Comments on: GISP? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ GISP!

By: Jed

Jed — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:17:46 +0000

Interesting, I have pondered this question for years. I find that most are against it for various reasons namely it does not accord any advantage to job seekers, second their are multiple certifications out there (i.e. in Canada there is also CGS-GIS or the new ESRI certification), and finally it is harder to obtain than some others.

Myself, I see it as a personal development point and as others have said a commitment to the industry, though I do not expect that it will change anything for me in way of pay or job security.

There must be a demand for GISP, other than GIS and right now the discrepancy does not exist, and as such the vast majority think that it is not worth the time or cost to become certified.

On the subject of the test, it would be interesting to see how to implement a standard on a industry that is so diverse and still make it universal.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:59:30 +0000

I am in the process for GISP. I think it is actually great, considering the amount of different activities you have to do and the broadness of skills it covers.

What I don’t like: They had a grandfathering provision when it was first established. This allowed, in my opinion, many people who are not skilled GIS professionals to get their GISP based on their work experience alone.

Otherwise I think it is a good thing to have, but should net be the be all and end all for a skilled GIS practitioner.

By: Don

Don — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:55:06 +0000

Hi Nick -
I passed the AICP exam shortly after I wrote this post. I have enough points to apply for GISP, but have been waiting for the economy to recover a bit before spending the money on the application fee. I agree that the letters after your name aren’t always necessary to get new work. I see it more as a personal accomplishment and showing support for the profession.

By: Nick F

Nick F — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:58:23 +0000

So Don…where’d you end up on the AICP / GISP question?…I see these posts from last year.
I’ve been AICP for almost 10 years now – but don’t really even need it; but I do GIS for planners and for a planning organization.
Since I’ve been doing GIS for 15 years it doesn’t seem like I need GISP (so I still have not gone down the path). But something I’ll probably do in the near future.

By: keyser

keyser — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 17:54:31 +0000

Spoken like a true underachiver! I’m sure you hold no certifications

By: Metadata Man

Metadata Man — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:30:24 +0000

Having um’d and ah’d over GISP-AP (Asia Pacific) I finally took the plunge and got certified.

The interesting sub context (regardless of competency or not) is that is would ‘help’ distinguish you in a crowd of job applications (not guarantee you)….however, the flaw with that in Australia in particular is that despite GFC, there is an overwhelming skills shortage and has been and will continue to be for a long time. What that ultimately means is if you have a decent pulse you will get any job anywhere and will get trained up and forgiven for lack of experience.

In that sort of environment how does that set me apart other than having another set of letters to boost my ego?

I knew all this before I decided to apply, and I did so out of my ‘contribution’ to an industry rather then to get more money than the next GIS’er.

The debate still goes on…..but for me, letters or no letters I love the industry, always have, always will.

By: atanas entchev

atanas entchev — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:27:12 +0000

If I may be so self-assuming as to quote myself, “Certifications address, first and foremost, the need of a [self-appointed] certifying “authority” to self-perpetuate.”

http://twitter.com/entchev/status/8198542661

By: Terry

Terry — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:12:10 +0000

“I recently saw a comment that the GISP represents commitment to the profession, not competency. I thought that was a good description.”

Holy crap! Really? So I’m not committed to the profession unless I go GISP? And GISP doesn’t represent competency?

If it’s all the same to you, I’ll stick with uncommitted and competent.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:48:57 +0000

I have found many GISers to be technocrats who get caught in details. They want something to be perfect before providing their support for it. A certification process is not perfect, therefore they don’t see value in it until it is made perfect.
Even if a qualifications or competency test were required, GISers would nitpick it to death. “What, no Ruby on Rails question?”
I recently saw a comment that the GISP represents commitment to the profession, not competency. I thought that was a good description.

By: Erin @ solsticeGIS

Erin @ solsticeGIS — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:11:05 +0000

Don – This is a great article. I started my GISP application when it first came out in 2003 and still haven’t finished. I changed jobs, worked on a masters degree to pursue teaching and accidentally started a consulting business. The final task on my list is to get client letters. They would be more than supportive but I would rather do their work than ask for a letter during a project. Perhaps I can include the request with my invoice and a coupon for Subway? It’s not that the application is that hard to do, it’s a bit anticlimactic without a formal test. Perhaps there should be some hazing involved in the process. GIS’ers do tend to stray from the herd but I think we also tend to be a bit masochistic, why would we have stayed in this field for so long?

Regarding AICP, its been on my radar. I have a planning degree but perform GIS analysis to support planning. This may not be considered “planning” work in the eyes of APA but I am more intrigued than the GISP, probably because I’m not a planner by trade but can function as one.