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A key component of the success that the Centre for GIS (CGIS) has enjoyed in the rapid integration and acceptance of GIS technology throughout Qatar's federal government is the special emphasis that it has always placed on training.
"While the implementation of rigorous standards is absolutely essential in developing a solid GIS, it is the people that ultimately make it all happen," observes Zul Jiwani, Head of CGIS. "Without a properly trained staff, there is very little hope of success."
Recognizing an ongoing need for professionals to staff the many GIS positions required by the government, CGIS opened its training centre in 1992, under the guidance of Abdulla Saleh Al-Kuwari, Assistant Head of CGIS. The centre is staffed by Cecilia Pinto, Training Administrator and Huda Al-Jaffar, lead Trainer.
The centre can accommodate as many as 16 students at a time with its state-of-the-art battery of UNIX workstations, Windows NT personal computers, digitizing tables, printers, and plotters.
GIS classes in ESRI's ARC/INFO, ArcView, and Avenue (ArcView's programming language) are taught regularly, as well as ARC Marco Language (AML) programming and the procedures for using OSF, Digital Equipment Corporation's standard operating system.
"We teach many students each year," comments Pinto, who coordinates both group and individual classes. "We try to customize classes as much as possible according to each student's level of ability and the work they are to perform," she continued. "For example, someone hired as a GIS Technologist will need to know such things as AML programming and coding structure, while for a GIS Coordinator it is more important to know how to manage the database and its structure."
Customizing the classes requires an on-going review and refinement of the centre's training procedures.
In addition to training government GIS staff, the centre occasionally conducts special classes for outside agencies because of its comprehensive facilities. Recently, it conducted the first training classes held in the Middle East for SDE, a new, platform independent GIS software product from ESRI. 27 attendees came from 8 different countries to attend the week-long session.
And, through the support and sponsorship of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), a team of four specialists from Vietnam completed a 3-week residence program this past spring at CGIS, which included extensive hands-on GIS training. (For more details on these 2 stories, see the Summer issue of AL-Khabar).
"We provide on-going, comprehensive training classes in the support of those government agencies using GIS here in Qatar, as well as the occasional special training session," summarized Pinto.
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