THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT ONE COULD BUILD A CAREER OUT OF. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SURVEYING?
I’ve done a lot of different jobs in my life, and surveying generally fits the best. There were components that were difficult and some moments where I questioned my sanity, but in all, it has always just made sense. Being a land surveyor is part puzzle solver, part historian, part detective. Every site contains its own unique challenges, and it is my job to solve the problem.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUNG GIRLS WHO WANT TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE SURVEYING INDUSTRY WHEN THEY GROW UP?
Although college is not required to the extent it is in other states, I’d recommend they get a forestry degree. My time at SFA is what exposed me to surveying, and there are many aspects of forestry that translate very well to surveying. The current forestry program at SFA still includes mandatory hours in surveying that teach the basics of surveying. Having a university-style education in surveying is an excellent foundation to become a professional surveyor.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THE SURVEYING INDUSTRY?
Honestly, it is that our instrument is a camera. Even though many now have cameras built it, it is not a camera. Outside of that, I am not sure how many people know that there *is* a surveying industry. I always define my profession as a ‘land surveyor’ to people I meet to differentiate from the people in malls with clipboards. I tell people that every real estate transaction, every building, every house, every highway – from oil rigs in the ocean to the tallest of skyscrapers on land – are all built on information provided by surveyors. Without surveyors, there is no construction. There’s no deep-sea exploration or landings on Mars, and yet, there are less than 50,000 of us in the US per the Bureau of Labor Statistics with an average age of 55. Surveyors work on every continent on the planet, specialize in land and sea applications, and provide 3D information to architects, engineers, and others whenever land or space is involved. I recommend to people to follow #landsurveying on social media to see all the many surveying applications around the world.
IF YOU COULD STEAL CREDIT FOR ANY GREAT PIECE OF ART, SONG, FILM, BOOK, ETC., WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CLAIM?
I have never been particularly drawn to making art, I can’t sing in any fashion that someone else would like to hear, and I like watching films but never thought to create my own. I have contemplated being an author, especially after I read a particularly well-written line or book, but I also don’t have the temperament. I have a deep admiration for people that are so inclined and am thankful for the skills I do have.
For more information about NSPS and Surveyors Week, click on the logo above