Remote sensing technician to geographic information systems specialist
A remote sensing technician already meets 56% of what the geographic information systems specialist role asks for. The move turns on 7 required skills not yet in the profile.
48.7/ 100
1 How much of what a geographic information systems specialist is expected to do is already part of a remote sensing 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 this move works
A geographic information systems specialist role treats 13 of its required skills as things a remote sensing technician already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply digital mapping
- cartography
- collect mapping data
- compile GIS-data
- create GIS reports
- create thematic maps
What stands in the way is 7 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 21 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 remote sensing technician background worth leading with.
- already held compile GIS-data information skills
- already held geomatics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held photogrammetry engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held collect mapping data information skills
- already held develop geological databases working with computers
- already held geodesy natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
All 21 carried skills, including the 13 the geographic information systems specialist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 22 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.
- still to learn apply statistical analysis techniques 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 collect geological data optional
- optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
- still to learn geological mapping required
- still to learn statistics required
- 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 presentation software optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- still to learn environmental design required
- optional, not held spatial planning optional
- optional, not held surveying methods optional
- optional, not held write work-related reports optional
- optional, not held CAD software optional
1 further area in the appendix
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.
- 01 environmental design study this
- 02 geological mapping study this
- 03 apply statistical analysis techniques practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 21 skills that carry over
- already held apply digital mapping skill
- already held cartography knowledge
- already held collect mapping data skill
- already held compile GIS-data skill
- 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 geography knowledge
- already held geomatics knowledge
- already held mathematics knowledge
- already held surveying knowledge
- already held use geographic information systems skill
- already held collect data using GPS skill
- already held develop geological databases skill
- already held geodesy knowledge
- already held interpret geophysical data skill
- already held photogrammetry knowledge
- already held solve location and navigation problems by using GPS tools skill
- already held topography knowledge
- already held use CAD software skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
- optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held analyse environmental data optional
- optional, not held collect geological data optional
- optional, not held conduct land surveys optional
- optional, not held operate surveying instruments optional
- optional, not held spatial planning optional
- optional, not held surveying methods 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 prepare visual data optional
- optional, not held store digital data and systems optional
- optional, not held use presentation software optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- optional, not held write work-related reports optional
20 held skills the geographic information systems specialist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role Earth science knowledge
- not needed by the target role assist scientific research skill
- not needed by the target role civil engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role collect real-time geolocation information skill
- not needed by the target role computer simulation knowledge
- not needed by the target role conduct research on climate processes skill
- not needed by the target role create cadastral maps skill
- not needed by the target role create strategic maps skill
- not needed by the target role engineering principles knowledge
- not needed by the target role geology knowledge
- not needed by the target role geophysics knowledge
- not needed by the target role interpret visual literacy skill
- not needed by the target role keep task records skill
- not needed by the target role log transmitter readings skill
- not needed by the target role operate remote sensing equipment skill
- not needed by the target role prepare geological map sections skill
- not needed by the target role remote sensing techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role research remote sensing technologies skill
- not needed by the target role study aerial photos skill
- not needed by the target role study radar images skill
6 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn environmental design required
- still to learn geological mapping required
- still to learn statistics required
- optional, not held spatial planning optional
- optional, not held surveying methods optional
- optional, not held CAD software optional
Common questions about this move
Can a remote sensing technician become a geographic information systems specialist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A remote sensing technician already covers 56% of what a geographic information systems specialist is expected to do: 21 skills carry over, 13 of which the geographic information systems specialist role treats as required.
What skills does a remote sensing technician need to become a geographic information systems specialist?
7 required skills are missing, plus 15 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 remote sensing technician to geographic information systems specialist?
Its learning distance is 48.7 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
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.