Mapping new jobs in the future
High tech mapping and information management is a career of the future. The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe approached the Connecting Schools and Communities and Frank Needham, Economic Development Director, saw an opportunity in the Quilcene youth. Seeing that some of the youth really wanted to stay in the region, work in natural resources, and raise their families here, Needham suggested that there might be room for a consulting firm that would train and employ local youth to do GIS mapping for local fire districts, salmon restoration and landowners.
In January 2006 there was a two day professional ESRI GIS training that taught youth, community members, and teachers how to use this sophisticated hardware for school and community based mapping projects.
Within a month the youthhad a contract for 500 hours to map the small woodland lot forestry ownerships in the region for the new North Olympic Peninsula Cooperative. Other projects such as mapping local farm lands and high risk fire areas were also quickly identified.
These skills will help support the success of the Big Quil Enterprises, youth-involved oyster business.