RecordMove

Geology technician to geographic information systems specialist

A geology technician already meets 43% of what the geographic information systems specialist role asks for. The move turns on 10 required skills not yet in the profile.

Fig. 1 · Skill transfer ESCO v1.2.1 · directional

From geology technician

Partial match

To geographic information systems specialist

16 You already bring

10 Still to learn

43 Skills in the target role2

Learning distance Substantial retraining

60.1/ 100

adjacentmoderatesubstantialcareer change

1 How much of what a geographic information systems specialist is expected to do is already part of a geology technician’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the geographic information systems specialist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.

Why

Why this move works

A geographic information systems specialist role treats 10 of its required skills as things a geology technician already does. You would walk in with these on day one.

apply digital mapping
apply statistical analysis techniques
cartography
create GIS reports
create thematic maps
execute analytical mathematical calculations

What stands in the way is 10 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 16 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A geographic information systems specialist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a geology technician background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held develop geological databases working with computers
already held geodesy natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held create GIS reports information skills
already held create thematic maps working with computers
already held collect data using GPS information skills
already held collect geological data information skills

All 16 carried skills, including the 10 the geographic information systems specialist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you may need to learn

The 27 missing skills fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.

Skill to pick up Tier

01 information skills 4 required, 2 supplementary

still to learn collect mapping data required
still to learn compile GIS-data required
still to learn perform surveying calculations required
still to learn process collected survey data required

optional, not held analyse environmental data optional
optional, not held conduct land surveys optional

02 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 3 required

still to learn geological mapping required
still to learn geography required
still to learn geomatics required

03 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 required, 4 supplementary

still to learn environmental design required
still to learn surveying required

optional, not held spatial planning optional
optional, not held surveying methods optional
optional, not held topography optional
optional, not held photogrammetry optional

04 working with computers 1 required, 7 supplementary

still to learn use databases required

optional, not held use an application-specific interface optional
optional, not held develop computer vision system optional
optional, not held perform image editing optional
optional, not held prepare visual data optional
optional, not held store digital data and systems optional
optional, not held use CAD software optional
optional, not held use presentation software optional

05 working with machinery and specialised equipment 2 supplementary

optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
optional, not held solve location and navigation problems by using GPS tools optional

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held write work-related reports optional

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a geographic information systems specialist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 16 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply digital mapping skill
already held apply statistical analysis techniques skill
already held cartography knowledge
already held create GIS reports skill
already held create thematic maps skill
already held execute analytical mathematical calculations skill
already held geographic information systems knowledge
already held mathematics knowledge
already held statistics knowledge
already held use geographic information systems skill
already held collect data using GPS skill
already held collect geological data skill
already held develop geological databases skill
already held geodesy knowledge
already held interpret geophysical data skill
already held use spreadsheets software skill

The 1 learning area not shown above

Skill to pick up Tier

07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary

optional, not held CAD software optional

17 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to pick up Tier

optional, not held analyse environmental data optional
optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
optional, not held solve location and navigation problems by using GPS tools optional
optional, not held spatial planning optional
optional, not held surveying methods optional
optional, not held topography optional
optional, not held use an application-specific interface optional
optional, not held CAD software optional
optional, not held develop computer vision system optional
optional, not held perform image editing optional
optional, not held photogrammetry optional
optional, not held prepare visual data optional
optional, not held store digital data and systems optional
optional, not held use CAD software optional
optional, not held use presentation software optional
optional, not held write work-related reports optional

42 held skills the geographic information systems specialist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role advise on geology for mineral extraction skill
not needed by the target role apply safety procedures in laboratory skill
not needed by the target role apply scientific methods skill
not needed by the target role archive scientific documentation skill
not needed by the target role assess environmental impact skill
not needed by the target role assist scientific research skill
not needed by the target role assist with geophysical surveys skill
not needed by the target role collect samples skill
not needed by the target role collect samples for analysis skill
not needed by the target role conduct field work skill
not needed by the target role conduct soil sample tests skill
not needed by the target role environmental legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role geochemistry knowledge
not needed by the target role geological time scale knowledge
not needed by the target role geology knowledge
not needed by the target role geophysics knowledge
not needed by the target role investigate soil stability skill
not needed by the target role liaise with geology professionals skill
not needed by the target role maintain cores skill
not needed by the target role monitor geotechnical structures skill
not needed by the target role negotiate land access skill
not needed by the target role operate scientific measuring equipment skill
not needed by the target role percolation knowledge
not needed by the target role perform laboratory tests skill
not needed by the target role perform sample testing skill
not needed by the target role physics knowledge
not needed by the target role plan geotechnical investigations in the field skill
not needed by the target role prepare geological map sections skill
not needed by the target role prepare samples for testing skill
not needed by the target role prepare scientific reports skill
not needed by the target role prepare surveying report skill
not needed by the target role process data skill
not needed by the target role provide information on geological characteristics skill
not needed by the target role provide technical expertise skill
not needed by the target role record test data skill
not needed by the target role scientific research methodology knowledge
not needed by the target role study aerial photos skill
not needed by the target role test raw minerals skill
not needed by the target role train employees skill
not needed by the target role troubleshoot skill

2 further entries not listed here

10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to pick up Tier

still to learn environmental design required
still to learn geological mapping required
still to learn geography required
still to learn geomatics required
still to learn surveying required
optional, not held spatial planning optional
optional, not held surveying methods optional
optional, not held topography optional
optional, not held CAD software optional
optional, not held photogrammetry optional

Index

Other moves recorded from geology technician

Full index of moves from geology technician

FAQ

Common questions about this move

Can a geology technician become a geographic information systems specialist?

Yes, and it is a substantial move. A geology technician already covers 43% of what a geographic information systems specialist is expected to do: 16 skills carry over, 10 of which the geographic information systems specialist role treats as required.

What skills does a geology technician need to become a geographic information systems specialist?

10 required skills are missing, plus 17 optional ones. They fall into 7 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is environmental design.

How hard is the move from geology technician to geographic information systems specialist?

Its learning distance is 60.1 out of 100, which is the substantial band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.