Course information

In the digital age, understanding spatial data is critical in making informed business decisions. Generating insights from location data requires special tools – Geographic Information Systems (GIS). By combining spatial information, computer technology, and geography, GIS enables analysts, managers, and researchers to create intuitive knowledge capturing the spatial dimension.

This GIS introductory course will show you fundamental Geographic Information Systems skills. Learning GIS will take place using “industry standard” software suite ESRI ArcGIS Pro and will also introduce its free, open-source alternative QGIS. You will learn spatial data types, prepare ArcMap documents, import/export spatial data, apply geoprocessing tools and create beautiful maps.

By the end of the course, you will have solid mapping and spatial analytics skills. Regardless of your skill level, you will gain a newfound confidence using ArcGIS Pro and QGIS.

Aims

This course aims to provide a hands-on introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) using industry-standard software, ESRI ArcGIS Pro. We want to empower you to confidently work with spatial data and GIS software.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• describe what a Geographic Information System (GIS) is
• operate ArcGIS Pro software packages
• work with spatial data
• differential between .shp, .gdb, and raster files
• make beautiful and informative maps
• geoprocess spatial data
• find, download, and use ABS statistical geography.

Content

• Geographic Information Systems
• ESRI ArcGIS Pro software
• Brief overview of QGIS
• Types of spatial data – vector and raster
• File types - .shp vs geodatabase
• Coordinate systems
• Geoprocessing and spatial data manipulation techniques
• Creating maps using principles of cartography

Intended audience

Analysts, business professionals, managers, IT knowledge workers and lifelong learners looking to master spatial data will find this course advantageous.

Prerequisites

While no programming is required for this class, some basic proficiency working with data is required.

Delivery mode

Face-to-face, presenter-taught training in a computer lab.

Delivery style

Taught over one day, through a series of concepts, examples, problem exercises, and in-class knowledge challenges. The material is presented so that participants of varying backgrounds, skills and abilities can all move together in a brisk but comfortable learning pace.

Utilising principles of productivity, efficiency, and time management, the course material and timeline is structured to optimise learning.

Materials

All course materials and files are available electronically (via Dropbox).

Additional information

This course uses the ESRI ArcGIS Pro software, supplied in CCE’s computer lab. Note that ArcGIS Pro is ESRI’s latest GIS software platform, replacing ArcMap.