The EU project “Geographic Information: Need to Know” works towards a more demand-driven geospatial workforce education/training system. The ICA is represented on the Advisory Committee for the EU project by Menno-Jan Kraak, Vice president of the ICA.
The project invites everyone to participate by completing two surveys:
GI-N2K aims to answer the question on how the education and vocational training in the domain of GI S&T can match with the actual job requirements in the job market.
GI-N2K builds upon the existing Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge (GI S&T BoK) that was developed by the American University Consortium for Geographic Information Science, published in 2006 by the Association of American Geographers . The ‘BoK’ will be updated and brought into line with the new technological developments and the European perspective ( e.g. importance of INSPIRE in Europe).
The renewed BoK will apply an ontological approach and will take the form of a dynamic e-platform (wiki-based format) including tools to use, explore the BoK, to define curricula , training opportunities and courses and to define job profiles.
Two surveys have been launched and are available on the website: http://www.gi-n2k.eu/surveys These surveys are looking to inform the project on which competences are needed for GI-jobs and about the main competences being taught. Any individual or organisation is able to complete the surveys with a deadline of 05 February 2014.
For more information visit the project web page: www.gi-n2k.eu