HOMEGROWN SKILLED WORKERS

A new GIS certificate at Chaminade is part of a push to train and keep data science students in Hawai‘i

CHAMINADE STUDENTS CAN NOW EARN HIGH-DEMAND UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATES in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) accredited by both the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and National Science Foundation as part of a push to expand opportunities in data science.

“GIS leads to a very desirable skillset with applications relevant to the Department of Defense sector and defense contractors, nonprofits and agencies working in agriculture, on sustainability and resilience,” said Dr. Helen Turner, Biology professor and NSF Alliance Supporting Pacific Impact through Computational Excellence principal investigator at Chaminade.

“It also has applications in public health, and policy and planning.”

Jason Chung is the co-chair of the Pacific Intelligence and Innovation Initiative (P3I), a public-private partnership working to create a skilled workforce in intelligence, IT, data science and more.

Chung said Chaminade’s data science program—including the new GIS certificates—are helping to build a more resilient economy through diversification, creating opportunities out of the growing demand for IT, cybersecurity, data science and intelligence professionals.

“P3I connects individuals to educational and certificate programs, and internships, to prepare them with the experience and skill sets needed to succeed in these high-paying careers,” Chung said. “P3I is a collaboration with public, private and academic institutions across the state.”

Over the past five decades, geographic information systems have transformed from a simple concept into a sophisticated science and highly consequential technological tools. GIS refers to a particular kind of geospatial technology that stores geographic information in layers.

Software programs can then create, store, manipulate, analyze and even visualize the data for further use. Conversely, geospatial studies and practices set themselves apart with three unique practices: a focus on the management, analysis and representation of geographic data.

Dr. Mark Speck, a professor in Data Science at Chaminade, said there’s a shortage of candidates trained in the geospatial field. “It’s difficult enough to find one person trained in a certain discipline, like geospatial and geospatial intelligence,” Speck said, adding that contractors often hire from the continent but can’t always keep those employees.

“It’s much easier and cheaper for them to train and invest in candidates from Hawai‘i and who are more likely to stay,” said Speck, pointing to P3I and Chaminade’s data science programming as ways to improve the pipeline of qualified candidates to skilled positions.

Prior to interning with P3I, Kawailani Luat ’23 was resigned to the fact that she would have to leave her home state to find a job in data science that would pay her a decent wage.

However, the experience with P3I changed her mind, opening her eyes to local opportunities.

The Mililani native is now a data analyst with Huntington Ingalls Industries, an all-domain defense and technologies partner. “By providing opportunities locally, I could stay in Hawai‘i,” Luat said, “and I know a lot of local kids who want to stay home.”