The Grandfathering Provision
REMINDER: The Grandfathering Provision ends on January 1, 2009. All Grandfathering Applications must be postmarked on or before December 31, 2008 to be considered.
Before completing the regular application for GIS Professional Certification you may want to consider applying under the Grandfathering Provision. The Grandfathering Provision is for experienced practitioners. The current practitioner’s experience is allowed to compensate for deficiencies in the other two Achievement Categories. Therefore, the Grandfathering Provision is based solely on experience. If a minimum number of years, or points, of experience is met, then the individual obtains their certification. After that, they must attain the required points in each category for recertification.
Applicants are eligible for the Grandfathering Provision if they have earned a minimum of 200 professional experience points (see forms EXP-1 and EXP-2). Candidates who qualify for the Provision then, have worked for:
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8 years in a GIS position of data analysis, system design, programming, or similar position.
OR
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13 1/3 years in a GIS position of data compilation, teaching, or similar position.
OR
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20 years in a GIS User Position
OR
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A combination of the above positions that results in a total of at least 200 points as computed in forms EXP-1 and EXP-2
If the applicant meets any of the above criteria they may be eligible for the Grandfathering Provision and should check option A (see below). Checking this option does not compensate for completing the Professional Experience forms and the corresponding worksheets within the application. Those forms must be completed in full in order to be considered for the Provision. Final determination will be approved by the GISCI staff and Review Committee.
View GF-1: The Grandfathering Provision Information Sheet
(in .pdf form)
Documenting the Grandfathering Provision
Grandfathering Provision candidates are not required to complete the Education and Contributions sections of this application, but are encouraged to do so anyway in the event that they do not qualify under the Grandfathering Provision requirements. It is mandatory that forms EXP 1&2 and the corresponding worksheets are completed in the same manner as in regular certification.
Professional GIS Certification under the Grandfathering Provision is indistinguishable from the certification approved in the regular fashion (the combination of Education, Experience, and Contribution points). No one outside of the GISCI Staff and Review Committee will know if you qualified under this Provision. Applications processed under the Grandfathering Provision will be processed along with the standard applications and will not be processed separately. The application fee under the Grandfathering Provision is the same as the fee under the regular process.
It is important to remember that all GISCI-certified GIS professionals are subject to re-certification every five years (see the Renewal of Certification section). There is no Grandfathering Provision for re-certification, so if you are certified under the Grandfathering Provision you must apply and meet the minimum re-certification requirements just as those who are certified under the regular process.
The Grandfathering Provision expires on December 31, 2008. After that date, all applicants must submit the regular portfolio.
1. This number must meet or exceed 200 points in order to qualify under the GISCI Grandfathering Provision.
OR
2. This number must meet or exceed 150 points in order to be considered eligible for GISCI certification. |
