Sona Guliyeva
GIS Trainer, Azercosmos
Certification Success Story
What motivated you to pursue Esri technical certification?
“Failure is success if we learn from it.” – Malcolm Forbes.
In Azerbaijan, interest and demand for geospatial technologies has been growing rapidly in the last few years. Many organizations in both the public and private sectors are actively exploring GIS as a promising tool for solving problems and making decisions based on geographic data. In order to increase the number of specialists in the field of GIS, a training center was recently opened in Baku, where the latest versions of the Esri software are installed. This training center is a joint project of the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azercosmos) and the National Aviation Academy, which are currently my employers. So, the essential motivation for passing this exam was this training center. I needed to prove that I had the necessary skills as an educator to help our clients and students gain knowledge and achieve their goals with GIS technology, and I needed to be a certified trainer. Since the GIS Fundamentals Foundation 2201 exam is ideal for educators, and I got advice and inspiration from Dr. Kerski (Educational Manager from Esri), I decided to take this exam. Another strong motivation was to increase my profile by being the first professional with this certificate in my country, and also to show the power of women in IT, being the first girl from Azerbaijan who is Esri-certified. Finally, I wanted to start the new year of 2023 with the Esri exam.
What was your biggest challenge when preparing for the exam, and how did you solve it?
Due to my job responsibilities, I had limited time to thoroughly study each topic, so the first attempt was a failure for me. After the first attempt, I realized that this exam not only tests knowledge of the latest additions to Esri software, but also tests your concentration and problem-solving ability, which also requires calm of mind. In addition, the exam turned out to be much larger than I imagined. There were questions about the functions that I used, but also many questions about web maps. Four months later, I decided to take a couple of weeks off thanks to my PhD study and used this time mostly for exam preparation. It was also difficult to find reliable resources for preparation; however, thanks to the access to the whole world through social networks (especially LinkedIn), I contacted professionals who had passed the exam, and they helped me create my study plan and gave valuable advice for preparation: focus on the concepts that I needed to improve. In the end, I took more than 40 courses at Esri Academy, learned more deeply with the ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS online documentation, and watched tutorials on Esri's official YouTube account, which undoubtedly helped me pass the exam. Thus, I learned not only from theory and practices, but also from mistakes, which made me succeed.
Finish this sentence: When I learned that I had passed the exam, my first thought was…
Yes, I did it! It was an unforgettable moment for me when I saw this long-awaited message “Sona! You just earned a badge from Esri 🎉” I remember how I answered the question from my colleague about how I am feeling, I said, "I'm feeling certified!" He didn’t actually realize what I meant. The overwhelming feeling of joy and pride that came with getting this certification made me feel like a real GIS specialist! In the future, I'm going to continue on my way to additional Esri technical certifications because they prove knowledge and dedication, and they hold a great value in our GIS world.
How has becoming Esri-certified benefited you?
I began to feel more confident, as the preparation for the exam helped me identify and fill gaps in knowledge. It has helped me prove that I have GIS skills and know the latest technology. This certification has given me the confidence to speak authoritatively to my audience and colleagues while teaching the GIS courses. By earning my Esri certification, I have been able to increase the credibility of my GIS knowledge and now I can continue to share my knowledge with professionals across organizations with even greater confidence. It also demonstrated to my main employer that I am dedicated and experienced in the GIS field, and it has greatly improved my professional development and I am sure there are new opportunities ahead of me. Through certification, we will be able to show customers that we have real experience with ArcGIS and we are well-versed in the technology's capabilities. Knowing that my abilities and experience are validated by Esri is very inspiring! Being Esri-certified continues to motivate me to take on challenging tasks and inspire me to reach new heights. I am very thankful to the Esri team for providing me with all the resources and building the best GIS solutions around the world.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering an Esri technical certification?
As an Esri certified professional, I encourage everyone to use the resources available on Esri Academy and the internet to pass exams successfully. My preparation materials included the Esri Academy recommended learning plan, free and maintenance courses, help documentation of ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online, Esri Press books, and Esri Community. I have planned my learning based on Esri's learning resources and I'm sure a similar learning plan can help many succeed in the certification exam. Lastly, I recommend that you make the intention clear in your mind, read a lot, and feel free to ask questions of people who know more. Never give up and keep believing in yourself no matter what happens.