Effective solutions to attract new geospatial talent
The topic of the geospatial talent shortage has arisen frequently in 'GIM International' in recent years. Read this selection of interviews and articles discussing potential solutions to the challenge of encouraging young people to enter the mapping and surveying profession.
Three experts share their thoughts on attracting skilled personnel
There is a shortage of geomatics professionals to meet the ever-growing need for geoinformation. What can the geospatial community do to tackle this challenge? GIM International asked three renowned experts to share their thoughts on how the surveying industry could fill the labour gap.
How can we attract students to geomatics?
Outside of our community, and arguably even within our wider community, the term ‘geomatics’ is unfamiliar and ill defined, writes Ian Brown, senior lecturer at Stockholm University. More common in North America than in many parts of Europe, geomatics can be said to refer to the measurement and analysis of the properties of the Earth. Planetary scientists might argue that geomatics could equally refer to the measurement of other planetary surfaces. Some may argue in favour of a more comprehensive definition, while many in the community may reject the term entirely. If we as a community can’t adopt a common terminology with common definitions and communicate that effectively, then how can we expect to engage with the public, decision-makers and future students? How can we attract new talent?
Read the story here
The geomatics profession: looking forward to the next decade
As the years progress towards 2030, many challenges and opportunities may emerge for the profession across a wide spectrum of activities. The democratization of geospatial data and the rapid advancement of technologies to capture this data require a skilled labour force. Where will the surveyors, geospatial scientists and spatial data specialists come from?
Perhaps nobody knows it yet, but geomatics is cool
The geospatial industry faces a major challenge: how to attract a new generation of mapping and surveying professionals. The sector is crying out for talented young individuals who are willing and able to enter the profession. But, as a quick glance at the labour market reveals, they are currently in short supply, so other measures are needed. A good starting point is to increase the industry’s interaction with children in primary and secondary schools to help them see the relevance of geomatics.
The need to enthuse youngsters about surveying
The youngsters of today are the geospatial professionals of tomorrow, writes Wim van Wegen, which is why the industry urgently needs to increase its focus on the next generation.
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