Vocational qualifications and certification system development for gis jobs: Ministry of environment and urbanization case

Abstract

Vocational qualifications are of great significance as they not only define the vocational competences but also provide valuable inputs for the development of education and training programs. Within this context, in 2014, Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization was authorized by the Vocational Qualifications Agency (MYK) for the development of vocational standards and national qualifications in the field of geographical information systems (GIS). The Ministry and Anadolu University together prepared standards and qualifications for GIS Operator (Level 4) and GIS Specialist (Level 6) jobs, followed by a quality management and certification system establishment process undertaken by Anadolu University for the use of Ministry’s General Directorate of GIS. The system, which is believed to provide guidance for the certification bodies, consisted of different phases including the development of a software package for quality management, certification automation and examination organization. This paper aims to give information about the overall project and highlights the importance of vocational qualifications and certification works for raising and employment of qualified GIS personnel