Since earning my master's degree, I have been searching for a career that engages me intellectually, balances my personal and professional needs, and benefits my community in some way. The idea of pursuing a career in GIS excites me because I could use my skills to work in a broad range of sectors I care about -- like ecological conservation, public planning, education, healthcare, and political activism. Furthermore, I have discovered many job listings in my area for GIS technicians and professionals across a variety of fields and organizations that would be a good fit for me after I earn this certificate.

In my geology courses, I used ArcGIS for mapping geological units and visualizing data collected from the field. Upon getting to know the software, it is clear that GIS is a valuable tool for a wide variety of purposes, such as safety and city planning, environmental conservation, paleontological studies, and mining and other areas of economic geology. I feel inspired by its versatility and great potential impact on humanity and the environment.

This certification will open up different opportunities for jobs both within Humboldt county as well as remotely. A lot of jobs right now require you to have a technical skill of some sort, and this certification would give me a competitive edge when applying to jobs. I'm excited about the possibility of a career in GIS and all the different ways that could look like. I believe this certification would be a great first step in the right direction!

I really enjoyed taking GSP 101, and my favorite thing that I made were two maps of Los Angeles that compared per capita income in the region and food deserts. With this information, I was able to visually represent the fact that lower income areas in L.A. had less access to fresh food.

As a landscape designer, I understand how graphic skills can be utilized to convey information to a wide audience, and I hope that I can combine my graphic skills with GIS to create both beautiful and informative maps."

Completing the geospatial certificate will give me the skills and qualifications necessary to tackle more advanced and critical work in my career. My career goal has always been to play a part in fighting climate change, and arming myself with geospatial skills is an excellent way to further that goal.

A great skillset will allow the agency I work for to visually represent data of ongoing issues related to environmental health, emergency management, and population health. Additionally, looking ahead 3-5 years, many of the jobs and sectors I'd like to work will benefit greatly or require GIS experience.

After taking GSP 101, I already feel like these classes are the "glue" I need to enhance some of my limited previous knowledge with GIS.

As a student in the Geospatial Certificate Program, I can say first-hand that you exceed expectations time and again in knowledge of the subject matter, and care taken to delivering the material.