What's it all about?
Tax Mapping in Little Rock Arkansas — Digital Globe 2007 | Some of the subjects today's parents studied in school that have now evolved into spatial science included geography, mapping, cartography, technical drawing and surveying. As the technology has changed, what used to be distinct disciplines that relied sometimes on paper-based drawing skills are now a small component of a much larger industry called spatial science. Now, mobile technology, satellites and loads of data mean you can constantly find out not only ‘what it is’ but ‘where is it? Just think about how you and your kids use your smartphone! Spatial science is now part of many other professions and as a spatial science professional you can work in just about any industry. It is the study of the collection, measurement, mapping, analysis and presentation of physical and man-made features. Spatial science is underpinning many of the newsworthy items on TV, from identifying Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad in January 2011 or the recent riots in Matareya Square in Cairo. High resolution satellite imagery is being used to inform the casual observer in these cases and the data can be uploaded into tools like Google Earth to further review or analyse recent coverage or changes in the landscape. |
 | Other high profile spatial datasets are displayed every day when we watch the weather forecasts, where meterological data is all spatially referenced so we can recognise current weather patterns and use sophisticated analysis to model weather predictions and climate change. Spatial science activities support the news and weather forecasts, land development, the resources and mining boom, emergency management, environmental protection and almost all other activities in today's world. Spatial Sciences is there, helping professionals and the public understand what is going on in the world.. |  |
Spatial Science helps everyone make decisions
Spatial Science graduates might — - Work out where to locate a wind farm in Western Victoria to minimise impacts on locals but maximise power generation
- Develop sustainable suburbs and housing estates anywhere in the world
- Decide where to allocate police and emergency services resources based on analysing demographic spatial datasets
- Manage water supply in the Middle East
- Control the construction of tall buildings like the Burj al Arab in Dubai – tallest building in the world and controlled by an Australian surveyor
- Monitor species movement using GPS and proximity to available ground water mapping technology as part of a natural resource management program
- Monitor the extraction and stockpiling of coal and other minerals from some of the world's largest mines
- Assist with critical research on the effects of human actions on our environment in Antarctica
- Control massive infrastructure construction projects
|   
  
   |
Spatial science has come of age and is now recognised as being one of the fastest growing disciplines worldwide. In 2011, US Department of Labor predicted the need for an additional 330,000 spatial professionals in US in the coming decade. Australia is no different.
The Australian Federal Government has recognised this critical skills shortage in surveying and has awarded significant funding to encourage Certificate III and Certificate IV study by non-professionals to become trained as para-professionals — a new trend and a level of expertise not previously widespread in the industry. There is also a nationally developed Cert II in Surveying and Spatial Information Services available. Degree courses in Spatial Science and Surveying are also available and graduates are in demand.
A quick count of job opportunities on only one job site on 1 April 2012, lists —
Every mining, resources, land development, environmental, transport, emergency management and infrastructure project in the country requires spatial expertise. Governments employ spatial professionals at Federal, State and Local levels.There are simply not enough graduates each year to meet current demand in 2012 and for the foreseeable future. There is a critical shortage of skilled workers.
There are many opportunities to take advantage of this shortage!
Is it a career that is respected and has a future?
 | As shown in the section above, spatial science and surveying are in strong demand in Australia and New Zealand as they are around the world. The future demand does not appear to be relenting and the increased awareness of the discipline and its role underpinning many other jobs and industries implies that these are careers that have a strong and healthy future.
Historically, surveyors discovered Australia. The explorers and founders of our country relied on their surveying and mapping skills to describe and protect our land.
Now, the spatial sciences continue to influence decisions in many fields and the reliance on data, information and analysis is a fundamental part of many businesses. |  |
How is it now used in the real world?
Nearly everything you see, hear or do has a spatial or location aspect to it
Spatial Science can help decide — - where to put the latest Aldi
- the optimum layout of a new housing estate
- whether your local Doctor’s surgery needs special allied services (like a physio or pharmacy) sited next door
- the best way to construct the next traffic tunnel
- where the pollution on the Barrier Reef is coming from
- the solution to a property dispute between you and a neighbour
- the probable extent of the next flood event
- the quantity of coal extracted from a mine
- The value of carbon offsets and carbon sequestration
|  |  |
 | Spatial science is used to work out which sports fields to mow first and how often. You might use it to check out where your mate lives using StreetView. Either way, spatial data underpins these decisions – working out the location. Even your tweets are spatially referenced! When the government wants to know if our waters are getting more polluted they rely on spatial information. Graphic Source: Trendsmap.com |
| When there is a major disaster like a flood, governments need to decide how to fix the roads and insurance companies need to know which claims to pay and how quickly. To make these decisions, they use spatial data and analysis. When exploring for gold or building a railway to get coal to the ports, spatial data forms the backbone of the decisions where to dig or where to route the rail. When you hop into a car and turn on the satnav, spatial data is used to work out where your car is, which roads it can use to drive on, the direction and the fastest route for you to get to your destination. Spatial Science and the data and information it generates is now used by just about everyone — you just don’t realise it! | 
 |