GIS247 Testimonials
Reviews from the UK, Australia, United States and Canada.
Surrey County Council, UK
“So very glad each year when Surrey County Council GIS team renews our GIS247 subscription. Amazingly comprehensive set of training videos for ArcMap at beginner through to advanced level, for a number of versions of ArcGIS (so it keeps up when we upgrade). ”“Really clear instruction covering all the angles of a subject. You then get to complete an exercise including assessment questions which you submit online, earning a certificate at the end of the course if you complete all course activities. Each course has a number of modules. Each module subdivides into a number of videos, so you can watch one video e.g. 2-4 minutes or a whole module e.g. 30 minutes. I'm currently working through the Mastering ArcGIS course - 218 out of 323 questions done so far (another reason why I was REALLY keen for the subscription to be renewed). ”
“It has been a real gamechanger for my ArcMap skills, and I'm looking forward to working through the Advanced course once I finish this one. Would seriously recommend this to anyone trying to push the boundaries on their ESRI ArcMap skills who are not already at GIS super user level.”
Mel, Surrey County Council
BP, United Kingdom
“This is a real “zero to hero” style course. ArcGIS is such a massive and complex tool, with so many functions and usages, that it can be easy to get lost in it or never quite know if one has properly mastered it. This course is very well presented and really helps to break down the learning process into a structured curriculum, helping you gradually develop your learning and skills, as well as discover the full range of capabilities that are available on ArcGIS. The exercises are very thorough and the learning materials are comprehensive, giving you plenty of raw materials to work with, both for the exercises and for doing your own experimentation with the data, from which you can take your learning even further. The whole process of loading the data and using it felt very real and allowed plenty of scope for playing with the data. The exercises were very well structured. Although I don’t use ArcGIS in my current role, I have gained a better understanding of how geodata can be analysed and examined, be it on ArcGIS or any other platform. It is a valuable skill to have in my ‘toolkit’. ”We asked Andrew how he felt when he learnt that he had achieved a distinction in the online course assessment:
“Very pleased, as I really felt as if I had achieved something and gained new skills. Although just a beginner course, there is a lot of learning to gain from it. I am very glad I did this course, it did a lot to build both my skills and confidence in ArcGIS. I would love to take a GIS247 QGIS course to improve my GIS skills further.”
Andrew, Senior Response Analyst
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
Meggan Mercer loves a challenge and after completing the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course we invited Meggan to tell us about how she has applied eLearning to her day to day role. This is what Meggan had to say:
“I am a Technical Officer in the GIS Team and I have worked at the Environment Agency for 2 years. My workdays are never the same and challenge me. I love keeping my brain active and the problem solving and opportunities I get in my job is brilliant for that. In my previous roles in the EA, I used ArcGIS every day. In my current role, I help to troubleshoot colleagues’ GIS issues and maintain the data used in ArcGIS.”
“The Beginners Guide training has been very useful in formalising skills and consequently makes helping others easier and more effective. The exercises are easy to follow, they explain the content very well and are structured in such a way that learning is made easy. Learning about the capabilities and limitations of using the data at the EA allows for more effective use. With better data, we can make more accurate and meaningful decisions about the environment and people. The MyGIS247 dashboard is very user friendly and saving your progress is really helpful when fitting in training around the day job. I will continue with the courses to improve the GIS skills I have and this will help me to progress in my career.”
Meggan Mercer, Technical Officer
Cornwall Council, United Kingdom
Stephen Trudgian achieved a distinction for passing our online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS. As a complete beginner, we invited Stephen to tell us about how he found our eLearning. This is what Stephen had to say:
“I’m a Validation Officer in Cornwall Council’s Planning department and my everyday tasks revolve around ensuring that any planning application submitted contains accurate enough information to allow the case officer to issue a decision. A key part of the job involves use of various mapping systems in order to identify any constraints or planning issues.”
“I was a complete beginner when I started the online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS 10.7 and I was unsure that I’d be able to get my head around it. The screenshots that I had seen during the sign-up had looked really complex but the step-by-step videos were extremely easy to follow. I certainly wasn’t expecting to earn a distinction, so the fact I ended up with one really demonstrates how comprehensive and user-friendly the training materials are.”
Stephen Trudgian, Senior Development Support Officer
Environment Agency, England
“I currently work as a Field Team Operative for the Environment Agency where my current duties are inspecting and maintaining our assets and also responding to emergency events such as flooding or pollutions.”“I chose to self-study GIS in January 2021 as a complete beginner to further improve my career opportunities. Through the Environment Agency I was given access to GIS247 and have found it to be an extremely valuable learning tool. The learning guides provided are fantastic. They’re clear, precise and easy to follow with step by step instruction to keep you on track of your learning.”
“The support I have received when I encountered a problem has been amazing with emails promptly answered and any problems solved. I have completed the Beginners, Intermediate and Mastering exercises for ArcGIS Pro 2.7, achieving a distinction for each. I would highly recommend GIS247 to anyone looking to start learning GIS.”
Darren Crane, Field Team Operative, Birmingham & Black Country area
Environment Agency, England
Cara Dalton achieved a double distinction for passing our online Beginners and Intermediate Guide to ArcGis. We invited Cara to tell us about how she found our eLearning. This is what Cara had to say:
“I have worked for the Environment Agency for nearly two years and am currently an Asset Management Assistant. I enjoy my role as it takes me all over South East England and I get to see some of our hidden gems. We use ArcGIS to locate assets and plan our routes. Being able to build queries and edit data means we can tailor it very specifically to our needs. ”
“I was unsure how these courses would fit in with my day to day workload but the progress dashboard made it very easy to dip in and out of and I was able to fit the learning in around other parts of my role. I was really proud to achieve distinctions in the Beginners and Intermediate courses and I have already started the ‘Mastering’ course. Working through the courses has made me much more confident and efficient at using ArcGIS.”
Cara Dalton, WLB Asset Management Assistant
BP, Australia
“I currently work as a Location Intelligence Lead for BP in Australia. When I was first introduced to ArcGIS I was excited to see the potential it had to assist our local business but recognised that as I was relatively new to geospatial applications, I needed training. I undertook the GIS247 Mastering ArcGIS course over several months to become familiar with the application. I found the course well-structured and the combination of videos and step-through exercises very helpful. The continual build approach highlighted any errors and ensured understanding of the material. Being online enabled me to work at my own pace and set goals aligned to my availability. ”“The course provided an excellent basis for me to gain confidence in the use of ArcGIS desktop which I was able to apply immediately to my work. When ArcGIS Pro was released I undertook an introductory Pro course to become familiar with the changed User Interface. The benefits of a geospatial approach are now well understood within the business and my geospatial engagement has grown to become the key aspect of my work. I regularly recommend using GIS247 to team members and others interested in developing their own geospatial skillsets.”
Aaron Coyle, Network and Mapping Lead
Cornwall Council, England
“During the last five years, I have worked at Cornwall Council and I currently work in Strategy and Engagement as a Delivery and Analysis specialist. Last year I completed GIS247’s ArcGIS online Mastering course, with a distinction. There are a number of geo-spatial visualisation software’s on the market at present, but nothing as powerful as ArcGIS. It allows full in-software analysis of the data, easy creation of complicated maps and a suite of options to ensure that the maps are audience-friendly. ”“At the start of my career in the council, I was originally self-taught on the software but the GIS247’s training has shown me a range of new tools. It was easy to follow, with the options of open or close captions (I left them on!) and with exercises throughout each element of the course to ensure that everything is understood. Having had the training, analysis of the data within ArcGIS is now a lot easier and I do very little prep work before the data is imported into the software, but I get a lot more insight out of the intelligence products produced. ”
Pippa Williams, Delivery and Analysis Specialist
Environment Agency, England
Samantha Jeeawock achieved a double distinction for passing our online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS and our online Intermediate Guide to ArcGIS. We asked Samantha how she found the courses:
“I work as a Flood Resilience Officer for the Environment Agency and I use GIS for a number of different uses. My main role is to review flood map extents to produce Flood Warning Areas that can be used to warn communities of flooding during flood incidents. Having started this role three years ago I have used GIS247 to improve my skills in using GIS making me a more confident user. The GIS247 training courses were really easy to follow and they provide everything you need to complete the training. So far I have completed the Beginners and Intermediate Guide to Arc GIS 10.2 and received a distinction for both! I am hoping to complete the remaining courses as soon as I can as they really do provide some great practice, tips and guides for how to get the most out of GIS!”
Samantha Jeeawock, Flood Resilience Officer, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire Area
Natural England, United Kingdom
“I had some experience using ArcGIS from my job role but this was self-taught. When lockdown hit last March I decided to start the GIS247 course to improve my skills and I started with Mastering ArcGIS.”“The course was really easy to follow with each section containing short videos which really helped work through each process. Being split into these sections meant it was easy to be flexible doing the course around other work.”
“The course helped me to understand the processes much better and find more efficient ways of obtaining the results I wanted. It has been extremely useful in the mapping projects I have undertaken for my work. I have now started doing the Advanced Guide to ArcGIS to further my knowledge.”
Gina Wright, Essex Marine Lead Adviser
Cyngor Sir Ceredigion County Council, Wales
“I work as a Research and Performance Assistant for Cyngor Sir Ceredigion County Council and I provide all sorts of research for all service areas of the organisation. I have been working in my role for just over a year and have learned a lot in a short space of time. The best thing about working for my organisation is that I get to research such a wide range of topics. I use QGIS pretty much every day, it’s an excellent programme. When presenting data or figures, I find using mapping an excellent visual tool to help people understand the data, instead of just having to read a whole lot of figures. I create all sorts of maps that aid many services across the organisation. Without completing the QGIS training course, I would’ve been a bit out of my depth and it really was a vital skill to learn for my job.”“I enjoyed completing the training course, especially as I did it when I first started to work from home, it was something to do whilst I was adapting to the changes. I completed the training by doing a couple of modules every day for a few weeks. I would recommend the training course to anyone who needs to use QGIS, it takes you right from the very simple things to using the programme in a variety of different, complex ways.”
Mari Hopkins, Cynorthwy-ydd Ymchwil a Pherfformiad / Research and Performance Assistant
Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), United Kingdom
“I currently work as a Marine Ecosystems Advisor for the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and within this role, I use both ArcGIS and QGIS to support the designation, monitoring and assessment of Marine Protected Areas in UK offshore waters.”“Before undertaking the GIS247 training, I had limited experience using QGIS and would predominately use ArcGIS for my work. I therefore, undertook the Starting with QGIS 3.x and Intermediate Guide to QGIS 3.x training courses in order to develop my skills and knowledge and have more confidence when using QGIS as part of my work.”
“I found the training easy to follow and the exercises extremely useful for putting what had been learnt into practice. This online training meant that I was able to work at my own pace, refer back to areas of uncertainty and help to ensure that I was able to fit the training in alongside other work priorities. Since completing the QGIS training courses, I have been able to use QGIS with confidence and am thoroughly pleased to have gained this geospatial skillset which will continue to support my work in the future.”
Stephanie Byford, Marine Ecosystems Adviser
Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru/Natural Resources Wales, Wales
Pete Frost achieved a distinction for passing our online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS. In light of his achievement, we asked Pete to tell us about how he found our eLearning. This is what Pete said:
“The Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course helped me to go from a basic understanding of GIS to be competent to undertake everyday tasks using the software. The course was easy for me to understand and follow, even though it covered a lot of material. I found the tutorials clear and the self-assessment exercises reinforced my understanding at the same time as they tested my ability. I liked being able to take my own time to go through the exercises, and that I can still go back to the tutorials to refresh my memory about aspects of the software that I may not have used for a while ”
Pete Frost, Uwch Ymgynghorydd Trefol/Senior Urban Advisor
Environment Agency, England
Becca Turley is an Ecologist and analyses invertebrate samples and data from rivers. Becca has been with the Environment Agency for two years and loves her role as she gets to spend a lot of time outside. While spending time in the garden during lockdown Becca decided to develop her GIS skills:
“I hadn’t used GIS in a few years and having spare time in lockdown gave me the opportunity to take the Beginner GIS247 course. I found the course clear to follow and enjoyed the practical side of the course. As it was during lockdown, I was able to spend one week doing the course in half-day sessions.”
“It was a perfect way to both refresh my knowledge and learn new GIS skills. The most valuable thing about now being able to use ArcGIS with a better understanding is being able to use mapping to display EA data and explore analysis in different ways. I was very pleased when I found out that I had passed the Beginners course with a distinction and I am planning to start the Intermediate course in the future to learn more skills in ArcGIS.”
Becca Turley, Environmental Monitoring Officer
Environment Agency, England
After taking our ArcGIS desktop course Gabby achieved a distinction in the online course assessment. We asked what she thought of our eLearning and how her new knowledge of using ArcGIS has helped her in her job.
“I had completed a GIS course whilst studying my ‘’Environmental Science’’ Degree, however my skills needed refreshing with the current software available. I completed the Beginner course which was perfect. It was easy to follow and I was able to learn at my own rate. The information and skills I gained were great, plus I can refer back to the guides whenever I need too.”
Gabby’s job involves her working onboard coastal survey vessels. On board she collects the data that is needed and then back on dry land she makes sense of it all and plots out the data.
“The ArcGIS course has been perfect for helping in my job and the survey work I do. In order to complete a marine scientific survey, I produce maps on survey sites, as well as plot out data based on live coordinates from onboard. These surveys impact on the Water Framework Directive, which is delivered by the Environment Agency. But they are also used for Marine Conservation Zones and Marine Protection Zones. These zones are protected areas and designated by government. Many contain protected species or contain protective habitats.”
Gabrielle Garland, Marine Monitoring Officer 2
Marine Scotland Science, Scottish Government
Niall Mcleod recently achieved a second distinction for passing courses in our QGIS training series. In light of this double distinction we asked Niall to tell us about his job and how he found our eLearning. This is what Niall said:
“During lockdown my group has been working through a large range of data. I am involved in Lobster tagging and recovery data and sediment particle size analysis data in conjunction with Nephrops habitats. ”
“I had limited experience in GIS, from an introductory course a couple of years ago. Using GIS247 I was able to refresh my skills from the very beginning using the QGIS Beginners course and then further my skills and realise the greater capabilities of QGIS with the GIS247 Intermediate QGIS course. The Beginners course is well laid out, easy to understand and yet progresses at a good pace to keep challenging you and hold interest. The Intermediate course delves into the more complex processes that can be performed using QGIS and explains these in a logical and concise manner.”
“I found it particularly useful to work through the written exercises on my own and then watching the tutorial video. Working this way round made me feel like I was understanding the process behind what I had just done in more detail and I found that the video usually cleared up anything I had struggled with in the exercise. I will be looking to progress onto the more Advanced GIS247 QGIS courses and I am sure they will be as informative and helpful.”
Niall Mcleod, Fisheries Observer
Jacobs, UK
“I started off my GIS career with a three month placement at Natural Resources Wales as a GIS technician through the Welsh Government funded GO Wales programme. GIS247 was introduced to me during these three months to help build on the GIS foundations I had built during my time at university. Throughout the placement I worked my way through the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS – although I already knew the basics I thought this would be a good place to start as I didn’t feel very confident using my skills in a professional setting. I was really glad that I chose this module to begin with as it taught me how to use a lot of tools and functionality that hadn’t been covered in university, and more importantly it helped me understand how these processes worked and how to apply them in real world examples. A lot of things that the course covered have come in useful ever since; from using Data Driven Pages to utilising all of the Edit tools when manipulating vector data. The course really gave me the confidence to then apply for more permanent roles following my GO Wales placement.”“When I landed my current job at Jacobs Engineering, I was able to get stuck in and show off the skills I’d picked whilst undertaking the GIS247 course. I am now six years into my career and am still learning (as is the nature with the ever evolving world of GIS!); however the fundamental skills I learnt during the course still apply to my day to day life and I’m really glad I had the opportunity to undertake it. I’d recommend anyone who is thinking of starting a career in GIS to look into the training that GIS247 offer as it’s an excellent way to improve your skills, build your confidence and give you solid GIS foundations that are really useful in a professional setting. I found the courses to be engaging and fun and the way that each course is broken down into smaller modules really helped me to work the course around my busy schedule.”
Frances Lynn, Senior GIS Analyst, Geospatial, Visualisation and TrackRecord
Local Government, Argyll & Bute Council, Scotland
“As a complete novice, and the only ArcGIS user in a small workplace, the GIS247 Beginners and Intermediate courses were invaluable to find my way around the software. The modules were easy to follow, and the exercises close enough to real life tasks to be engaging. I’d recommend these courses for anyone new to ArcGIS, or needing some refresher training.”Since undertaking our training Duncan says
“Working within Economic Growth, our major use of GIS has been to produce mapping to illustrate the distribution of grants awarded under various programmes over our wide area, which includes many islands.”
Duncan Dewar, Development & Infrastructure Services
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), United Kingdom
Colin Smith is an economic adviser at DEFRA.
“What I particularly liked about the GIS247 Beginners Guide to ArcGIS was the ability to go at your own pace, taking each module as my full-time job allowed. Because it is divided up into bite-sized chunks, I was able to explore and gain understanding of a wide range of GIS techniques and concepts, and ArcMap capabilities. The combination of presentations with practical examples and step-by-step exercises using real spatial data (in most cases, UK spatial data) reinforced each other without intimidating a novice like me; and where I got stuck, I was able to return to the training material without feeling left behind. As a result, I no longer see GIS as a black box that can only be understood by ultra-specialists, and I’m now keen to further my GIS skills and knowledge.”
In terms of the impact that now being able to use ArcGIS for his job has had, Colin gave this feedback:
“As a Defra economist, I work increasingly with experts and practitioners who are employing GIS data and analysis to measure and value nature’s benefits. Learning ArcMap has given me much more insight into these approaches, enabling me to be an intelligent customer of emerging products, as well as identifying new opportunities for spatial analysis. GIS is a real force for interdisciplinary working between ecology, economics and social research, and learning ArcMap is enabling me to work confidently in that interdisciplinary space.”
Colin Smith, Economic Adviser, Environment Analysis Unit
Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), Canada
Stanley is a Senior Soil Scientist at AER and has followed different GIS247 courses.
“The courses are well designed. The content is comprehensive and of high quality. Hands-on exercises provide an excellent method to impart skills retention on the user of GIS software application. Course instructions, organization and demos using the GIS technology are exceptionally clear and effective. The course provides a solid foundation to GIS beginners and a refresher to professional GIS users. Highly recommended.”
Stanley Ngwa, Senior Soil Specialist
Joint Nature Conservation Committee, United Kingdom
Hannah had some ArcGIS experience, but needed to learn QGIS quickly. This is her feedback.
“I recently passed the QGIS Beginners course in September 2019 with distinction and found GIS247 a very useful tool to learn QGIS. The video and step by step guide made the experience enjoyable and easy to follow and enabled me to fit this into my week. I have previous experience with ArcGIS from a course during university, however I needed to learn QGIS quickly for my job and GIS247 made this possible. I use Arc and QGIS in my day to day job to determine the proximity of offshore activities to marine protected habitats and features. The QGIS Beginners course gave me all the skills needed for this work and has inspired me to take this learning further. I am now the lead for GIS in my team and use the knowledge gained to help support my team with GIS.
I am planning to complete the Intermediate and Mastering courses this year and I looking forward to using the new skills I learn and applying these to my work.”
Hannah Hood, Offshore Industry Adviser, Marine Management Team
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
Luke needed to learn how to use ArcGIS effectively to do his job as an Environmental Monitoring Officer. This is his feedback from taking one of the GIS247 eLearning courses.
“The Beginners ArcGIS training was very good. As someone who had no prior experience of using the software, I found it’s step by step approach using both video and associated exercises very useful. It was well tailored to someone with my level of experience and provided me with a good foundation of knowledge alongside a newfound confidence in using the software.”
As a result of the training Luke says that he now uses ArcGIS to show monitoring/survey sites referred to during routine reports (such as general coarse fish stock reports), pollution incidents and investigations into WFD element deteriorations between classification years. He also uses GIS when doing non-routine work such as creating maps to show the current spread of invasive species within an area or throughout a watercourse using EA records.
Luke Walters, Environmental Monitoring Officer, EA West Midlands Analysis & Reporting Team
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
Maddie is on the asset management team which is responsible for ensuring the flood defence assets are safe and operational. Maddie took the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course so she could better prepare the critical information that is needed for contractors. This is her feedback.
“I used GIS247 to remind myself of Arc skills after having a break from university and a starting a job in the environmental sector which required the use of Arc for maintenance packages for our flood defence assets. The training package (GIS247) was easy to follow and could be fit into my busy schedule as you could do as much or as little as you could manage. Although I was familiar with Arc, it was a quick reminder of the basic skills of Arc and covered a wide range of tools which I now use a lot of. The instructions were clear and allowed you to go at your own pace so it would also be easy to use if you hadn’t used Arc before.”
“Thanks very much, I found GIS247 exactly what I needed to polish up my Arc skills. I am hoping to move on and do the additional courses when I have time.”
Maddie, Flood Risk Management Officer
Marine Management Organisation, England
Daniel Jose took a series of GIS247 courses: Beginners, Intermediate and then the Advanced Guide to ArcGIS. The follow on structure of this eLearning route enabled Daniel to go at his own pace and to have time between courses to consolidate his knowledge and skills before progressing to the next level.
“Having entered a job with very little ArcGIS experience GIS247 quickly helped me not only understand the basics but also taught me a wide range of tips and tricks that I still refer back to today. The courses are very accessible and user friendly, with the step by step guidance ensuring you never get lost. Since completing the courses, I have become the first port of call for all GIS related issues within my team and feel confident producing maps and models to be used by the organisation.”
“My role involves mapping fishing vessel location data in relation to our network of marine protected areas in English waters, what kinds of fishing were being done where, and what the potential impacts might be so that we can better manage our fisheries in a sustainable manner.”
“Taking the advanced course helped teach me about using the model builder. Subsequently I could spend time building models to streamline our team’s data processing and give less experienced team members the ability to carry out the data processing by themselves. Each course built upon the previous one, expanding on the skills previously taught seamlessly.”
Daniel Jose, Marine Conservation Officer, Marine Conservation Team
Local Government, Lincolnshire County Council, England
Ryan Davies needed to use QGIS to update maps depicting locations of Lincolnshire County Councils section 19 flood investigations. He also needed to develop specific QGIS skills to develop maps for flood schemes throughout the authority. Ryan turned to GIS247 to learn how to use QGIS and enable him to more easily fulfil these job requirements.
“Although I have had experience of using GIS in the past, when starting my current position I had no experience of utilising QGIS. The Mastering QGIS 3.X course provided by GIS247 offered a thorough and logical training programme, which allowed me to work at my own pace. By completing the course, I have developed a firm understanding of the fundamentals of QGIS, which I utilise in my everyday work. The course has also provided me with the enthusiasm and confidence to further develop my GIS skills.”
Ryan Davies, Assistant Flood Risk Officer, Floods and Water Team
Local Government, Perth & Kinross Council, Scotland
“I have now completed the Beginners and Intermediate training courses for ArcGIS 10.4. The training is great as you can do it at your own pace, plus there is plenty of support available throughout your training journey. I have completed the training as a side-task from my job. It has taken me about 7 months to complete both Beginners and Intermediate and I now feel I benefit from additional skills and experience which many others do not have the advantage of having.”“I have thoroughly enjoyed using the software and learning tips and tricks that save time and effort and generally make my day-to-day job a little bit easier. I didn’t think I needed to know the ins and outs of ArcGIS but now I probably couldn’t work as efficiently not knowing these!”
“I have really enjoyed doing the training.”
Clare Rogers, Transport Planning Team
Calgary, Canada
“I use ArcMap daily in my job and was excited when ArcGIS Pro courses were offered by GIS247. I was able to complete the 3 course levels that are offered for ArcGISPro 2.0 (Starting With, Intermediate & Mastering). The sections were easy to follow with very detailed instructions. What I enjoyed most about learning with GIS247 is that I can fit it into my schedule. When I had time, I listened to a tutorial or did an exercise. Also, there was no pressure to stay at a certain pace, so I could stop and take my own notes as needed. I would recommend taking the courses with GIS247. You never know….you may learn a few tips and tricks along the way.”Lynn, Mapping Technician
Local Government, Perth & Kinross Council, Scotland
“I am most definitely finding the GIS training useful in my role and happy to give feedback. I completed the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS 10.4 in January 2019 and passed the course with distinction. Having previously undertaken GIS training some time ago at university, I found my knowledge of the subject had drastically decreased over time and so the course was the perfect refresher for me and even taught me new aspects of the software.”“The content in the course was ideal and comprehensive with particular topics such as labelling and using spatial data proving useful. The structure of the course allows for the training to be returned to easily following days/weeks without learning and I found the layout of the website particularly easy to use in terms of course guidance and viewing my progress. The exercises themselves are well structured and the step-by-step guidance is incredibly useful (especially when the odd mistake is made). These are comprehensive and ensure that not a single step is missed in learning how to best utilise the software. These are complemented by informative videos of which are repeatable in case you miss anything important.”
“My current role requires me to label maps and manage data based on NO2 monitoring and so the beginners course allowed me to not only do this efficiently, but be able perfect the skills required overtime to the point where it can be done without any help or reference (although the references available on GIS247 are useful). In turn I thoroughly enjoyed the course and look forward to continuing my GIS training with the intermediate course!”
Ruari Kaylor, Air Quality, Environmental Health Team
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
The Environment Agency is the biggest and most wide-ranging environmental regulator in Europe. The EA works with businesses and communities to protect and improve the environment, for people and wildlife.
Alexandros works for the EA as graduate civil engineer. He is currently in the ICE training agreement of the EA and is working towards becoming chartered alongside his everyday tasks, which are managing existing assets for flood protection and project managing new projects.
This is Alex’s feedback from taking GIS247’s Beginners Guide to ArcGIS eLearning course.
“Until I did this course I was finding it frustrating when at work I had to view GIS info. By doing the Beginner’s e-learning modules not only I can view GIS data when send to me but I can now edit them or create some new files from scratch. The videos keep you interested and the exercises get you through detailed step by step procedures. I took the opportunity to take the course during a quiet spell from work due to the Covid-19 lockdown. I am also very lucky to work for a great organization like the Environment Agency who encourage the employees to learn new skills and develop through training. The videos took me quite some time to watch as I was pausing them for taking notes. I was doing a module a day (or part of a module when it was split in parts) and it was taking me 4 to 5 hours per day. Thanks again for the amazing training you guys provide. Looking forward for the next level.”
Alexandros Bouas, Civil Engineer, Flood & Coastal Risk Management
Local Government, Leeds City Council, United Kingdom
Leeds City Council have used GIS247 for many years to provide over 60 GIS users with unlimited access to ArcGIS and ArcGIS Pro e-learning. These users are from different departments and have been able to access training at the level that suits them as and when needed.
Rachel Antcliffe who is the Principal LLPG Officer in the Data & GIS Team outlines her personal experience of using GIS247’s e-learning to support her role.
“I used GIS247 as a novice user who was trying to teach themselves ArcMap for use in local government. I found the courses to be detailed, thorough and logical; and I liked the way that they were themed in terms of ability so I could work my way through Beginner through to Advanced. I learnt a number of new skills and techniques that I was then able to use in my everyday work. As a result of the knowledge that I gained, I went on to successfully complete a Masters degree in GIS.”
Congratulations Rachel!
Rachel Antcliffe, Principal LLPG Officer, Leeds City Council
Exploration & Mining, UTM Global, Australia
UTM Global is a leading company based in Australia that manage global portfolios specializing in Global Exploration and Mining Title Management and Administration. The mapping element of their work is a key factor in the work that they do. Gareth Gilbert is UTM’s lead GIS specialist. Although Gareth had been using MapInfo for a good while he wanted to get further training to improve his skills. He turned to GIS247. This is what Gareth thinks of our eLearning:
“I am doing the modules as I get the time. I cannot even describe how excellent the training is. The training videos are absolutely brilliant and I have relooked at the way I use my GIS. The training is very professional and done in a way that you actually learn. I would recommend anyone, even with experience, to start at the Beginners course as GIS247 actually show you the proper way in which way to use the software.”
The result of GIS247’s eLearning has had a direct effect on UTM’s business. Gareth says that the standard of the maps he now produces has been transformed:
“Even our clients have been commenting how professional the maps have become and through that we have picked up SO much more business.”
In addition to helping gain more business, Gareth has personally developed as a result of access to GIS247. This has been noticed by his peers. Eden Hodson who is UTM’s Principal Mining Consultant has been impressed by the significantly improved standard of Gareth’s work. She comments:
“the level and standard of work has improved significantly which has positively impacted the services we provide to our clients. We continually receive great comments and feedback about the standard of the mapping.” Gareth says “everything I have said does not even begin to describe how excellent the training is and I am absolutely loving it.”
Well done Gareth!
Oil Engineering, Penneco, United States of America
Richard Kunkle is an Engineering Coordinator for Penneco. He has been using GIS247 for a number of years to support his GIS work. This is the feedback Richard has given about our eLearning.
“I have found GIS247 to be a very informative training source. I particularly like the way the exercises are set up. In the early lessons, the exercises will tell you exactly what to do with every step included. As you reach later lessons, the exercises will give you the new information you need, but only include hints (which you can skip) with more details on how to proceed with the tasks you have already learned. I find this challenges you to remember where each tool or setting is located, and how to make it work, which is much better than a system that simply tells you every step all along the way.”
“GIS247 has taught me many, many things that have made doing my work here much easier, and given me confidence. One of the nice things is that you always have access to the lessons and modules you have completed (which are clearly marked), as well as the ones you have not yet done. This is really useful because if you are wishing to do a specific task, but you cannot remember everything about it, but you know it is in GIS247, the lessons and modules are named in such a way that you can easily find the information that you are seeking.”
Oil Engineering, BP, Worldwide
Mark Poole is the Survey & Positioning Lead for BP Angola.
“Since BP have adopted ArcGIS as a primary platform for storing and visualising our spatial data I needed to develop my skills in the use of ArcGIS Desktop. I had previously attended face to face GIS training but had forgotten more than I had learned. The format of the GIS247 eLearning course really worked for me as I could both control the pace of my learning and fit training around my schedule. I followed the training primarily from home in the evenings and found that the combination of videos and exercises very effective with each module an appropriate length for a single session.”
“The training has greatly improved my ability to efficiently author map products using ArcGIS Desktop and provided me with the enthusiasm and confidence to use the software more regularly and further develop my GIS skills.”
Mark Poole is the Survey & Positioning Lead for BP Angola. Mark is responsible for the geospatial integrity of business critical data held in ArcGIS and actively supports teams engaged in offshore construction drilling and inspection operations that require maps and charts for their work.
Oil Engineering, BP, Worldwide
Sebastian Hammerschmidt is one of the many BP users of GIS247. He was the first to achieve a certificate for completing the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course. To gain this certificate, as proof of his new skills and knowledge, he passed the GIS247 marked course assessment – with distinction. Sebastian took about 3 weeks to complete the course as he fitted it in around his other work commitments as he knew he needed the ArcGIS knowledge sooner rather than later. He says that in particular he
“found doing the exercises really beneficial, following them step by step really boosted my learning experience. The time I\'ve spent doing the online training was well invested, since I am now much more efficient when working with ArcGIS.”
Dr Sebastian Hammerschmidt is a 2nd year Geoscience Challenger and works in the Africa New Ventures team in Exploration. He is continuing to develop GIS skills by following the Intermediate course.
Canal & River Trust, United Kingdom
“The GIS247 course allows me to go into greater detail than would be available from a one-off hosted training session. The course gives a clear, step by step guide to each tool learnt, covering all aspects about each. There are no time restrictions like there would be on a ’face-to-face’ training day, and so the videos last as long as they need to cover all tools in necessary detail. By doing the course online by myself it means that I can go at my own pace and go back over anything I struggle with. The ability to repeat presentations is really helpful when completing the assessments too, when I get stuck on a specific topic I can refer back to the in-vision videos – the contents on the video makes it easy to go to the exact topic that I am stuck on and refer back to.”“To keep me on track I aim to try and complete a module a week - I usually make sure I have enough time to watch the video in one go without being interrupted. I then complete the assessment, referring back to the video if need be. I do the course at work at my desk, balancing it with my day job - the course flexibility means I can pick it up and put it down around other work and as and when phone calls come in etc. If I have a quiet day, I may watch a training video, or complete an assessment. If not, I will work on the course in lunch breaks. I have watched some of the videos at home, but all the assessments I have done at work.”
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the GIS247 e-learning experience, the length of both the training and assessments means they are great to ‘pick up and put down’. The information is presented in a logical format and is very user friendly. The training and assessments are to a high standard.”
Louise Shakeshaft
Cornwall Council, England
“How does the saying go? ‘you learn something new every day’ well that’s certainly the case when I started training through GIS247.The beauty of the training is that I could fit it in between my daily tasks, which works well and the material provided is excellent. Supported and encouraged by the council I’ve now successfully completed two courses - Mastering ArcGIS and the Advanced Guide to ArcGIS together with several modules from other courses that interested me.”
“I’ve certainly found the section covering feature analysis useful when extracting specific data from a large set. It’s taught me how I can drill down through the data, filtering / adding and subtracting information quickly and effectively leaving me with the desired result.
Another useful skill I’ve learnt is manipulating labels. Most of the time a few single text lines is all that’s required on a layout but there are times when more complex labelling is required.”
“I stumbled across the fact that labels could be converted prior to the training but never knew what to do after that point. The training has allowed me to manage my labelling and has improved the look of the final map, especially as I struggled before when sites are so small that the label covered them."
"If you have the opportunity to access GIS247 online training don’t turn it down, you never know where it may lead you.”
Rachel Barkle, Senior Development Support Officer, Planning Delivery Team
Nottinghamshire County Council, England
Two years ago Rosie had not even heard of GIS. With access to GIS247 Rosie was given the opportunity to undertake a range of training courses in the ArcGIS software. Rosie said,
“Without GIS247 I don’t think I would have been able to attend any training courses at all due to the cost constraint.”
In the space of a year Rosie has gone from a total beginner to a highly competent and skilled user. She followed a range of different training courses building up her skills and expertise. These courses include the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS, Intermediate Guide to ArcGIS, Advanced Guide to ArcGIS, Spatial Statistics & Analysis and Linear Referencing. In total Rosie has not only completed 7 challenging courses but has obtained distinctions for all of them!
“I am very proud. It is nice to have the proof of my achievement, and my team are also impressed and proud of me as well!”
“Mine is an administrative role but my work is now much more advanced. I can now produce maps for analysis of a variety of issues. From locations of children attending different schools, to locations of new housing developments in relation to catchment areas. This helps Senior Officers analyse and understand data far more easily and make important choices from that knowledge. I really enjoy being able to give this added support as it makes my role much more varied and interesting.”
Rosie Gilbert, Strategic Place Planning & School Admissions Team, Children, Families & Cultural Services Department
Local Government, Nottingham City Council, England
“Though I had heard about GIS I never thought how useful it was. The Property Records Team gave me the opportunity to undertake a range of training courses in the ArcGIS software via their GIS247 access. Since following the training I have used ArcGIS to create and maintain electronic spatial location records of all the Council’s land and property assets. I have prepared plans and site maps of the Council’s land and property assets for members and officers for the development and regeneration of Nottingham. I am now able to initiate and manage multiple tasks with GIS; for example, using adding T-marks, red edging, shading colours, querying attributes and a range of other things.”“I have found e-learning the best option for me because it’s flexible, accessible and convenient. I really like the quality of the training. The presentations are loud and clear which also makes it easy to follow. I also think that e-learning will ensure that the team will keep up to date with changes in the software to maintain a competitive edge. Though am still on the Beginners course I feel that the knowledge I have gained thus far has given me the confidence to do my daily duties with competence.”
Blessing Amin, Property Records Department
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), United Kingdom
“My background is in biology and project management, so unlike my more experienced colleagues I was completely new to GIS. The e-learning format allowed me to fit the training in around my other work and to add GIS elements into projects at my own pace. It also lets me go back and review the units that were most helpful.”“I thought the content and quality of the training was very good and the Beginners course definitely covered all the key areas. Also I liked that the hands on exercises were relatively straightforward, but still took me through the process of many of the different tools and options. So when I started using ArcGIS for real-world data, I had a reasonable feel for where I should go to do different things, even if I hadn’t done them the same way before. I now have new skills which I hope to develop further, enabling me to take on more complex GIS analysis in the future. The GIS247 course has given me a good start!”
Since the Beginners course Joanna has completed both the follow on Intermediate and Advanced ArcGIS courses, developing her technical capabilities. She gained distinction in both these training course assessments.
Joanna Tye, Database Manager
Fife Council, Scotland
Iona comments,
“When I did some training I just popped my headphones on and I got on with it. Being in the office was useful as if I was needed for something then I was still available. Having the certificates shows that I’ve done a lot of hard work and it has been great to show my team. They have been really supportive and proud of me. Particularly in being able to re-watch the presentation. It was really useful to watch them again sometimes before doing the follow on exercise and sometimes after.”
Iona says that she found the nature of the on-line training really useful,
“It was great to have the flexibility. The exercises were very good and I really enjoyed doing them. As I progressed I felt more confident in what I was doing. Other ArcGIS users in my department now feel that they should make more use of the training in order to keep up with the software developments and progress themselves. My manager Rod Wallace is delighted with my development and that I now provide additional skills on more projects. My immediate colleagues have found my increased knowledge really useful too. When I am asked a question, or we are discussing how to do something I can now offer a solution.”
“This is because I have not only a broader knowledge of what we can do with ArcGIS but also now because of my experience in using the software through the exercises of how to go about it in the best way. The work I am doing now is really interesting. A lot of the tips that I learnt on the training courses are turning out to be very useful. The skills and tricks I learnt on the Advanced Editing course are particularly relevant at the moment. Topology can be quite tricky so it’s really useful to have a thorough understanding and know why you need to do certain things.”
In conclusion Iona says “I am really pleased with the new skills that I have gained. I think I have found my niche and really enjoy using spatial data in the different projects – it’s really interesting!”
Iona Gerrard, Business Development Team
Surrey County Council, UK
“So very glad each year when Surrey County Council GIS team renews our GIS247 subscription. Amazingly comprehensive set of training videos for ArcMap at beginner through to advanced level, for a number of versions of ArcGIS (so it keeps up when we upgrade). ”“Really clear instruction covering all the angles of a subject. You then get to complete an exercise including assessment questions which you submit online, earning a certificate at the end of the course if you complete all course activities. Each course has a number of modules. Each module subdivides into a number of videos, so you can watch one video e.g. 2-4 minutes or a whole module e.g. 30 minutes. I'm currently working through the Mastering ArcGIS course - 218 out of 323 questions done so far (another reason why I was REALLY keen for the subscription to be renewed). ”
“It has been a real gamechanger for my ArcMap skills, and I'm looking forward to working through the Advanced course once I finish this one. Would seriously recommend this to anyone trying to push the boundaries on their ESRI ArcMap skills who are not already at GIS super user level.”
Mel, Surrey County Council
BP, United Kingdom
“This is a real “zero to hero” style course. ArcGIS is such a massive and complex tool, with so many functions and usages, that it can be easy to get lost in it or never quite know if one has properly mastered it. This course is very well presented and really helps to break down the learning process into a structured curriculum, helping you gradually develop your learning and skills, as well as discover the full range of capabilities that are available on ArcGIS. The exercises are very thorough and the learning materials are comprehensive, giving you plenty of raw materials to work with, both for the exercises and for doing your own experimentation with the data, from which you can take your learning even further. The whole process of loading the data and using it felt very real and allowed plenty of scope for playing with the data. The exercises were very well structured. Although I don’t use ArcGIS in my current role, I have gained a better understanding of how geodata can be analysed and examined, be it on ArcGIS or any other platform. It is a valuable skill to have in my ‘toolkit’. ”We asked Andrew how he felt when he learnt that he had achieved a distinction in the online course assessment:
“Very pleased, as I really felt as if I had achieved something and gained new skills. Although just a beginner course, there is a lot of learning to gain from it. I am very glad I did this course, it did a lot to build both my skills and confidence in ArcGIS. I would love to take a GIS247 QGIS course to improve my GIS skills further.”
Andrew, Senior Response Analyst
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
Meggan Mercer loves a challenge and after completing the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course we invited Meggan to tell us about how she has applied eLearning to her day to day role. This is what Meggan had to say:
“I am a Technical Officer in the GIS Team and I have worked at the Environment Agency for 2 years. My workdays are never the same and challenge me. I love keeping my brain active and the problem solving and opportunities I get in my job is brilliant for that. In my previous roles in the EA, I used ArcGIS every day. In my current role, I help to troubleshoot colleagues’ GIS issues and maintain the data used in ArcGIS.”
“The Beginners Guide training has been very useful in formalising skills and consequently makes helping others easier and more effective. The exercises are easy to follow, they explain the content very well and are structured in such a way that learning is made easy. Learning about the capabilities and limitations of using the data at the EA allows for more effective use. With better data, we can make more accurate and meaningful decisions about the environment and people. The MyGIS247 dashboard is very user friendly and saving your progress is really helpful when fitting in training around the day job. I will continue with the courses to improve the GIS skills I have and this will help me to progress in my career.”
Meggan Mercer, Technical Officer
Cornwall Council, United Kingdom
Stephen Trudgian achieved a distinction for passing our online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS. As a complete beginner, we invited Stephen to tell us about how he found our eLearning. This is what Stephen had to say:
“I’m a Validation Officer in Cornwall Council’s Planning department and my everyday tasks revolve around ensuring that any planning application submitted contains accurate enough information to allow the case officer to issue a decision. A key part of the job involves use of various mapping systems in order to identify any constraints or planning issues.”
“I was a complete beginner when I started the online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS 10.7 and I was unsure that I’d be able to get my head around it. The screenshots that I had seen during the sign-up had looked really complex but the step-by-step videos were extremely easy to follow. I certainly wasn’t expecting to earn a distinction, so the fact I ended up with one really demonstrates how comprehensive and user-friendly the training materials are.”
Stephen Trudgian, Senior Development Support Officer
Environment Agency, England
“I currently work as a Field Team Operative for the Environment Agency where my current duties are inspecting and maintaining our assets and also responding to emergency events such as flooding or pollutions.”“I chose to self-study GIS in January 2021 as a complete beginner to further improve my career opportunities. Through the Environment Agency I was given access to GIS247 and have found it to be an extremely valuable learning tool. The learning guides provided are fantastic. They’re clear, precise and easy to follow with step by step instruction to keep you on track of your learning.”
“The support I have received when I encountered a problem has been amazing with emails promptly answered and any problems solved. I have completed the Beginners, Intermediate and Mastering exercises for ArcGIS Pro 2.7, achieving a distinction for each. I would highly recommend GIS247 to anyone looking to start learning GIS.”
Darren Crane, Field Team Operative, Birmingham & Black Country area
Environment Agency, England
Cara Dalton achieved a double distinction for passing our online Beginners and Intermediate Guide to ArcGis. We invited Cara to tell us about how she found our eLearning. This is what Cara had to say:
“I have worked for the Environment Agency for nearly two years and am currently an Asset Management Assistant. I enjoy my role as it takes me all over South East England and I get to see some of our hidden gems. We use ArcGIS to locate assets and plan our routes. Being able to build queries and edit data means we can tailor it very specifically to our needs. ”
“I was unsure how these courses would fit in with my day to day workload but the progress dashboard made it very easy to dip in and out of and I was able to fit the learning in around other parts of my role. I was really proud to achieve distinctions in the Beginners and Intermediate courses and I have already started the ‘Mastering’ course. Working through the courses has made me much more confident and efficient at using ArcGIS.”
Cara Dalton, WLB Asset Management Assistant
BP, Australia
“I currently work as a Location Intelligence Lead for BP in Australia. When I was first introduced to ArcGIS I was excited to see the potential it had to assist our local business but recognised that as I was relatively new to geospatial applications, I needed training. I undertook the GIS247 Mastering ArcGIS course over several months to become familiar with the application. I found the course well-structured and the combination of videos and step-through exercises very helpful. The continual build approach highlighted any errors and ensured understanding of the material. Being online enabled me to work at my own pace and set goals aligned to my availability. ”“The course provided an excellent basis for me to gain confidence in the use of ArcGIS desktop which I was able to apply immediately to my work. When ArcGIS Pro was released I undertook an introductory Pro course to become familiar with the changed User Interface. The benefits of a geospatial approach are now well understood within the business and my geospatial engagement has grown to become the key aspect of my work. I regularly recommend using GIS247 to team members and others interested in developing their own geospatial skillsets.”
Aaron Coyle, Network and Mapping Lead
Cornwall Council, England
“During the last five years, I have worked at Cornwall Council and I currently work in Strategy and Engagement as a Delivery and Analysis specialist. Last year I completed GIS247’s ArcGIS online Mastering course, with a distinction. There are a number of geo-spatial visualisation software’s on the market at present, but nothing as powerful as ArcGIS. It allows full in-software analysis of the data, easy creation of complicated maps and a suite of options to ensure that the maps are audience-friendly. ”“At the start of my career in the council, I was originally self-taught on the software but the GIS247’s training has shown me a range of new tools. It was easy to follow, with the options of open or close captions (I left them on!) and with exercises throughout each element of the course to ensure that everything is understood. Having had the training, analysis of the data within ArcGIS is now a lot easier and I do very little prep work before the data is imported into the software, but I get a lot more insight out of the intelligence products produced. ”
Pippa Williams, Delivery and Analysis Specialist
Environment Agency, England
Samantha Jeeawock achieved a double distinction for passing our online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS and our online Intermediate Guide to ArcGIS. We asked Samantha how she found the courses:
“I work as a Flood Resilience Officer for the Environment Agency and I use GIS for a number of different uses. My main role is to review flood map extents to produce Flood Warning Areas that can be used to warn communities of flooding during flood incidents. Having started this role three years ago I have used GIS247 to improve my skills in using GIS making me a more confident user. The GIS247 training courses were really easy to follow and they provide everything you need to complete the training. So far I have completed the Beginners and Intermediate Guide to Arc GIS 10.2 and received a distinction for both! I am hoping to complete the remaining courses as soon as I can as they really do provide some great practice, tips and guides for how to get the most out of GIS!”
Samantha Jeeawock, Flood Resilience Officer, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire Area
Natural England, United Kingdom
“I had some experience using ArcGIS from my job role but this was self-taught. When lockdown hit last March I decided to start the GIS247 course to improve my skills and I started with Mastering ArcGIS.”“The course was really easy to follow with each section containing short videos which really helped work through each process. Being split into these sections meant it was easy to be flexible doing the course around other work.”
“The course helped me to understand the processes much better and find more efficient ways of obtaining the results I wanted. It has been extremely useful in the mapping projects I have undertaken for my work. I have now started doing the Advanced Guide to ArcGIS to further my knowledge.”
Gina Wright, Essex Marine Lead Adviser
Cyngor Sir Ceredigion County Council, Wales
“I work as a Research and Performance Assistant for Cyngor Sir Ceredigion County Council and I provide all sorts of research for all service areas of the organisation. I have been working in my role for just over a year and have learned a lot in a short space of time. The best thing about working for my organisation is that I get to research such a wide range of topics. I use QGIS pretty much every day, it’s an excellent programme. When presenting data or figures, I find using mapping an excellent visual tool to help people understand the data, instead of just having to read a whole lot of figures. I create all sorts of maps that aid many services across the organisation. Without completing the QGIS training course, I would’ve been a bit out of my depth and it really was a vital skill to learn for my job.”“I enjoyed completing the training course, especially as I did it when I first started to work from home, it was something to do whilst I was adapting to the changes. I completed the training by doing a couple of modules every day for a few weeks. I would recommend the training course to anyone who needs to use QGIS, it takes you right from the very simple things to using the programme in a variety of different, complex ways.”
Mari Hopkins, Cynorthwy-ydd Ymchwil a Pherfformiad / Research and Performance Assistant
Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), United Kingdom
“I currently work as a Marine Ecosystems Advisor for the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and within this role, I use both ArcGIS and QGIS to support the designation, monitoring and assessment of Marine Protected Areas in UK offshore waters.”“Before undertaking the GIS247 training, I had limited experience using QGIS and would predominately use ArcGIS for my work. I therefore, undertook the Starting with QGIS 3.x and Intermediate Guide to QGIS 3.x training courses in order to develop my skills and knowledge and have more confidence when using QGIS as part of my work.”
“I found the training easy to follow and the exercises extremely useful for putting what had been learnt into practice. This online training meant that I was able to work at my own pace, refer back to areas of uncertainty and help to ensure that I was able to fit the training in alongside other work priorities. Since completing the QGIS training courses, I have been able to use QGIS with confidence and am thoroughly pleased to have gained this geospatial skillset which will continue to support my work in the future.”
Stephanie Byford, Marine Ecosystems Adviser
Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru/Natural Resources Wales, Wales
Pete Frost achieved a distinction for passing our online Beginners Guide to ArcGIS. In light of his achievement, we asked Pete to tell us about how he found our eLearning. This is what Pete said:
“The Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course helped me to go from a basic understanding of GIS to be competent to undertake everyday tasks using the software. The course was easy for me to understand and follow, even though it covered a lot of material. I found the tutorials clear and the self-assessment exercises reinforced my understanding at the same time as they tested my ability. I liked being able to take my own time to go through the exercises, and that I can still go back to the tutorials to refresh my memory about aspects of the software that I may not have used for a while ”
Pete Frost, Uwch Ymgynghorydd Trefol/Senior Urban Advisor
Environment Agency, England
Becca Turley is an Ecologist and analyses invertebrate samples and data from rivers. Becca has been with the Environment Agency for two years and loves her role as she gets to spend a lot of time outside. While spending time in the garden during lockdown Becca decided to develop her GIS skills:
“I hadn’t used GIS in a few years and having spare time in lockdown gave me the opportunity to take the Beginner GIS247 course. I found the course clear to follow and enjoyed the practical side of the course. As it was during lockdown, I was able to spend one week doing the course in half-day sessions.”
“It was a perfect way to both refresh my knowledge and learn new GIS skills. The most valuable thing about now being able to use ArcGIS with a better understanding is being able to use mapping to display EA data and explore analysis in different ways. I was very pleased when I found out that I had passed the Beginners course with a distinction and I am planning to start the Intermediate course in the future to learn more skills in ArcGIS.”
Becca Turley, Environmental Monitoring Officer
Environment Agency, England
After taking our ArcGIS desktop course Gabby achieved a distinction in the online course assessment. We asked what she thought of our eLearning and how her new knowledge of using ArcGIS has helped her in her job.
“I had completed a GIS course whilst studying my ‘’Environmental Science’’ Degree, however my skills needed refreshing with the current software available. I completed the Beginner course which was perfect. It was easy to follow and I was able to learn at my own rate. The information and skills I gained were great, plus I can refer back to the guides whenever I need too.”
Gabby’s job involves her working onboard coastal survey vessels. On board she collects the data that is needed and then back on dry land she makes sense of it all and plots out the data.
“The ArcGIS course has been perfect for helping in my job and the survey work I do. In order to complete a marine scientific survey, I produce maps on survey sites, as well as plot out data based on live coordinates from onboard. These surveys impact on the Water Framework Directive, which is delivered by the Environment Agency. But they are also used for Marine Conservation Zones and Marine Protection Zones. These zones are protected areas and designated by government. Many contain protected species or contain protective habitats.”
Gabrielle Garland, Marine Monitoring Officer 2
Marine Scotland Science, Scottish Government
Niall Mcleod recently achieved a second distinction for passing courses in our QGIS training series. In light of this double distinction we asked Niall to tell us about his job and how he found our eLearning. This is what Niall said:
“During lockdown my group has been working through a large range of data. I am involved in Lobster tagging and recovery data and sediment particle size analysis data in conjunction with Nephrops habitats. ”
“I had limited experience in GIS, from an introductory course a couple of years ago. Using GIS247 I was able to refresh my skills from the very beginning using the QGIS Beginners course and then further my skills and realise the greater capabilities of QGIS with the GIS247 Intermediate QGIS course. The Beginners course is well laid out, easy to understand and yet progresses at a good pace to keep challenging you and hold interest. The Intermediate course delves into the more complex processes that can be performed using QGIS and explains these in a logical and concise manner.”
“I found it particularly useful to work through the written exercises on my own and then watching the tutorial video. Working this way round made me feel like I was understanding the process behind what I had just done in more detail and I found that the video usually cleared up anything I had struggled with in the exercise. I will be looking to progress onto the more Advanced GIS247 QGIS courses and I am sure they will be as informative and helpful.”
Niall Mcleod, Fisheries Observer
Jacobs, UK
“I started off my GIS career with a three month placement at Natural Resources Wales as a GIS technician through the Welsh Government funded GO Wales programme. GIS247 was introduced to me during these three months to help build on the GIS foundations I had built during my time at university. Throughout the placement I worked my way through the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS – although I already knew the basics I thought this would be a good place to start as I didn’t feel very confident using my skills in a professional setting. I was really glad that I chose this module to begin with as it taught me how to use a lot of tools and functionality that hadn’t been covered in university, and more importantly it helped me understand how these processes worked and how to apply them in real world examples. A lot of things that the course covered have come in useful ever since; from using Data Driven Pages to utilising all of the Edit tools when manipulating vector data. The course really gave me the confidence to then apply for more permanent roles following my GO Wales placement.”“When I landed my current job at Jacobs Engineering, I was able to get stuck in and show off the skills I’d picked whilst undertaking the GIS247 course. I am now six years into my career and am still learning (as is the nature with the ever evolving world of GIS!); however the fundamental skills I learnt during the course still apply to my day to day life and I’m really glad I had the opportunity to undertake it. I’d recommend anyone who is thinking of starting a career in GIS to look into the training that GIS247 offer as it’s an excellent way to improve your skills, build your confidence and give you solid GIS foundations that are really useful in a professional setting. I found the courses to be engaging and fun and the way that each course is broken down into smaller modules really helped me to work the course around my busy schedule.”
Frances Lynn, Senior GIS Analyst, Geospatial, Visualisation and TrackRecord
Local Government, Argyll & Bute Council, Scotland
“As a complete novice, and the only ArcGIS user in a small workplace, the GIS247 Beginners and Intermediate courses were invaluable to find my way around the software. The modules were easy to follow, and the exercises close enough to real life tasks to be engaging. I’d recommend these courses for anyone new to ArcGIS, or needing some refresher training.”Since undertaking our training Duncan says
“Working within Economic Growth, our major use of GIS has been to produce mapping to illustrate the distribution of grants awarded under various programmes over our wide area, which includes many islands.”
Duncan Dewar, Development & Infrastructure Services
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), United Kingdom
Colin Smith is an economic adviser at DEFRA.
“What I particularly liked about the GIS247 Beginners Guide to ArcGIS was the ability to go at your own pace, taking each module as my full-time job allowed. Because it is divided up into bite-sized chunks, I was able to explore and gain understanding of a wide range of GIS techniques and concepts, and ArcMap capabilities. The combination of presentations with practical examples and step-by-step exercises using real spatial data (in most cases, UK spatial data) reinforced each other without intimidating a novice like me; and where I got stuck, I was able to return to the training material without feeling left behind. As a result, I no longer see GIS as a black box that can only be understood by ultra-specialists, and I’m now keen to further my GIS skills and knowledge.”
In terms of the impact that now being able to use ArcGIS for his job has had, Colin gave this feedback:
“As a Defra economist, I work increasingly with experts and practitioners who are employing GIS data and analysis to measure and value nature’s benefits. Learning ArcMap has given me much more insight into these approaches, enabling me to be an intelligent customer of emerging products, as well as identifying new opportunities for spatial analysis. GIS is a real force for interdisciplinary working between ecology, economics and social research, and learning ArcMap is enabling me to work confidently in that interdisciplinary space.”
Colin Smith, Economic Adviser, Environment Analysis Unit
Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), Canada
Stanley is a Senior Soil Scientist at AER and has followed different GIS247 courses.
“The courses are well designed. The content is comprehensive and of high quality. Hands-on exercises provide an excellent method to impart skills retention on the user of GIS software application. Course instructions, organization and demos using the GIS technology are exceptionally clear and effective. The course provides a solid foundation to GIS beginners and a refresher to professional GIS users. Highly recommended.”
Stanley Ngwa, Senior Soil Specialist
Joint Nature Conservation Committee, United Kingdom
Hannah had some ArcGIS experience, but needed to learn QGIS quickly. This is her feedback.
“I recently passed the QGIS Beginners course in September 2019 with distinction and found GIS247 a very useful tool to learn QGIS. The video and step by step guide made the experience enjoyable and easy to follow and enabled me to fit this into my week. I have previous experience with ArcGIS from a course during university, however I needed to learn QGIS quickly for my job and GIS247 made this possible. I use Arc and QGIS in my day to day job to determine the proximity of offshore activities to marine protected habitats and features. The QGIS Beginners course gave me all the skills needed for this work and has inspired me to take this learning further. I am now the lead for GIS in my team and use the knowledge gained to help support my team with GIS.
I am planning to complete the Intermediate and Mastering courses this year and I looking forward to using the new skills I learn and applying these to my work.”
Hannah Hood, Offshore Industry Adviser, Marine Management Team
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
Luke needed to learn how to use ArcGIS effectively to do his job as an Environmental Monitoring Officer. This is his feedback from taking one of the GIS247 eLearning courses.
“The Beginners ArcGIS training was very good. As someone who had no prior experience of using the software, I found it’s step by step approach using both video and associated exercises very useful. It was well tailored to someone with my level of experience and provided me with a good foundation of knowledge alongside a newfound confidence in using the software.”
As a result of the training Luke says that he now uses ArcGIS to show monitoring/survey sites referred to during routine reports (such as general coarse fish stock reports), pollution incidents and investigations into WFD element deteriorations between classification years. He also uses GIS when doing non-routine work such as creating maps to show the current spread of invasive species within an area or throughout a watercourse using EA records.
Luke Walters, Environmental Monitoring Officer, EA West Midlands Analysis & Reporting Team
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
Maddie is on the asset management team which is responsible for ensuring the flood defence assets are safe and operational. Maddie took the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course so she could better prepare the critical information that is needed for contractors. This is her feedback.
“I used GIS247 to remind myself of Arc skills after having a break from university and a starting a job in the environmental sector which required the use of Arc for maintenance packages for our flood defence assets. The training package (GIS247) was easy to follow and could be fit into my busy schedule as you could do as much or as little as you could manage. Although I was familiar with Arc, it was a quick reminder of the basic skills of Arc and covered a wide range of tools which I now use a lot of. The instructions were clear and allowed you to go at your own pace so it would also be easy to use if you hadn’t used Arc before.”
“Thanks very much, I found GIS247 exactly what I needed to polish up my Arc skills. I am hoping to move on and do the additional courses when I have time.”
Maddie, Flood Risk Management Officer
Marine Management Organisation, England
Daniel Jose took a series of GIS247 courses: Beginners, Intermediate and then the Advanced Guide to ArcGIS. The follow on structure of this eLearning route enabled Daniel to go at his own pace and to have time between courses to consolidate his knowledge and skills before progressing to the next level.
“Having entered a job with very little ArcGIS experience GIS247 quickly helped me not only understand the basics but also taught me a wide range of tips and tricks that I still refer back to today. The courses are very accessible and user friendly, with the step by step guidance ensuring you never get lost. Since completing the courses, I have become the first port of call for all GIS related issues within my team and feel confident producing maps and models to be used by the organisation.”
“My role involves mapping fishing vessel location data in relation to our network of marine protected areas in English waters, what kinds of fishing were being done where, and what the potential impacts might be so that we can better manage our fisheries in a sustainable manner.”
“Taking the advanced course helped teach me about using the model builder. Subsequently I could spend time building models to streamline our team’s data processing and give less experienced team members the ability to carry out the data processing by themselves. Each course built upon the previous one, expanding on the skills previously taught seamlessly.”
Daniel Jose, Marine Conservation Officer, Marine Conservation Team
Local Government, Lincolnshire County Council, England
Ryan Davies needed to use QGIS to update maps depicting locations of Lincolnshire County Councils section 19 flood investigations. He also needed to develop specific QGIS skills to develop maps for flood schemes throughout the authority. Ryan turned to GIS247 to learn how to use QGIS and enable him to more easily fulfil these job requirements.
“Although I have had experience of using GIS in the past, when starting my current position I had no experience of utilising QGIS. The Mastering QGIS 3.X course provided by GIS247 offered a thorough and logical training programme, which allowed me to work at my own pace. By completing the course, I have developed a firm understanding of the fundamentals of QGIS, which I utilise in my everyday work. The course has also provided me with the enthusiasm and confidence to further develop my GIS skills.”
Ryan Davies, Assistant Flood Risk Officer, Floods and Water Team
Local Government, Perth & Kinross Council, Scotland
“I have now completed the Beginners and Intermediate training courses for ArcGIS 10.4. The training is great as you can do it at your own pace, plus there is plenty of support available throughout your training journey. I have completed the training as a side-task from my job. It has taken me about 7 months to complete both Beginners and Intermediate and I now feel I benefit from additional skills and experience which many others do not have the advantage of having.”“I have thoroughly enjoyed using the software and learning tips and tricks that save time and effort and generally make my day-to-day job a little bit easier. I didn’t think I needed to know the ins and outs of ArcGIS but now I probably couldn’t work as efficiently not knowing these!”
“I have really enjoyed doing the training.”
Clare Rogers, Transport Planning Team
Calgary, Canada
“I use ArcMap daily in my job and was excited when ArcGIS Pro courses were offered by GIS247. I was able to complete the 3 course levels that are offered for ArcGISPro 2.0 (Starting With, Intermediate & Mastering). The sections were easy to follow with very detailed instructions. What I enjoyed most about learning with GIS247 is that I can fit it into my schedule. When I had time, I listened to a tutorial or did an exercise. Also, there was no pressure to stay at a certain pace, so I could stop and take my own notes as needed. I would recommend taking the courses with GIS247. You never know….you may learn a few tips and tricks along the way.”Lynn, Mapping Technician
Local Government, Perth & Kinross Council, Scotland
“I am most definitely finding the GIS training useful in my role and happy to give feedback. I completed the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS 10.4 in January 2019 and passed the course with distinction. Having previously undertaken GIS training some time ago at university, I found my knowledge of the subject had drastically decreased over time and so the course was the perfect refresher for me and even taught me new aspects of the software.”“The content in the course was ideal and comprehensive with particular topics such as labelling and using spatial data proving useful. The structure of the course allows for the training to be returned to easily following days/weeks without learning and I found the layout of the website particularly easy to use in terms of course guidance and viewing my progress. The exercises themselves are well structured and the step-by-step guidance is incredibly useful (especially when the odd mistake is made). These are comprehensive and ensure that not a single step is missed in learning how to best utilise the software. These are complemented by informative videos of which are repeatable in case you miss anything important.”
“My current role requires me to label maps and manage data based on NO2 monitoring and so the beginners course allowed me to not only do this efficiently, but be able perfect the skills required overtime to the point where it can be done without any help or reference (although the references available on GIS247 are useful). In turn I thoroughly enjoyed the course and look forward to continuing my GIS training with the intermediate course!”
Ruari Kaylor, Air Quality, Environmental Health Team
Environment Agency, United Kingdom
The Environment Agency is the biggest and most wide-ranging environmental regulator in Europe. The EA works with businesses and communities to protect and improve the environment, for people and wildlife.
Alexandros works for the EA as graduate civil engineer. He is currently in the ICE training agreement of the EA and is working towards becoming chartered alongside his everyday tasks, which are managing existing assets for flood protection and project managing new projects.
This is Alex’s feedback from taking GIS247’s Beginners Guide to ArcGIS eLearning course.
“Until I did this course I was finding it frustrating when at work I had to view GIS info. By doing the Beginner’s e-learning modules not only I can view GIS data when send to me but I can now edit them or create some new files from scratch. The videos keep you interested and the exercises get you through detailed step by step procedures. I took the opportunity to take the course during a quiet spell from work due to the Covid-19 lockdown. I am also very lucky to work for a great organization like the Environment Agency who encourage the employees to learn new skills and develop through training. The videos took me quite some time to watch as I was pausing them for taking notes. I was doing a module a day (or part of a module when it was split in parts) and it was taking me 4 to 5 hours per day. Thanks again for the amazing training you guys provide. Looking forward for the next level.”
Alexandros Bouas, Civil Engineer, Flood & Coastal Risk Management
Local Government, Leeds City Council, United Kingdom
Leeds City Council have used GIS247 for many years to provide over 60 GIS users with unlimited access to ArcGIS and ArcGIS Pro e-learning. These users are from different departments and have been able to access training at the level that suits them as and when needed.
Rachel Antcliffe who is the Principal LLPG Officer in the Data & GIS Team outlines her personal experience of using GIS247’s e-learning to support her role.
“I used GIS247 as a novice user who was trying to teach themselves ArcMap for use in local government. I found the courses to be detailed, thorough and logical; and I liked the way that they were themed in terms of ability so I could work my way through Beginner through to Advanced. I learnt a number of new skills and techniques that I was then able to use in my everyday work. As a result of the knowledge that I gained, I went on to successfully complete a Masters degree in GIS.”
Congratulations Rachel!
Rachel Antcliffe, Principal LLPG Officer, Leeds City Council
Exploration & Mining, UTM Global, Australia
UTM Global is a leading company based in Australia that manage global portfolios specializing in Global Exploration and Mining Title Management and Administration. The mapping element of their work is a key factor in the work that they do. Gareth Gilbert is UTM’s lead GIS specialist. Although Gareth had been using MapInfo for a good while he wanted to get further training to improve his skills. He turned to GIS247. This is what Gareth thinks of our eLearning:
“I am doing the modules as I get the time. I cannot even describe how excellent the training is. The training videos are absolutely brilliant and I have relooked at the way I use my GIS. The training is very professional and done in a way that you actually learn. I would recommend anyone, even with experience, to start at the Beginners course as GIS247 actually show you the proper way in which way to use the software.”
The result of GIS247’s eLearning has had a direct effect on UTM’s business. Gareth says that the standard of the maps he now produces has been transformed:
“Even our clients have been commenting how professional the maps have become and through that we have picked up SO much more business.”
In addition to helping gain more business, Gareth has personally developed as a result of access to GIS247. This has been noticed by his peers. Eden Hodson who is UTM’s Principal Mining Consultant has been impressed by the significantly improved standard of Gareth’s work. She comments:
“the level and standard of work has improved significantly which has positively impacted the services we provide to our clients. We continually receive great comments and feedback about the standard of the mapping.” Gareth says “everything I have said does not even begin to describe how excellent the training is and I am absolutely loving it.”
Well done Gareth!
Oil Engineering, Penneco, United States of America
Richard Kunkle is an Engineering Coordinator for Penneco. He has been using GIS247 for a number of years to support his GIS work. This is the feedback Richard has given about our eLearning.
“I have found GIS247 to be a very informative training source. I particularly like the way the exercises are set up. In the early lessons, the exercises will tell you exactly what to do with every step included. As you reach later lessons, the exercises will give you the new information you need, but only include hints (which you can skip) with more details on how to proceed with the tasks you have already learned. I find this challenges you to remember where each tool or setting is located, and how to make it work, which is much better than a system that simply tells you every step all along the way.”
“GIS247 has taught me many, many things that have made doing my work here much easier, and given me confidence. One of the nice things is that you always have access to the lessons and modules you have completed (which are clearly marked), as well as the ones you have not yet done. This is really useful because if you are wishing to do a specific task, but you cannot remember everything about it, but you know it is in GIS247, the lessons and modules are named in such a way that you can easily find the information that you are seeking.”
Oil Engineering, BP, Worldwide
Mark Poole is the Survey & Positioning Lead for BP Angola.
“Since BP have adopted ArcGIS as a primary platform for storing and visualising our spatial data I needed to develop my skills in the use of ArcGIS Desktop. I had previously attended face to face GIS training but had forgotten more than I had learned. The format of the GIS247 eLearning course really worked for me as I could both control the pace of my learning and fit training around my schedule. I followed the training primarily from home in the evenings and found that the combination of videos and exercises very effective with each module an appropriate length for a single session.”
“The training has greatly improved my ability to efficiently author map products using ArcGIS Desktop and provided me with the enthusiasm and confidence to use the software more regularly and further develop my GIS skills.”
Mark Poole is the Survey & Positioning Lead for BP Angola. Mark is responsible for the geospatial integrity of business critical data held in ArcGIS and actively supports teams engaged in offshore construction drilling and inspection operations that require maps and charts for their work.
Oil Engineering, BP, Worldwide
Sebastian Hammerschmidt is one of the many BP users of GIS247. He was the first to achieve a certificate for completing the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS course. To gain this certificate, as proof of his new skills and knowledge, he passed the GIS247 marked course assessment – with distinction. Sebastian took about 3 weeks to complete the course as he fitted it in around his other work commitments as he knew he needed the ArcGIS knowledge sooner rather than later. He says that in particular he
“found doing the exercises really beneficial, following them step by step really boosted my learning experience. The time I\'ve spent doing the online training was well invested, since I am now much more efficient when working with ArcGIS.”
Dr Sebastian Hammerschmidt is a 2nd year Geoscience Challenger and works in the Africa New Ventures team in Exploration. He is continuing to develop GIS skills by following the Intermediate course.
Canal & River Trust, United Kingdom
“The GIS247 course allows me to go into greater detail than would be available from a one-off hosted training session. The course gives a clear, step by step guide to each tool learnt, covering all aspects about each. There are no time restrictions like there would be on a ’face-to-face’ training day, and so the videos last as long as they need to cover all tools in necessary detail. By doing the course online by myself it means that I can go at my own pace and go back over anything I struggle with. The ability to repeat presentations is really helpful when completing the assessments too, when I get stuck on a specific topic I can refer back to the in-vision videos – the contents on the video makes it easy to go to the exact topic that I am stuck on and refer back to.”“To keep me on track I aim to try and complete a module a week - I usually make sure I have enough time to watch the video in one go without being interrupted. I then complete the assessment, referring back to the video if need be. I do the course at work at my desk, balancing it with my day job - the course flexibility means I can pick it up and put it down around other work and as and when phone calls come in etc. If I have a quiet day, I may watch a training video, or complete an assessment. If not, I will work on the course in lunch breaks. I have watched some of the videos at home, but all the assessments I have done at work.”
“I have thoroughly enjoyed the GIS247 e-learning experience, the length of both the training and assessments means they are great to ‘pick up and put down’. The information is presented in a logical format and is very user friendly. The training and assessments are to a high standard.”
Louise Shakeshaft
Cornwall Council, England
“How does the saying go? ‘you learn something new every day’ well that’s certainly the case when I started training through GIS247.The beauty of the training is that I could fit it in between my daily tasks, which works well and the material provided is excellent. Supported and encouraged by the council I’ve now successfully completed two courses - Mastering ArcGIS and the Advanced Guide to ArcGIS together with several modules from other courses that interested me.”
“I’ve certainly found the section covering feature analysis useful when extracting specific data from a large set. It’s taught me how I can drill down through the data, filtering / adding and subtracting information quickly and effectively leaving me with the desired result.
Another useful skill I’ve learnt is manipulating labels. Most of the time a few single text lines is all that’s required on a layout but there are times when more complex labelling is required.”
“I stumbled across the fact that labels could be converted prior to the training but never knew what to do after that point. The training has allowed me to manage my labelling and has improved the look of the final map, especially as I struggled before when sites are so small that the label covered them."
"If you have the opportunity to access GIS247 online training don’t turn it down, you never know where it may lead you.”
Rachel Barkle, Senior Development Support Officer, Planning Delivery Team
Nottinghamshire County Council, England
Two years ago Rosie had not even heard of GIS. With access to GIS247 Rosie was given the opportunity to undertake a range of training courses in the ArcGIS software. Rosie said,
“Without GIS247 I don’t think I would have been able to attend any training courses at all due to the cost constraint.”
In the space of a year Rosie has gone from a total beginner to a highly competent and skilled user. She followed a range of different training courses building up her skills and expertise. These courses include the Beginners Guide to ArcGIS, Intermediate Guide to ArcGIS, Advanced Guide to ArcGIS, Spatial Statistics & Analysis and Linear Referencing. In total Rosie has not only completed 7 challenging courses but has obtained distinctions for all of them!
“I am very proud. It is nice to have the proof of my achievement, and my team are also impressed and proud of me as well!”
“Mine is an administrative role but my work is now much more advanced. I can now produce maps for analysis of a variety of issues. From locations of children attending different schools, to locations of new housing developments in relation to catchment areas. This helps Senior Officers analyse and understand data far more easily and make important choices from that knowledge. I really enjoy being able to give this added support as it makes my role much more varied and interesting.”
Rosie Gilbert, Strategic Place Planning & School Admissions Team, Children, Families & Cultural Services Department
Local Government, Nottingham City Council, England
“Though I had heard about GIS I never thought how useful it was. The Property Records Team gave me the opportunity to undertake a range of training courses in the ArcGIS software via their GIS247 access. Since following the training I have used ArcGIS to create and maintain electronic spatial location records of all the Council’s land and property assets. I have prepared plans and site maps of the Council’s land and property assets for members and officers for the development and regeneration of Nottingham. I am now able to initiate and manage multiple tasks with GIS; for example, using adding T-marks, red edging, shading colours, querying attributes and a range of other things.”“I have found e-learning the best option for me because it’s flexible, accessible and convenient. I really like the quality of the training. The presentations are loud and clear which also makes it easy to follow. I also think that e-learning will ensure that the team will keep up to date with changes in the software to maintain a competitive edge. Though am still on the Beginners course I feel that the knowledge I have gained thus far has given me the confidence to do my daily duties with competence.”
Blessing Amin, Property Records Department
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), United Kingdom
“My background is in biology and project management, so unlike my more experienced colleagues I was completely new to GIS. The e-learning format allowed me to fit the training in around my other work and to add GIS elements into projects at my own pace. It also lets me go back and review the units that were most helpful.”“I thought the content and quality of the training was very good and the Beginners course definitely covered all the key areas. Also I liked that the hands on exercises were relatively straightforward, but still took me through the process of many of the different tools and options. So when I started using ArcGIS for real-world data, I had a reasonable feel for where I should go to do different things, even if I hadn’t done them the same way before. I now have new skills which I hope to develop further, enabling me to take on more complex GIS analysis in the future. The GIS247 course has given me a good start!”
Since the Beginners course Joanna has completed both the follow on Intermediate and Advanced ArcGIS courses, developing her technical capabilities. She gained distinction in both these training course assessments.
Joanna Tye, Database Manager
Fife Council, Scotland
Iona comments,
“When I did some training I just popped my headphones on and I got on with it. Being in the office was useful as if I was needed for something then I was still available. Having the certificates shows that I’ve done a lot of hard work and it has been great to show my team. They have been really supportive and proud of me. Particularly in being able to re-watch the presentation. It was really useful to watch them again sometimes before doing the follow on exercise and sometimes after.”
Iona says that she found the nature of the on-line training really useful,
“It was great to have the flexibility. The exercises were very good and I really enjoyed doing them. As I progressed I felt more confident in what I was doing. Other ArcGIS users in my department now feel that they should make more use of the training in order to keep up with the software developments and progress themselves. My manager Rod Wallace is delighted with my development and that I now provide additional skills on more projects. My immediate colleagues have found my increased knowledge really useful too. When I am asked a question, or we are discussing how to do something I can now offer a solution.”
“This is because I have not only a broader knowledge of what we can do with ArcGIS but also now because of my experience in using the software through the exercises of how to go about it in the best way. The work I am doing now is really interesting. A lot of the tips that I learnt on the training courses are turning out to be very useful. The skills and tricks I learnt on the Advanced Editing course are particularly relevant at the moment. Topology can be quite tricky so it’s really useful to have a thorough understanding and know why you need to do certain things.”
In conclusion Iona says “I am really pleased with the new skills that I have gained. I think I have found my niche and really enjoy using spatial data in the different projects – it’s really interesting!”