Mapping, like other professions, requires special study, knowledge, and skill. It is necessary for maps today - from assessment to planning - to be high quality, infromation laden tools. Therefore the Kansas Association of Mappers has instituted a program designed to raise the professional standards of mapping personnel and recognize those with superior skills.

KAM has instituted the Kansas Mapper (KM), Professional Kansas Mapper (PKM), and Kansas GIS Professional (KGISP) designations. The KM designation is designed for those experienced practitioners who are currently working in some aspect of the mapping field, while the PKM designation is designed for those professionals who are engaged in the use, production or maintenance of cadastral maps. The KGISP designation is designed for experienced GIS professionals who may or may not work with cadastral maps.

Attainment of the Kansas Mapper (KM), Professional Kansas Mapper (PKM), and/or Kansas GIS Professional (KGISP) designations is a true challenge. In addition to ability, it requires a substantial amount of study and knowledge. Those who achieve these difficult goals should be very proud; there are some who will fail. Yet if this were not so, the designations would not be worth the time, effort, patience and skill required to attain them. View the KM, PKM, and KGISP certification requirements.

To obtain a designation from KAM, one must first fulfill the Candidate requirements and then fulfill the requirements of the selected designation. Click here to view the certification requirements, fees, and recertification requirements.

The KM, PKM, and KGISP designation programs are administered by the Certification Committee. The chairman and members are appointed by the President of the Kansas Association of Mappers. The duties of the Certification Committee are to prescribe the policy regarding applicant requirements, to screen all applicants, to prepare suitable examinations, and to recommend to the Executive Board individuals qualified to receive these designations.