MsET and the geospatial professionals at the Center of Excellence in Geospatial Technologies recommend and support the S.T.A.R.S. Certification:

The certification program establishes minimum standards for entering the geospatial information field.

The certification process affords professional recognition for geospatial information personnel.

The process affords a guarantee to employers that certified personnel have attained stated educational or experience qualifications.

The certification program establishes criteria comparable to other fields, such as information technology, ensuring a positive, meaningful identity as well as professional respect.

The certification program provides personal accountability to your business, government agency, or organization as well as your community.

S.T.A.R.S. Entry Level GIS/RS Certification offers you:

National Recognition - STARS is sponsored by the geospatial industry association located at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MsET). MsET is located in the Center of Excellence in Geospatial Technologies and consists of over 35 geospatial companies, 3 universities, and 4 non- profit companies.

Emerging Technology - S.T.A.R.S. Certified individuals have the foundation skills that are the basis for thousands of jobs in a field named by the Department of Labor as one of the top three emerging technologies.

Heightened Professional Recognition - Peers, staff, and employers recognize the value of the S.T.A.R.S. designation. S.T.A.R.S. is a symbol of competency and accomplishment.

Greater Earning Potential - The skill set of a S.T.A.R.S. Certified GIS technician can give that person a distinct advantage with employers that value geospatial ability.

Getting into the best schools or landing that job with a growing company in the geospatial industry is always a challenge. S.T.A.R.S. can give you the edge you need to get ahead.

Who should be certified in the Geospatial Information Field?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies workers in the field of geospatial information as "Surveyors, Cartographers, Photogrammetrists, and Surveying Technicians." However, a certification in Geographic Information Systems can apply to many other careers and to many other fields. Any individual currently employed or seeking to follow a career path in any of the following areas should strongly consider the S.T.A.R.S. Certification: Agriculture, Archeology, Banking and Insurance, Economic Development, Environmental Management Media, Real Estate, Retail and Commercial Business, Location-Based Services, Telecommunication, Defense and Intelligence, Universities and Community Colleges, K-12, Primary, Middle, and Secondary Schools, Libraries and Museums, Civil Engineering, Surveying, Federal Government, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Public Safety, State and Local Government, Humanitarian Affairs, Urban Planning, Regional Planning, Natural Resources, Forestry, Coastline Management, Mining, Earth Science, Petroleum, Pipeline, Transportation Systems, Transportation Networks, Logistics and Fleet Management, Electric Utilities, Gas Utilities, Water/Wastewater Management.

National Recognition:
S.T.A.R.S. Certification Program participants will be registered with MsET and with SPACESTARS among the growing roster of Certified GIS/RS Technicians. Also, the STARS Certification is already recognized by an increasing number of geospatial industry companies, government agencies and universities including ESRI, British Aerospace Engineering, NVision, and 3001, just to name a few.

Get Certified!
To become S.T.A.R.S. Certified, applicants must first complete the S.T.A.R.S. Certification course at an approved location, and then take a written examination. The written test is then sent to MsET and SPACESTARS for review and assessment. Applicants will be notified of the test results via mail within four weeks of the test. A payment of $150 is due at the time of test administration. An applicant may appeal in writing to SPACESTARS, LLC if given a negative test result. A committee will then review the circumstances and act in accordance with our written appeals process.

For more information, contact Digital Quest, Inc. at the number below, or find your local SPACESTARS Representative through our website!

1-877-5-REMOTE (1-877-573-6683)
www.spacestars.org