The Southern Colorado Geospatial Initiative (SCoGI) Multilevel Internship Model

1. The Southern Colorado Geospatial Initiative (SCoGI) Multilevel Internship Model Irina Kopteva, PhD Geography Department Pikes Peak Community College Irina.Kopteva@ppcc.edu

2. The Southern Colorado Geospatial Initiative (SCoGI) Multilevel Internship Model • Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC), founded in 1967, is a two-year comprehensive public community college. Approximately 10,000 students are enrolled each semester. • LOCATION • PPCC is located in Colorado Springs, CO (south of Denver, the CO capitol)

3. The Southern Colorado Geospatial Initiative (SCoGI) Multilevel Internship Model • Pikes Peak Community College has four campuses within Colorado Springs: Centennial Campus (south), The Downtown Studio Campus (central), Rampart Range Campus (north), and Fountain (east). • Rampart Range Campus is home to GIS Certificate Program launched last year in summer 2007

4. Overview • Colorado is one of the fastest growing regions in the US • the second largest geospatial technology workforce • Every year there is a 2.5%-6% increase in the number of new technicians needed in Colorado. • In the Colorado Springs metropolitan area, it is projected that 11 companies will generate 2,460 jobs • over twenty companies that utilize geospatial technology within a one-hour drive of Colorado Springs (Table 1).

5. A. Companies with representatives at US Department of Labor Industry Executive Forum held in Colorado Springs in April 2003: Aerospace Industries Association Analytical Graphics, Inc.* Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation* Boeing Autometric* California Space Authority, Inc. Digital Globe Eastman Kodak* Harris Corporation Lockheed Martin* NASA Raytheon Company* RSI* Sensor Systems, Inc. US Space Foundation* Spatial Technologies Industry Association B. Other Pikes Peak Area companies/agencies: Sanborn Booz Allen Hamilton CH2M HILL GIS Training Source, Inc. City of Colorado Springs: Police, Utilities, Land Development State of Colorado US Northern Command Northrop Grumman Real Time Logic, Inc. Science Applications Int. Corporation SI International Interstate Highway Construction, Inc. Skywest Airlines Multimax, Inc. *has Colorado office Table 1. Companies Utilizing Geospatial Technology: Pikes Peak Region.

6. Regional Need • companies are desperate for interns, and employees • disconnect between the needs of industry and the type of GIS education • Colorado’s higher education system is poorly funded, ranking 48th in state and local support • no career pathways provided for geospatial technicians in Southern Colorado

7. Sustainable growth of the geospatial workforce Greater relevance of technician education Greater competency of students entering the workforce 1. Launch the Southern Colorado GIS&T Industry (SCGISTI) Consortium of geospatial professionals to promote sustainable growth of the workforce in Southern Colorado. 2. Identify three internship skill set levels and coordinate the placement of interns with employers in geospatial industries in Southern Colorado. 3. Create multiple career pathways for students to provide hands-on skills which industry needs and connect students with businesses that utilize geospatial technology. GIS Career Ambassador Program. The SCoGI Multilevel Internship Model : Goals and objectives

8. How do we begin? • The SCoGI will facilitate the process for companies to “grow their own workforce” through multilevel college education

9. Table 2. Types of skills and education required for geospatial technicians.Based on the DACUM Research Chart designed by San Diego Mesa College program.

10. The SCoGI Multilevel Internship Model • The skills and competencies identified by DACUMs and studies done for GIS Workforce Development Center (GWDC) taken as a basis for multilevel internship model of geospatial technology workforce in Colorado. • The Geospatial Technology Competence Model (GWDC, 2002) recommends that computer programming, database management, and photogrammetry / remote sensing be included in geospatial workforce training. • However, only a few academic GIS programs in Colorado require students to take any of those courses and only Pikes Peak Community College has included a combination of the abovementioned courses for its GIS certificate program. This situation shows that the majority of students graduate from college without skills and competencies required by geospatial industry.

12. Plan • Offer internships to students that match the needs of local industry. It is crucial that these needs be clearly defined, and students be provided with the relevant skill set, so their internship time is spent working, rather than spending all their time being trained in an industry setting. • The model proposed by the SCoGI is outlined below in Figure 1: Multilevel Internship Model Specifying Geospatial Professional Skill Development.

14. The Southern Colorado Geospatial Initiative (SCoGI) Multilevel Internship Model: Cont. • Advanced Level 3: Project management, Network/ system configuration, Geo-processing/ software development, Data modeling, Organizational & Leadership skills – team leader, Technical writing, Multitasking • Intermediate Level 2: Project design, Cartographic Design, Database design, Data analysis, GIS production, VB Programming, Organizational skills – Ability to work independently or in team, Administrative tasks, Report writing, Presentation skills, Resourcefulness • Entry Level 1 : Keyboarding, Data Acquisition/ Collection, Data Entry, Digitizing, Team Player Roles, Oral Communication, Basic Time Management.

15. Actions • Collect info from companies regarding the levels of interns • Create and support a database of available internship opportunities and students who have skills matching the internship levels • Mentor is appointed within the company to guide the intern • Evaluate internship process and the intern to make necessary adjustments and recommendations • Company hires a successful intern as a part-time employee • Intern receives college credit from PPCC and/or UCCS • Work with prospective interns, advising students on courses to take to fit into a specified internship level • Report on the success of the multilevel internship program and to plan for next semester

16. Outcomes • This multilevel internship program facilitates the process of creating skilled educated technicians for companies to match the right interns with employers, and assists education programs in providing education and training that is relevant and useful. • It is expected that 90% of employers satisfied with the program will request an additional intern and at least five paid internships will be added each year.

17. Questions? • Irina Kopteva Irina.Kopteva@ppcc.edu