In the past, I have conducted a general survey of those involved in the geospatial industry to get an idea of how much certification for GIS has been adopted across the industry as a whole. It has been several years since I conducted this survey. So, I want to see if there has been any change on the overall acceptance of certification for GIS.  I will be sharing the results of this survey at various conferences in the future. 

For the purposes of this survey, please understand the difference between certification, licensure and having a degree or certificate. Certification is typically a voluntary effort that is not required to practice in a given profession or industry. It does however demonstrate a level of knowledge or skill. These can include professional certifications such as the GISP, AICP or PMP or technical certifications such as those from Esri, Microsoft, or CompTIA. Licensure is something one must have to practice in a given profession or industry that is defined by legal statute. This includes Land Surveyors (PLS, RLS, PS and others), Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers and so on.  Having a Degree or Certificate indicates you have completed a prescribed course of study. This could be a bachlors of science in geography or a GIS certificate program or even a short course on GIS from Esri. Having a Degree or Certificate does not mean you are certified or licensed.