Location Advantage MOOC AMA (Ask Me Anything): Thursday Nov 30, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm PT

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11-22-2017 10:48 AM
AdenaSchutzberg1
Esri Regular Contributor

Event details:

  • What: Join instructor John Shramek, course host Linda Peters and Education Manager Joseph J. Kerski, Ph.D., GISP for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) live on the GeoNet Community in the Location Advantage MOOC group. Ask the panelists anything about the topics covered in the course and any fun, interesting and thought-provoking questions. 
  • When: The AMA event will take place in this discussion thread (right on this page!) on Thursday November 30 , 2017 from 12:30pm-1:30pm PT.

 

How to participate:

  • During the AMA, if you are logged into GeoNet (here's how to log in with your Esri credentials), you can post your questions in the comments below and the panelists will reply to your questions in the comments. 
  • You're welcome to post questions ahead of the AMA but we won't begin answering them until the AMA begins on November 30th at 12:30pm PT.

 

Reminder: AMA Tips and GeoNet Community Guidelines

  • You will need a GeoNet account (uses Esri credentials) in order to ask questions. If you do not yet have Esri credentials, get them right away; it can take a day or two to process the request.
  • When asking questions and making comments during the AMA, remember to follow the GeoNet Community Guiding Principles.
  • During the AMA this discussion page will not auto-refresh, so please remember to refresh this page to see new questions, comments and replies.

 

You'll know the AMA is live when you see a picture below with John, Linda and Joseph. From there on, remember to refresh the page to see our updates and new questions and comments. 

Thanks for joining us and we'll see you on Thursday!

 

12:30 pm - And we're live! Go ahead and ask your questions!

1:00 pm - We're halfway through, Great questions! Keep them coming!

1:25 pm - Five minutes to go! Got any fun questions for Joseph or John?

1:30 pm - Overtime! We'll take your questions too during this bonus 10 minutes! 

1:40 pm  - And that's a wrap! The live AMA has ended but Joseph, Linda and John will continue to answer questions as schedules allow. Thanks for joining us and asking great questions! 

 

 

64 Replies
HeatherJones
New Contributor

I graduated with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree a few years ago. What advice would you give someone like me, who didn't specifically study Geography, on how they can get into the GIS field?

JosephKerski
Esri Notable Contributor

Hi Heather.   That is a great question. There are 2 main databases of GIS programs ... one is the Guide to Geography Programs in the Americas from www.aag.org - and the other is the list and map maintained by geotechcenter.org.   I would say that you are already doing 1 key thing - being active in taking courses, like this MOOC.  The other thing you can do is (1) go through some of the lessons on http://learn.arcgis.com  and (2) explore some of the GIS tutorial books on www.esri.com/books.   Then, I would say, be active on LinkedIn with the GIS groups, attend a F2F conference or two each year if you can such as a state event or the Esri UC, subscribe to scgis.org or a state GIS listserv, which are often filled with GIS positions, and also ... think about perhaps taking a certificate program in GIS offered by a community college or a university.  I'll cut it off there but happy to fill in more details.  --Joseph Kerski

LindaPeters
Esri Contributor

Hi Heather,

Thanks for the great question.  I didn't start out my career in GIS either, but once I understood the power I went back to to study GIS.  There are many great online courses like this MOOC that can help you sharpen your skills.  I would suggest you think about how you might like to apply GIS, look for a company that needs these skills and go market yourself!  There is incredibly high demand for graduates who understand how to think spatially.

keep thinking spatial!

Linda

EyitolaAkeju
New Contributor II

I appreciate this candid reply. 

0 Kudos
EyitolaAkeju
New Contributor II

I will like to know if you offer online masters in GIS relating to business location in ESRI. Thanks

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by Anonymous User
Not applicable
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by Anonymous User
Not applicable

Hi Heather - I would say, GIS is often a field that is used to complement another career or industry. In other words, many people who use GIS wouldn't say it's their job, or even their field. It's great for applying to almost any other industry, from insurance to IT to oil & gas. So, you could take free or paid GIS courses, in person or online, at a college or other providers, and integrate it into your own career of choice. It, IMO, is more about getting the GIS Technician-level skills, and maybe a certification, than about needing to pursue another degree or something.

AdenaSchutzberg1
Esri Regular Contributor

If I'm just opening a new small business (a small gym), what's the simplest way to take advantage of a tool like Business Analyst? How can I get the quickest return on investment?

LindaPeters
Esri Contributor

Business Analyst will allow you to better understand the market you want to open up in as well as the customer base.  I would explore the data using the techniques learned in week  4 - know who your target customers are and how best to reach them.