ConsultancyGIS News
GIS Lifebelt
Salford GIS is pleased to announce the launch of a new concept in supporting GIS users - GIS Lifebelt.
Since its inception, Salford GIS has earned a reputation for highly effective GIS training courses that provide attendees with an excellent grounding in the use of what can be complicated software.
Whilst face-to-face teaching is the best way for new and experienced staff to learn and improve their GIS skills, Salford GIS wanted to ensure that the training shouldn’t stop with the end of the course.
Salford GIS Director Rob Knight explains: “Once back in the office users often find the pressures of work hinder their ability to remember everything learnt in the relatively relaxed environment of the training room. Colleagues demanding data to be added, maps to be produced or analysis work to be completed within tight timescales can be difficult to cope with. People need access to support on demand."
Understanding this need saw Salford GIS create and introduce the GIS Lifebelt. The GIS Lifebelt is a support package that means users are never left to struggle on their own again; help is always at hand.
Rob Knight again; “Owners of a GIS Lifebelt have access to a comprehensive online library of tutorial videos backed up with support via telephone/email from Salford GIS consultants should they need it. By working with our customers, we have found that people prefer support that is quick and easy to access, and in particular would prefer self-service access to that support rather than repeatedly contacting their GIS Manager or IT helpdesk.
There are some fantastic advances in GIS at the moment, but at the user level there are a lot of people still trying to master the basics. The Online Tutorials are carefully designed to be user friendly and concise, enabling subscribers to continue to learn as they go.”
Initially for ArcView™ and MapInfo® software, the tutorials available as part of the GIS Lifebelt use UK data and will constantly evolve in line with the customer feedback, to cover more topics and new software releases.
GIS Lifebelt
5th October 2009
Summer Offers on Training
Want to save some money on the cost of GIS Training?
For our ArcGIS and MapInfo courses we're offering reduced course fees for dates scheduled in July, August and September 2009!
For two-day courses, single places are available at £450 each (were £550) and if you book two or more people they're only £400 per person!
For one-day courses, the fee is just £250 (was £300)
Remember these prices only apply to scheduled course dates between July and
September (see below for schedule), so don't miss out!
Reduced rates apply to the following dates only:-
Introduction to MapInfo - 7th & 8th July
Introduction to MapInfo - 8th & 9th September
Advanced MapInfo - 23rd July
Advanced MapInfo - 17th September
Introduction to ArcView - 14th & 15th July
Introduction to ArcView - 15th & 16th September
Intermediate ArcView - 30th September & 1st October
Advanced ArcView - 29th September
Click here to reserve a place
2nd July 2009
GIS Online Tutorials Imminent
Over the past few months we have been working extensively to develop a set of practical, comprehensive and invaluable on-line tutorials which we will be offering as a service to public and private sector clients.
These tutorials will be available initially for ArcView 9.3 and MapInfo 9.5, and will be regularly added to and upgraded to new versions of the software as they are released by their vendors.
Costs to access the tutorials will be very competitive and will allow access for up to fifty individuals across an organisation.
ArcView course coordinator Rob Knight commented 'These easy to use tutorials are designed to complement our existing taught course in that they allow people to refresh their memories about functions that they may not regularly use, or find better ways of working.'
Watch this space for a release date. If you want to be at the front of the queue, initial enquiries can be made to rob@salford-gis.co.uk
30th June 2009
Barcelona Bangers Sites Launched
As we mentioned last year, Paul and Chris are driving £200 worth of scrap metal down to Barcelona at the end of May in aid of Charity.
Two websites have been launched, a blog of the build-up to the event and a justgiving site where you can gift-aid a donation to the charity MapAction.
Click on the link below to find out more. Barcelona Bangers Details
6th March 2009
Launch of GeoNorth Consortium
Salford GIS Ltd and Manchester Geomatics Ltd are pleased to announce the launch of a new joint-venture, The GeoNorth Consortium.
The GeoNorth Consortium will provide a wide range of GIS and Information Management Services via a single point of contact, with a particular focus on services designed for local & national government organisations and agencies.
Both founding companies have built their reputations on vendor independence and customer service, with particular areas of excellence in LLPG/NSG Consultancy & Maintenance, GI Strategy and Training,. They aim to offer solutions that are practical, imaginative and cost-effective, driven first and foremost by business need
As Rob Knight from Salford GIS explains: “We have respected each other’s work for a long time and have come to the realisation that we seldom compete despite both companies being based within a few miles of each other. We’re looking forward to working together on more and more projects where we can leverage one another’s expertise to the benefit of our clients.”
Ed Scrase from Manchester Geomatics adds “ we are both keen to maintain our independence, but the various skills and services we each offer are highly complementary. The vision is that by pooling these resources through a consortium we will be able to offer clients a more comprehensive range of services and a more complete solution
The GeoNorth Consortium can be contacted on 0845 8677112, www.geonorth.co.uk
7th October 2008
7th October 2008
The mad fools...for charity
The whole World has gone mad....or is it just two consultants from Salford GIS Ltd?
Chris Nelson and Paul Coward have booked themselves on a epic journey covering some 1,500 miles from sunny Salford to even sunnier Barcelona.
Some of you may well be asking - What's the story, I did that this summer?
On the surface it sounds like a pleasant jaunt, take in a few vineyards and feast on the best of Europes seafood. But, as you have probably already gathered, there is a bit of a twist.
The rules of the 'Barcelona Bangers' adventure state that the journey has to be undertaken in a car which has been purchased for less that £200, and the guys are doing it all for charity.
We will be setting up a separate website soon and letting you know how you can lend your support to the Salford two and their madcap adventure which takes place towards the end of May 2009.
Watch this space.
29th September 2008
New ArcView course to be launched
In response to customer demand, Salford GIS are pleased to announce the introduction of a new, intermediate-level ArcVIew training course.
The course will be run over two days, and will suit users with a basic knowledge of ArcGIS or perhaps those who are self-taught and want to learn more about what the software can do.
Topics include a detailed look at the capabilities of Personal and File Geodatabases, and also Graphs and Reports.
A full course outline will be available shortly via this website, but if you are interested in attending please contact Rob Knight on 0161 278 2440.
Current dates are 3rd & 4th December 2008 and 3rd & 4th March 2009.
25th September 2008
New Course for Local Government Managers and Elected Members
Salford GIS have recently launched a new half-day training course intended to de-mystify the use and application of geographic information systems within UK local government. Once seen as the realm of specialists in Planning and Technical Services, the use of maps through GIS is now being recognised as a powerful and corporate tool within local authorities.
The company has been providing practical, hands-on training courses in desktop GIS products for over 10 years. However, the commitment to using and managing these systems at an operational level needs to be matched by understanding and leadership at a management level in order for the full potential and benefits to be realised.
Recognition of the need for greater senior-level awareness of GIS has led to the development of this new, half-day, seminar-style training course. Through the use of actual examples and case studies, the course provides a clear and logical explanation of what GIS is and the benefits that are being achieved.
The course is designed to be run at client’s offices for anywhere between four and forty delegates. Holding the courses on-site in this way enables Management Team members and/or Elected Members to attend with the minimum of disruption to daily schedules. The informal yet professional approach of the course provides an entertaining and information-packed insight into the application of GIS for the non-technically minded.
"Very informative and well presented. Packed but enjoyable."
Gary Devine, Technical Information Officer, Environment Operations, Trafford Council
"Very interesting and enjoyable course - would recommend. The practical examples were especially useful."
Helen Morrison, Senior Customer Services Advisor, West Lancashire District Council
For further information please click here.
14th April 2008