Building the Future: Workforce Development in the Geospatial Industry with Aaron Addison

In this episode of Mapping the Conversations, host ValrieGrant sits down with Aaron Addison, Executive Director of the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), for a deep dive into the future of the geospatial workforce and the evolving needs of our rapidly growing industry.

Aaron shares insights from his rich career journey—fromfield surveyor to academic, to his current role helping to shape global geospatial collaboration. Together, Valrie and Aaron explore critical topics like bridging the divide between industry and academia, building workforce pipelines, mentorship, and how WGIC is leading efforts to shape policies, partnerships, and professional pathways around the world.

In this Episode, you'll learn:

• How WGIC helps geospatial companies to speak with one voice
• Why collaboration—not competition—is key to industryadvancement
• The growing geospatial workforce gap and ideas about steps to fix it
• The critical role of mentorship, flexible education models, and upskilling
• Why meeting people "where they are" matters increating inclusive geospatial careers
• How automation and AI are changing geospatial roles—and what skills will stand the test of time
• WGIC’s ongoing research into workforce development and future-readiness strategies

This episode is perfect for Geospatial professionals & students, HR and workforce strategists in tech, policy advocates in digital transformation and anyone curious about the future of work in geospatial industry.

Tune In and Explore:How we build a geospatial workforce for the world we want—resilient, inclusive, and ready for the challenges ahead.

Connect with Us:

Host : Valrie Grant: LinkedIn

Mapping the Conversations: Mapping TheConversations | GIM International (gim-international.com) | LinkedIn

Don't forget to subscribe to Mapping the Conversationsfor more episodes featuring leading voices in geospatial science and innovation. Leave your feedback and tune in for our next episode!