 Maneesh Prasad Managing Editor & Chief Operating Officer maneesh.prasad@gisdevelopment.net Over the last 4-5 decades we have had the evolution of specialized programmes for various industry disciplines, which per- meated across many of the growing economies. Individual streams of specialization had their own cycle of growth and proliferation. For an example if we look at computer technology, it has been there for over five decades, but it took off, in true spirit only in the last couple of decades when we saw the industry's growing need along with a handsome remuneration and large scale proliferation of its application. The usage was coupled with computer science and application programme being offered by many institutions. The geospatial industry in the last couple of decades also witnessed large scale employment of human resources, particularly in the growing economies. But we cannot draw any parallel, as most of the employment were in the geospatial data industry, where human resource with little vocational were absorbed and process is continuing till date. We would need to draw a line between our data producing sector and those providing solutions and services, particularly from human resource availability and development programme point of view. Perhaps a simple college diploma or degree would continue to be a passport to economic success for those looking at geospatial data industry. There is new set of human resource coming up who need to provide professional education credentials before being given the job of working on applications of geospatial for industry. These would need to know the geospatial tools in vogue and to a little extent the philosophy of geospatial science. Although the availability of skilled manpower for this industry has increased with more and more educational institutions providing geospatial education, it would still take few years for these geospatial programmes to come closer to the core of geospatial science. As many of these programmes continue to be overwhelmed by some specific tools, which forms the axis for these programmes. From industry point of view, geospatial is in its early years of evolution. We need to delink it from the legacy of mapping science and relook at it with holistic view compromising varied data sources, its integration mechanism and again diverse usage. The evolution of its usage evolution would be influenced by the convergence with contemporary technologies perhaps leading to the much awaited 'Killer application' one day. In this situation it would be helpful to be aware, alert and adopt the core benefit of good education which according to Dr Duane Marble "provides the individual with a sound basis for understanding and personally adapting to the continuing, substantial changes that will occur in the geospatial industry". The issues of job satisfaction, remuneration and growth prospect are short term issues for this industry which would be overcome in its natural process of evolution. We can wish that the process of evolution of this industry is aptly supported by geospatial policies. |