Latest Contributions by BarryWaite1

That is absolutely NOT how the GISP was intended to be used. How do I know? Because I was on the committee that put the program together. It was never intended to be a requirement for a job or a certification of competence. The fact is GIS jobs vary greatly in the skills and knowledge needed to do them. There is no test that is usable across professions and applications. You need to look at what is needed in your own organization and select based on that, not the GISP exam. ... View more

I don't think any of the criteria in the GISP certification measure competence. If you want to know if someone can do the job, you need to look at their work. ... View more

I was on the committee that created the certification process and still have strong misgivings as to the value of the program. Early on, we realized there was no test we could use because GIS practitioners are in such totally varied fields and uses of GIS. For example, some use programing every day while others never do. Some deal with projections on a daily basis while others rarely even consider the issue or use custom projections that aren't useful for others. We came to agreement on what to include, but we knew it was a loose framework that should not be considered a measure of competence. To see some agencies using it as a tool for hiring was my greatest fear, and that is happening. It isn't even a good initial screening tool because it is too broad for any particular job. I still don't know how we can make it work really.  ... View more

I was part of the group that put the GISP program together. Even though I never thought it was a good idea, I wanted at least to make sure we did no harm. The basic problem is that there is no common body of knowledge you can use for a test. You may think there is, but when you try to compare your list to others' you will find they don't agree. A degree tells me much more than letters after your name. What you have actually done tells me far more than your degree. More education is always helpful in doing more. Get the certification if you have to for a particular job. Otherwise, go impress people with your work. ... View more