IGISS News Release: March 18, 2005 Contact Name: Matthew A. Price Phone Number: 615-261-0626 Franklin, Tennessee – In December of 2004 the Institute for GIS Studies (IGISS) was awarded a $2 million grant to establish the Geospatial Business Hub Model (GBHM) that will provide training for future geospatial technology workers in the fields of utilities services and land management. Ultimately this grant will serve to help reduce the current practice of sending such work overseas. The GBHM is part of the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative, which is helping workers find and prepare for jobs in America’s fastest growing industries. In an effort to successfully facilitate the goals of the grant, IGISS has established a strategic partnership with Smart Data Strategies (SDS) of Franklin, Tennessee. “We are excited about the potential opportunities for employment and industry involvement that this new partnership brings to both SDS and IGISS,” said Susan Marlow, founder and CEO of SDS. SDS is a recognized leader in geospatial technology and land records management issues. The company has touched nearly ten percent of all parcels in the United States through its conversion, software, and professional services. “It is our mission to help train and find jobs for displaced and underemployed workers in the field of geospatial technology,” said Matthew A. Price, executive director of IGISS. “We especially appreciate that SDS will outfit all of our training classes with its DREAMaps™ suite of Real Property Intelligence Software.” “The fast-growing geospatial industry offers an array of exciting job opportunities,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “This $2 million investment in geospatial technology training will equip workers with the skills necessary to take advantage of those opportunities.” With the grant, IGISS will initially establish geospatial business and training hubs in North Carolina and Tennessee and will provide need based scholarships to students. The curriculum is currently being developed by IGISS’ educational partner, Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina and will be available by fall of 2005. "Providing the highly technical training required of workers in the geospatial field will enable the U.S. workforce to compete in today’s global economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco. “The apprenticeship training, user-focused curricula and distance learning approaches developed through this grant will be a model that can be replicated across the country to train workers in geospatial technologies.” The Institute for GIS Studies is a Tennessee based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting GIS technology and advancing technical research through strategic alliances with schools, businesses, and government agencies for the purpose of preserving and creating jobs, developing educational programs, furthering the security of the United States infrastructure, and creating geospatial industry standards.