It is an exciting time to be part of the spatial profession. Geospatial has become a billion dollar industry touted in government as the next big thing since the Internet. We are being asked to make our data more accessible and usable and meet the growing demand from consumers for more location-based services. Just as important, without getting the same level of attention, is the workforce - those of us on whom the responsibility for delivering all of these benefits will ultimately fall.

In New Zealand, professional groups are largely formed around our GIS software vendors. However, we are beginning to realise that many of the challenges we face require us to work across disciplines or sectors, or as a profession as a whole - independent of the technology we use. For the spatial profession to rise to these challenges practitioners need:

• Access to information about our industry and profession so that we can collaborate more and adopt new ideas and techniques faster.
• To recruit and educate the best young people then prepare them for a career in the spatial industry.
• To keep upskilling the current crop of professionals and those non-specialists working on the fringes.
• To recognise the achievements of individuals and organisations within our industry and promoting them to those outside the industry.

The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI) is taking responsibility to deliver these - either directly as member services or indirectly by providing representation and participation in external activities.

Created by professionals to advance the profession, SSSI has nearly 3000 members in Australia and New Zealand spread over a variety of disciplines such as surveying* (land, hydrographic, engineering and mining), remote sensing and photogrammetry, information management and visualisation. There are also groups set aside for Young Professionals (aged 35 and younger), Women in Spatial and indigenous practitioners.

(*Where SSSI serves the surveying profession in Australia, in New Zealand this function is performed by the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.)

Other services offered to members include:

• Members are sent Position magazine, the Journal of Spatial Sciences and the Institute's own internal e-magazine.
• SSSI runs seminars, workshops and conferences that support continuing professional development. These are either free or discounted for SSSI members. In November next year the Institute's biennial conference is being held in Wellington.
• Networking groups such as the Women in Spatial and the Young Professionals are active in New Zealand.
• Professional certification is available in New Zealand. The GISP-AP (GIS Professional - Asia/Pacific) designation is equivalent to the US's GISP certification.
• Members are eligible to participate in the annual Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence (APSEA) awards.

Organisations can also benefit by becoming a sustaining partner of SSSI. There are complimentary and discounted memberships, promotional opportunities and of course staff development activities that are funded by the sustaining partnerships.

So I would like to encourage you to join SSSI and get involved in the activities of the institute. Look out for the Google Earth workshops we will be running later in the year, and our ever popular Wellington Quiz Night (run by our Young Professionals). And of course, there is the big conference next November.

Karl Majorhazi GISP-AP, MSSSI

Vice-Chair
SSSI New Zealand Region