GeoTech Consortium of Western New York: Get the GIST (Geospatial Information Science Technology) Certificate

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The Department of Labor considers the geospatial industry to be high growth (U.S. DOL, 2012). The GeoTech Consortium of Western New York (GTCWNY) is developing a geospatial certificate program to help support growing geospatial industry needs. The consortium focus is on program development and improvement by increasing the importance of geospatial technician education and the number of students with relevant geospatial and STEM competencies. It also focuses on professional development for educators, which has resulted in awareness of the geospatial industry at the high school level, and dual-credit opportunities for high school students. Led by Monroe Community College (MCC) of the State University of New York, GTCWNY is bridging the gaps among high schools, our two-year college, and the local and regional geospatial industry. The consortium is composed of Monroe Community College, three school districts, Monroe County, New York Geographic Alliance, Geographic Information Sharing-Special Interest Group, Northeast Area Development GIS Scholars, and a major geospatial corporation. With over 40 regional geospatial companies/agencies, GTCWNY serves industry demand and has an impact on STEM education. GTCWNY is combining leveraged courses from the GeoTech Center with current MCC courses to create a geospatial certificate program. The new courses are being aligned with the new Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM) 2014 and the GeoTech Center Course Content Tool. The GTCWNY Geospatial Information Science Technology (GIST) Advisory Board is identifying local and regional employment skills, allowing GTCWNY to modify the geospatial courses to regional industry needs.