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User Support positions are occupied by full -time GIS Analysts and GIS Specialists, as well as <br /> professionals with GIS skills . Full-time GIS Analysts and GIS Specialists typically have <br /> bachelor' s degrees at a minimum , and often they have graduate degrees . In many cases , <br /> GIS is not their only skill set - they learned it in addition to another field of study. Salaries must <br /> be in line with professional jobs in their area of focus . For example , a GIS Analyst in Public <br /> Works should receive a similar salary to an engineer in Public Works with similar education <br /> and work experience . <br /> Department-specific professional staff positions that require GIS usage need to be addressed <br /> separately. Once GIS has been effectively integrated into the business processes of <br /> individual departments, employees with GIS skills become more valuable . Applicants with <br /> GIS skills should receive higher compensation than comparable candidates without GIS skills . <br /> Additional compensation should be dependent on the time and finances required to train <br /> an employee without previous GIS skills . <br /> It should be noted that time spent training is time that employees are not spending on their <br /> required job responsibilities . Current professional staff members that learn required GIS skills <br /> should also be appropriately compensated . Existing employees may be hesitant to take the <br /> time to learn these skills, as it will detract from their job responsibilities in the short-term . <br /> However, if GIS is effectively integrated into business processes, the amount of time spent <br /> training will be recouped by more efficient work facilitated by GIS . Additionally, employees <br /> become more marketable when they acquire new skill sets . In order to retain qualified staff <br /> that attains new marketable skills, it is prudent to appropriately compensate them . <br /> Production / Data Collection positions can be difficult to properly staff . These positions <br /> ( primarily filled by GIS Technicians ) are primarily at the lower end of the GIS hierarchy. <br /> Nonetheless , qualified GIS Technicians are essential to GIS efforts . The work of a GIS <br /> Technician can be repetitive and uninteresting at times . <br /> The key to ensuring job satisfaction is to assign a variety of responsibilities, so that less <br /> satisfying tasks are interspersed with more challenging tasks . Effective production and data <br /> collection work requires knowledgeable employees . Although the manual tasks of digitizing , <br /> scanning , or GPS data collection are not terribly difficult during the actual performance of <br /> the task , prerequisite knowledge for proper setup, techniques , and post-processing is <br /> important . <br /> Indian River County should consider utilizing university students as interns or in co-op positions <br /> to supplement the work performed by the GIS Director. This can be mutually beneficial , as <br /> university students with GIS education have the background knowledge to successfully <br /> complete tasks, yet they are willing to accept lower salaries in return for gaining experience . <br /> IItGIS Users Group <br /> Creation of a GIS Users Group <br /> Indian River County should create a GIS Users Group . The GIS Users Group should include <br /> GIS-utilizing staff from all departments with identified GIS needs . The GIS Director should lead <br /> this group . A GIS Users Group meeting provides an excellent opportunity for communication <br /> between all GIS users . It is a good venue for users to share their successes and failures . <br /> Duplication of efforts will be minimized and sharing of ideas and data will be optimized . A <br /> GIS Users Group is also a great platform for internal training initiatives . <br /> 2- 11 <br /> GIS Needs Assessment and Implementation Plan Chapter 2 - GIS Organizational Structure and Staffing <br />