you might be surprised to find there are several geographic information science careers you could pursue.
To show you just how diverse the applications for GISc are, take a look at this list of industries it is currently transforming.
One Degree. Many Paths.
From climate change to disaster relief, from agriculture to the financial sector, the opportunities available to professionals with a degree in GISc are enormous. And better yet, since GISc is a constantly evolving field on the cutting edge of innovation and technology, this is only the beginning. As time goes on, there will most likely be a steady flow of new, exciting careers opening up and being developed within GISc.
The list above, of course, showcases just a few examples of paths you could take within GISc. To learn about more GISc journeys, consider reading about two Kent State University geographers who received grants to research climate change. While no job can guarantee happiness, geographic information science could offer those not satisfied in their current positions the chance to break into something they truly love.
Ready to start your journey in GISc? Discover how the Kent State University online Master of Geographic Information Sciencecan help start you on the right path.
Sources:
- Retrieved on February 2, 2018, from www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/why-its-time-to-rethink-the-meaning-of-work/
- Retrieved on February 2, 2018, from news.gallup.com/poll/181289/majority-employees-not-engaged-despite-gains-2014.aspx
