[OKGIS] Getting Started

[Thomas Tollett]

Hello Heathe, 
	First, I do want to apologize for my delay in replying to your
question, and secondarily I want to recommend you contact the
Cartography Department at East Central University in Ada, OK.  With your
Associate's degree you'll only have to take handful of classes to
fulfill the program's requirement of a Minor to accompany the
Cartography Major.  They offer courses in GIS, Cartography, Remote
Sensing, and many other subjects you'd find interesting and useful in
your pursuit of a career in GIS.  We have alumnus holding positions in
City, County, State, & Tribal government, the Surveying field,
Non-Profit organizations, and the Oil & Gas Industry just to name a few.
If this sparks your interest, contact the University at (580)332-8000
and ask for the Cartography Department.  Or you can go to this link for
more information: http://www.ecok.edu/cartogeo/ .  


Have a Great Day!

Thomas E. Tollett, CFM
Sr. Geographic Information Systems Analyst
Corporate-Level Mapping
Chesapeake Energy Corp.
Building 6, Office 356
Ph: (405)810-2681
Cel: (405)290-8076
Fax: (405)879-8307
thomas.tollett at chk.com

-----Original Message-----
From: okgis-bounces at gis.gis.ou.edu [mailto:okgis-bounces at gis.gis.ou.edu]
On Behalf Of Heathe Kyle Yeakley
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 2:53 PM
To: okgis at gis.gis.ou.edu
Subject: [OKGIS] Getting Started

Hello, my name is Heathe and I am interested in changing careers into 
GIS. I currently work as a Unix/Linux Systems Administrator for the US 
Government. I have an Associates degree in Telecommunications from 
OSU-OKC and haven't yet finished a 4 year degree. I heard about GIS a 
few years back and thought it sounded interesting at the time, but I 
didn't give it much thought. Recently, however, I've started thinking 
about changing careers and GIS is the field I'd like to pursue.

My question is, where do I start? I've looked for GIS degree programs at

the local 4 year schools and haven't found anything. Yes, UCO and OU 
have classes on GIS that are part of the curriculum for a Geography (or 
related) degree, but I haven't found a course of study specifically on
GIS.

What type of skills and education do prospective employers want in a GIS

Analyst? Geography, Engineering, Physics? From what I've read the field 
sounds extremely diverse. I'd be happy to finish a 4-year degree if I 
knew what to major in.

What about local resources? If I wanted to just volunteer somewhere to 
get some hands on experience so that I'm not completely green to the 
field, whom should I contact. If I'm not cut out for this line of work 
I'd really like to find out now and save myself and any prospective 
future employers any headaches.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

- Heathe
 
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