In today’s GIS environment, it’s easy to focus on the next custom application, automation, or advanced workflow. At Sain, we build those solutions every day. But in the pursuit of innovation, I’ve seen something consistent across organizations of all sizes: core GIS skills quietly erode over time.
Fundamental skillsets like editing, analysis, and cartography are the backbone of any successful GIS program. When those basics are overlooked, even the most advanced tools can fall short. That’s why Sain offers GIS Basic Training Services—to help organizations return to the essentials and strengthen their GIS foundation.
Why “Basic” GIS Training Isn’t Basic at All
Our GIS Basic Training is intentionally designed to be small, focused, and practical. Rather than large classroom settings, our training is geared toward one-on-one instruction, with up to three participants per session. This approach allows us to tailor each class to the specific needs, workflows, and data environments of our clients.
The real value lies in the details—the tips, shortcuts, and conceptual explanations that are often bypassed in standardized training. With more than 40 years of combined GIS experience, our instructors don’t just show how a tool works; they explain why it works, when to use it, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
What We Cover in GIS Basic Training
Our semi-structured curriculum adapts to client needs while covering essential GIS competencies, including:
- Basic Editing: Edit Ribbon: Creating Functions, Feature Templates, Modify Functions, Graphics Layers, and Versioning (for Enterprise Users)
- Basic Analysis: Analysis Ribbon: Selection Tools, Definition Queries, Geoprocessing Tools, Table Functions, and Model Builder
- Basic Cartography: Layout Ribbon: Symbology, Layer Files, Layouts, and Map Series
- Basic Imagery: Imagery Ribbon: Data Extraction, Georeferencing, Image Analysis
- Basic Database Administration: Database Schema, Optimization, Subtypes, Domains, and Data Sharing
- Advanced Topics: Geocoding, Utility Networks, and Roads and Highways (Linear Referencing)
Experience That Translates to Real-World Training
Sain’s GIS team brings decades of hands-on project experience across public and private sectors. That experience informs every training session we deliver.
Our work includes:
- Basemap Development: Parcel Data, Planimetric Data, Environmental, Transportation, LiDAR Data, and 3D Terrains / Scenes.
- Utilities: Water and Wastewater. Electric, Stormwater, Natural Gas, Petroleum, and Telecommunications.
- Government: Air Force, Navy, and Marine Bases, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as well as State, County, and City Governments.
- GIS Solutions: School Campuses, Cemeteries, Bus Routes, Linear Referencing, Work Order Management, and Shipyards.
This experience allows us to ground training in real use cases, not hypothetical examples.
Strengthening GIS from the Ground Up
At Sain, we believe returning to the basics isn’t a step backward—it’s the foundation for everything that comes next. By reinforcing core skills, organizations gain better data quality, more efficient workflows, and greater confidence in their GIS outputs. To learn more, visit our GIS Services page.