March 19, 2012 -- Stennis Space Center, MS – The Enterprise for Innovative Geospatial Solutions (EIGS) is pleased to announce its recent partnership with Digital Quest, a national leader in geospatial education, is already producing solid results.  The partnership was formed to enhance the EIGS workforce development program with Geospatial certifications. 

The State of Florida recently adopted the “S.P.A.C.E.” (Spatial Projects and Community Exchange) certification series created by Digital Quest and sponsored by EIGS.  Florida included these new Geospatial certifications as part of its 2012-13 approved condensed “Comprehensive Industry Certification List” for the state’s Career and Professional Education (CAPE) Act. 

EIGS is a program of the Magnolia Business Alliance, which is a non-profit, industry-independent organization formed by Cluster members with a passion to enhance the small business ecosystem in the region.  Members have access to business support, counseling and classes that provide services using geographic information systems and allied technologies. The overarching goal of MBA is to make it easier for people to start or do business in the region.  The partnership with Digital Quest is one example of how the program is intended to spur economic growth in the region. 

“Workforce development is an essential element of any industry,” said Tom Koger, Executive Director of EIGS. “It is especially important in the rapidly growing, technology-based geospatial industry which is changing daily.  We chose the S.P.A.C.E. certification because it is continually developed with extensive collaboration from both industry and academia to ensure the training is relevant and the workforce needs of the industry are met.”

The national, industry-backed geospatial S.P.A.C.E. series of courses are designed to allow students to use GIS skills in the context of selected community-based topics.   This series fits a variety of needs in an organization. Whether students are looking for introductory to intermediate training or in need of continuing education, S.P.A.C.E. courses can provide a solid foundation on which to build.

The S.P.A.C.E. certifications are independently backed by the Enterprise for Geospatial Solutions (EIGS), Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MsET), and the Magnolia Business Alliance (MBA).  These organizations include some of the most innovative and influential companies in the geospatial industry. 

Dee Avvampato, Resource Teacher with the Office of Career and Tech Ed of Brevard Public Schools stated, “Geospatial Technology is important to several career pathways here in Florida.   We use the certifications from Digital Quest and we are producing certified Geospatial Technicians.   The administrators, teachers and the students at our school love this program.”

There are currently eight S.P.A.C.E. career-focused, geospatial user certifications included on the approved list.  They are 180- hour certifications focused on the following career paths: 

• Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
• Green & Sustainability
• Health Science
• Homeland Security
• Law & Public Safety
• Marketing
• STEM
• Transportation & Logistics

“We are excited to be offering these certifications because of the opportunities this opens for growth of the geospatial industry in the state of Florida,” stated Eddie Hanebuth, President of Digital Quest. “Several courses throughout the state, including law enforcement and agriculture, are being threatened with closure because of the lack of certifications.  We now have a solution for them.  Digital Quest is proud of the fact that since our inception, more than 370 schools throughout the country have utilized our course curriculum and certifications.”

For more information on EIGS, visit http://mseigs.com/.  To learn more about Digital Quest or their products call 1-877- 5REMOTE (1-877-573-6683), email Email Contact, or visit www.digitalquest.com.  President of Digital Quest, Eddie Hanebuth, twitters as GISGuy.

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EIGS membership is open to companies in the geospatial technology and/or remote sensing industry.  EIGS provides its members with business support, counseling, and classes for businesses that provide services using GIS and allied technologies.  For more information about EIGS, its business members, or how to join, please visit http://mseigs.com/

Digital Quest, Inc. is a Mississippi-based development and training oriented company with a primary focus of enabling educational institutions to provide skill training in the new and ever-more vital field of Geospatial Technology.  Digital Quest is an active member of the EIGS geospatial technology cluster of the Magnolia Business Alliance (MBA). MBA’s goal is to impact economic development by serving as an advocate for small and medium sized businesses.  Digital Quest is headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi and is a member of the Center for Geospatial Excellence at the John C Stennis Space Center.  For more information about Digital Quest, visit www.digitalquest.com or contact Eddie Hanebuth at 1877-573-6683, Email Contact.