Jack and Patti Phillips Workplace Learning and Performance Institute | Research | Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program

The Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program:
Mississippi Leads the Way in Establishing the Standards for the Geospatial Workforce

A key area that must be addressed to effectively establish and grow any industry is the need for a highly qualified, well trained workforce. This is particularly true for the geospatial industry which has been recognized as one of the nation’s high growth labor force needs areas for the 21st century. For Mississippi’s geospatial industry cluster this need is being addressed by the Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program (GTAP) at The University of Southern Mississippi.

The Jack and Patti Phillips Workplace Learning and Performance Institute (WLPI) at Southern Mississippi, supported by NASA and the Department of Labor (DOL), employs a competency-based approach to geospatial workforce training and development. With input from geospatial experts, the WLPI created the Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM), which identified roles, competencies, and outputs that are needed for geospatial professionals to be successful.

GTAP, built upon the WLPI’s existing GTCM, provides a 21st century solution to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in the geospatial industry. On-the-job learning and related classroom instruction are key components of the apprenticeship program. A Journey worker mentors and coaches the apprentice throughout the program. A learning management system is utilized to track the progress of the apprentice. Upon completion of the GTAP, apprentices will receive the DOL nationally recognized credential of Geospatial Specialist.

“Training in an apprenticeship model directly leads to a more productive geospatial apprentice, who can integrate classroom instruction with their existing employer’s workplace needs, and thereby be more productive in the long run,” said Dr. Cyndi Gaudet, Director of the Workplace Learning & Performance Center at Southern Miss, who is directing the pilot project.

The creation of a DOL-certified apprenticeship program for the geospatial technology workforce provides a standard, certificate-based approach that follows apprenticeship guidelines established by the federal government. Since these standards are national in scope, employees who are trained and certified by this DOL program will be able to receive recognition of their geospatial technology skills and capabilities by potential employers nationwide. Additionally, it will facilitate other interested employers, educational institutions, and related partners to adopt these standards to create apprenticeship programs across the U.S. based on the successful implementation of the pilot GTAP in Mississippi.

For more information about GTAP, please contact Dr. Cyndi Gaudet, Director of Jack and Patti Phillips Workplace Learning and Performance Institute, Cyndi.Gaudet@usm.edu, (228) 214-3344.