How can you avoid common GIS training challenges?

Based on my experiences & interaction with professionals over the years, the following can help: - Clear Learning Objectives: Clearly define your learning objectives before starting GIS training. This will help you stay focused and ensure that you are learning the specific skills/knowledge you need. -Hands-on Practice: GIS is a practical field, so make sure to allocate enough time for hands-on practice. This will help reinforce your understanding and develop your skills. Join GIS Communities: Engage with GIS communities, both online and offline. Participate in forums, attend conferences, join user groups, and connect with fellow GIS enthusiasts. This will help you stay updated, learn from others, and expand your professional network.

I believe that in order for training in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to be more effective, it is necessary to integrate between science in terms of scientific concepts, terminology, and theoretical framework, in addition to practical training to explain the tools within the framework of applied projects from the reality of the labor market, and also to present the problems that the trainee is expected to face and how to solve these problems. This will give the trainee both knowledge and practical experience.

GIS is a major pillar of interdisciplinary suite of geospatial information and technologies. It is important to understand the process flow of information and technologies across the geospatial value chain and accordingly identify the areas that you require to enhance your skills.

Here's my perspective on this: Setting Clear Goals: GIS learners often become enthusiastic about earning a certificate upon completing a GIS training course, which can divert their focus. It is crucial to prioritize your goals i.e., skills over a certificate. Time Management: Many GIS learners exhibit remarkable enthusiasm during the training, with some achieving outstanding results. However, post-training, they may struggle to find sufficient time for practice. Dedication to consistent practice is essential. Application Focus: GIS learners should have a specific application in mind for the skills they acquire. This motivates them to ask insightful questions of the instructor and ensures practical relevance.

Are you aspiring to excel in the world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)? GIS training undoubtedly offers a rewarding path to a fulfilling career, but it's not without its hurdles. Whether you're just starting or consider yourself an advanced user, here's a guide to overcoming the common challenges that may stand between you and GIS success. ?? Challenge 1: Lack of Time ?? - Solution: Prioritize your learning by setting a regular schedule. Even dedicating 15-30 minutes a day can yield significant progress over time. ?? Challenge 2: Limited Resources ?? - Solution: Explore free GIS resources online, like open-source software and tutorials. Many universities also offer free GIS courses.

I can't stress enough the value of time-blocking for professional development. There are a lot of distractions around us and the reality is that we have a limited daily window to do training. It's not just helpful to plan out your schedule, but it's also crucial to decide on the specific topics you want to learn within that limited time frame. The GIS industry has many branches and applications, so it's easy to get sidetracked and forget which pathway you want to specialize in.

The issue of schedule planning is not unique to GIS. It applies to many areas as well. Learning will be deeper and faster if it is use case oriented. Either in the form of a course project to analyse and recommend on a subject, or as a work project to assess and solve a problem. It may take more time the first time, but it will get more efficient with time.

The subjects of this field are very wide. So it is better to plan and focus on the specific field and goal that we have so we can Manage our time energy

Tthis depends on whether one wants to be either a GIS specialist or a user in other fields. For instance a geoscientist need to gain some skills which are specifically satisfy what his/her projects desire. So, as a geoscientist its good to know the objective of learning GIS applications for his/her target. The training must be tuned in such a way & must give attention to the GIS tools for geoscience. This could be acquired either through consulting or seeking help from senior colleagues who have been using GIS or directly getting training through training institutes or look for youtube resources specific to his/her objective. Budgeting time is in anyway important not only to get trained in GIS but in almost all learning processes.

While reviewing resources, it's important to understand the concepts even more so than the tools. Using up to date technology is well and good, but when you are limited in tools or working with clients who are not able to afford the latest technology the base foundation of geospatial knowledge will allow learners the ability to more efficiently utilize their resources.

Utilize Diverse Learning Resources: To master GIS and relevant skills, explore a variety of learning resources such as textbooks, online tutorials, video courses, and forums. Different resources offer different perspectives and explanations, which can enhance your understanding and learning experience.

GIS is a science and also a tool needed to address different scenarios. One has to know the industry where (s)he intends to use GIS. For example, tools and methodology required for crop analysis may be different from the tools needed when it comes to 3d geovisualization of an Urban environment. Once a particular use case has been identified, the student will be aware of the exact tools within the GIS toolbox to use to answer his/her spatial data questions.

To really find your right resources in your GIS Learning journey, there are key steps to consider. First, defining your learning goals is crucial. Determine whether you want to specialize in a specific aspect of GIS, such as spatial analysis or cartography. Next, understand your preferred learning style – whether it's structured courses, hands-on projects, or interactive forums. Leverage open educational resources (OER), freely available materials like textbooks and tutorials, for a solid start in self-guided learning. Explore university, government, and NGO websites for free GIS resources, and read GIS books and research journals to deepen your knowledge. Attend webinars and conferences to stay updated and network with fellow learners.

Geospatial information and technologies are very dynamic and accordingly one needs to train and re-train themselves to remain relevant and updated. Further, the applications and solutions offered by GIS requires regular customization based on the domain. There is no one size fits all when applying GIS technology to find solutions for the real-world problems, and therefore one need to constantly update and upgrade themselves on an ongoing basis.

Often, the challenge begins already with the data, and the format it is in. Data are often not provided in a way that would be most convenient for GIS systems (be it unpractical coordinate systems/missing data/etc). It is useful to be already involved in the data collection stage. If that was not possible, do not be discouraged: part of GIS work is getting the data to work in the GIS system.

This is exactly my case. I have worked as GIS Expert for about 7 years (2008-2015), but due the lack of projects, works requiring GIS Specialist, I’d rather convert myself into Land Surveyor (2016-now). I hope to find GIS opportunity one day but I don’t know if I’ll be as competitive as before.

To escape the tutorials quagmire, do pick a task/ challenge you experience in your daily activities and use GIS tools to solve it. This will motivate you to be on track as learning and doing will be combined into one experience.

GIS can be complex, and mastering it takes time and effort. Be patient with yourself and persist in your learning journey. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth and keep pushing forward. Seeking feedback from peers could potentially provide progressive learning opportunities.

Stay Updated: GIS technology and techniques are constantly evolving. Stay updated with the latest advancements, software updates, and industry trends. Subscribe to newsletters, follow relevant blogs or social media accounts, and invest time in continuous learning.

Knowledge: GIS is not only based some software things. The most common things to consider is to get the knowledge related to GIS and other statistical or data management related software. Theory and practice: There are other things to consider is to know about the proper theory and application. That includes both the theory and application related to visual interpretation or related to graphics and also the theory related to the geospatial analysis and Remote sensing. Make Friends: If you want to learn or get involved in something, the best way to know more is to make more friends with the same mentality.

Un aspecto esencial de los SIG que debe aprenderse desde el inicio es su relación costo beneficio de cara al cliente. Tanto si estas en sector público, o privado, inclusive en la Academia o el tercer sector (ONG′s), siempre debes tomar en cuenta ese principio. ?Por qué es importante? Porque existe una infinidad de proveedores de software, hardware, imágenes de distintas resoluciones, de distintos servicios de satélites, o drones con diversos tipos de sensores que afectan la efectividad y la relación costo beneficio. Así que un desafío en la capacitación y formación de SIG es la búsqueda del conocimiento de las distintas alternativas tecnológicas, su compatibilidad y las destrezas en su manejo para satisfacer al cliente a costos razonables.