ESRI UK sponsor RGS Geography ambassador scheme

Last week there was the announcement of a new sponsorship deal for the RGS's very successful Geography Ambassadors scheme, which will now be funded by ESRI UK.
If you haven't invited an Ambassador into your school yet, the only question is "why not ?"

From the press release:

Bringing two of the UK’s leading geographical organisations together for the first time, the exciting new partnership will marry the UK’s largest pool of Geographic Information System (GIS) expertise from ESRI (UK), with the nationwide Geography Ambassadors Programme that brings geographical inspiration and knowledge to more than 37,000 young people every year through Ambassador visits to their classrooms. It is a timely partnership, building on the recent introduction of GIS into the curriculum, and the way in which geographers are being sought out by employers for their skills and knowledge. 

GIS is a powerful technology that combines location-based data with mapping and which enables organisations to visualise, analyse and share that spatial information. Estimated to be worth as much as £900 million* in the UK, GIS technology underpins strategic development, services and business processes across the public and private sectors - locally, nationally and globally. 

Director of the Society, Dr Rita Gardner, says the new development is a natural partnership for both organisations. “Thousands of young people have already seen, thanks to our Geography Ambassadors, how the knowledge and skills they learn through geography can make them employable across a variety of fields. 

“With more and more industries relying on GIS in their business planning and decision making, we have a real opportunity with our new partnership with ESRI (UK) to enhance the Ambassadors Programme with a new pool of GIS Ambassadors that will inspire even more young people with the relevance and applications of geography,” she said. 

Managing Director of ESRI (UK), Dr Richard Waite, believes a geographic approach to problem solving ensures better communication and collaboration – key skills for the 21st century: “GIS is becoming an indispensable part of daily life – from telecommunications to public safety, insurance and retail – there is an increasing requirement for people with strong geographical analysis and computer skills to help organisations unlock their true potential,” he said. 

“Now that GIS is part of the national curriculum, I believe there has never been a better time for us to bring our expertise into the Geography Ambassadors Programme. Working with the Society means we are helping the next generation of geographers to become the problem solvers of the future.” 


The importance of GIS stressed once again...

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