An Introduction to GIS

 

GIS stands for Geographic Information System. There is no universally agreed upon definition of GIS, but one widely accepted definition is provided by the National Centre of Geographic Information and Analysis:

"a GIS is a system of hardware, software and procedures to facilitate the management, manipulation, analysis, modelling, representation and display of georeferenced data to solve complex problems regarding planning and management of resources".

Put simply, GIS is a computer software system which captures, stores and analyses spatial information. While geography is information about the earth's surface, GIS is a technology which analyses that geographic information. 

GIS is about collecting data and using software to display it in graphs or maps. Specialised GIS technology can create maps; this function is known as cartography.

There are different types of software used, designed to meet different needs of GIS-focused businesses. These include desktop GIS, server GIS and mobile GIS. Some notable GIS software products include:

 

In addition to these GIS specific software systems, other common IT applications such as HTML, Javascript, ASP and SQL are used.

GIS is a widely expanding field; as more and more people understand what GIS is, the industry is taking a more prominent role in society. As demand for GIS businesses increases, so too do the available positions. By the same token, GIS is becoming a more common career path chosen by university students who study in areas such as Geography, Computer Science and Engineering and thus competition can be high, especially for graduate positions. 

 

GIS software can model and map large areas using the geographic data it collects. Consider Google Earth - GIS software would have been required to collect, analyse, store and display geographic data in order to create a map of Earth. You probably use GIS everyday to find buildings, restaurants, parks or streets.

As a specialist in GIS recruitment, EBR regularly obtains GIS positions, ranging from the graduate to more experienced and specialised level. See our top jobs here.

 

Are you looking to study GIS? GIS.com has a range of search tools you can use to find the right education institution. Click here. 

[Sources: Mycareer; Department of Geomatics, The University of Melbourne, ESRI Australia]