A perennial problem with the technical fields of GIS and surveying is a lack of qualified personnel. The Alberta-based TECTERRA Inc. has recently launched a GEO-Placement Funding Program that provides grant funding for Alberta-based geomatics Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to hire new Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) to advance the commercialization of geomatics in Alberta.
TECTERRA is focused on increasing geomatics employment opportunities in Alberta and generating economic value for geomatics companies. Under the GEO-Placement Funding Program, successful applicants will be awarded a non-repayable grant of 50% of the position salary, up to $50,000, for a period of one year.
The funding for TECTERRA Inc. comes from the Province of Alberta and Government of Canada. TECTERRA is a unique skill development center that is focused on geomatics application within natural resource management. Areas of application include energy, forestry, agriculture, environment, and land management. TECTERRA is a non-profit organization, is governed by an independent Board of Directors representing key industry sectors associated with TECTERRA’s focus markets. For more information, visit www.tecterra.com.
It’s great to see such a results-oriented focus on capacity building in these technical fields, with seed money for starter employees in organizations that would benefit from a well-trained and specialized new hire. This seems like a model that would be good to emulate, particularly for organizations just getting a start or for relatively new industry sectors interested in applying this technology.
