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February 2019
PHOTOGRAMMETRIC ENGINEERING & REMOTE SENSING
SECTOR
INSIGHT:
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mil
ic hardware or software, or is it applicable across multiple
geospatial platforms? For example, would an IT certification
actually benefit you more as a GIS Manager than a geospatial
certification? Would an equipment certification benefit you
more as a surveyor than one focused on mostly GIS topics?
Is the certification accredited by a recognized and reputable
organization with clout across the geospatial community?
Does the certification “have teeth” in that there an enforce-
able, punitive policy is in place to ensure the long-term valid-
ity of the certification? For example, if you have not been per-
sonally certified as a GISP by the GIS Certification Institute
(GISCI), then you cannot legally use the GISP designation,
either as part of your signature or on your resume. Any per-
son found to have used the GISP designation without having
been previously granted use of that credential by the GIS Cer-
tification Institute will be subject to legal action under federal
copyright and trademark code.
Is it organizationally-based, such as the GEOINT Profession-
al Certification (GPC), an NSG program with fundamental
and tradecraft certifications? Is the certification only inter-
nally recognized or is it internationally recognized? If there
an exam and a recertification process, how often do you have
to recertify and how much will it cost? To sort out these types
of questions, we discuss several certifications in the sidebar
to the right.
To achieve certification under these programs, one must
demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of subject mat-
ter (GISCI), a solid understanding of various aspects of an oc-
cupational specialty (USGIF), and validate a specific techni-
cal understanding within an occupational specialty (ASPRS).
For internally-based certification (NGA), each certification is
a skillset for a tradecraft resident within the organization,
and although not specifically designed for use outside of the
organization, what is learned may be applicable to skills re-
quired in the greater geospatial community.
Is One Umbrella Certification Available?
Developing and agreeing to a basic competency model re-
mains a challenge two decades into the 21
st
century, but the
idea of creating and maintaining a relevant certification is
alive and well. In 2009, a study found that “Geographic In-
ASPRS
GISCI
NGA
USGIF
ASPRS
The American Society for Photogrammetry and
Remote Sensing (ASPRS) offers specialty certi-
fications related to technical occupations com-
monly found in the geospatial community. The
ASPRS Certification Program is voluntary and
open to all qualified individuals, whether or not
they are members of the American Society for
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. ASPRS
has administered a robust certification process
for over four decades that continues to revise and
add new certifications as innovative technolo-
gies are adapted into the geospatial industry. In
2017, Mike Renslow provided a detailed under-
standing of the ASPRS certification program in
a recent
SectorInsight.edu
article. He wrote that
the ASPRS certification is official recognition by
one’s colleagues and peers that an individual has
demonstrated professional integrity and com-
petence in his or her field. As such, the ASPRS
voluntary certification program is considered
“specialty certification” and not a substitute for
licensure. Prior to 1999, the ASPRS certification
process consisted of a peer review of each appli-
cation and required four confidential references.
In 1997, the ASPRS Board of Directors approved
a modification to the Certification Program that
took effect on January 1, 1998 that required ap-
plicants to pass a written examination. In 2013,
the ASPRS professional and technologist certifi-
cation programs each received accreditation from
the Council of Engineering and Scientific Special-
ty Boards (CESB).
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