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Overview

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eA A GIS Internship course and experience are required for our GIS Minor, Undergraduate GIS Cert, and Graduate GIS Cert programs.  This page provides an outline of requirements, how to prepare/obtain an internship, options, and what to expect from the GIS internship requirement with UWF. Prior to enrollment, students will meet with their GIS advisor to learn more and to ensure both the University and Program requirements are met.  

Before we go into the details, here are a few key things:

  • GIS Internship should be taken at the end of your GIS program (minor or cert). This is a 3sh, full-term (part of term 1) duration course.
    • The ideal pre-requisite courses are Geographic Info Systems, Computer Cartography or Remote Sensing, GIS Programming, and GIS Applications or Special Topics in GIS. 
    • Most organizations require students to have at least the applied GIS and programming skills covered in the last two courses on this list. 
  • Timeframe: Start thinking about internship 2 semesters prior to planned enrollment.
    • Schedule an internship meeting with GIS staff 1 semester prior to enrollment to allow ample time for placement, required forms, and onboarding.
    • Placement and approval can take 4-6 weeks.
    • Onboarding for most positions can take 4-8 weeks.
    • The background check alone (even for volunteer positions) can take 6 weeks.
  • All internships must be approved by the University (affiliation agreement) and the GIS Program (internship agreement form).
  • There are two aspects of the GIS Internship requirement including
    1. the 130 hours of hands-on work experience
    2. the Canvas course site/Seminar. 
      1. Regardless of the option being pursued, students will enroll in and participate in the GIS Internship course seminar assignments on the Canvas course site.
      2. Students from multiple sections will be participating on the same course site.
  • GIS staff will assist students with internship placement. We expect students to be proactive in the search and placement process.
    • Students already working in the GIS field can use their current GIS position to meet the experience requirements or choose to complete a series of online Esri training courses.
    • If placement is not possible, alternative options may be pursued including Esri training courses or a directed study project. 

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Schedule an appointment with a GIS Advisor to begin discussing internship placement 1-2 semesters before you plan to enroll in GIS Internship. Below are a few things we discuss and routinely share with students during our conversations.

  1. Consider interests, strengths, and goals. 
  2. Create or update a GIS resume.
    1. Sample GIS Resume (word document to view and download)
    2. GIS Resume Guidelines PDF  (resume assignment pulled from course site)
  3. Conduct an internship search. See the opportunities below. Not all internships are paid. Consider volunteering to gain experience.
  4. Prepare for a GIS job interview (links to external  external sites)
    1. Ten Tips to Prepare for a GIS Job Interview
    2. Preparing for a GIS Job Interview
    3. Prepare to get that job: 20 Challenging GIS Interview Questions


Opportunities:

  • Generally speaking, local government offices are good places to start your GIS internship search. Search your local city and county name with GIS and see what turns up to get an idea of organizations using geospatial technologies. GIS is found in many offices/areas within a City and County. Public Works, Property Appraiser, Environmental Management, Planning and Zoning, Emergency 911, Addressing, Public Safety, are a few examples. There may or may not be a GIS Department but there should be a GIS contact. 
  • Popular GIS job sitesGIS Internships in Florida and Lower Alabama
  • National GIS Internship Agencies
  • GIS Internships in Florida and South Alabama
    Popular GIS job sites
    • gisjobs.com
    • gjc.org
  • Program instructors and advisors share internship and employment opportunities with GIS students as we learn about them.
  • A great way to learn about internships and job opportunities is to join a professional GIS user group. Attending webinars and events helps to learn more about the industry and get to know other practitioners. GIS folks learning from each other and sharing the latest news/tech. Most groups offer volunteer opportunities worth checking out - as a resume builder and network with GIS professionals. Here are some resources: 

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