One can be professionally qualified surveyor and be self-employed or even a chartered accountant or financial consultant. A chartered accountant is someone who works for a company on behalf of the company. He has to carry out any function that would benefit the company and is paid a certain amount of money as remuneration. There are various courses and educational qualifications that can lead to an entry level professionally qualified surveyor in this field.
In today’s market a person with knowledge of geographic information, statistics as well as accounting can also be doing a surveying job. Geographical information refers to the knowledge of the physical things like roads, boundaries, railway stations, airport terminals, buildings, etc. This type of surveyor’s work is normally carried out over long distances. They survey certain sites on behalf of a client and take the required measurements. This job requires the knowledge of computers along with computer software as well. Usually the surveyors work independently or are employed by large organizations.
Another surveying career path is Quantity Surveying. To be able to do a quality quantity surveying, a person needs to have a master’s degree in civil engineering or in any other field that requires scientific knowledge. Quantity surveying is usually of two types: one that is usually carried out by government bodies and the other one is of private origin where the product belongs to the private individual or structure.
One of the interesting surveying field positions is land surveying. In land surveying, it is very important to have accurate measurements for various purposes. The main job of land surveying is to study the topography, the soil and the surrounding areas so that the surveyor is able to provide the information needed. In order to do a good land survey, one must be experienced enough and should also be well-versed with the drafting instruments for such surveys. Land surveyors usually start off as surveyors before moving on to other specialized assignments.
There are different course sequences available for Hydrographic Surveyors. In order to obtain the best grades, a student needs to undertake the core courses first. These include theory-based courses like mathematical fundamentals, geometry and surveying instruments. Next, the student has to undergo the core surveying course which mainly consists of lectures, laboratory work and practical sessions. Last, but not the least; the student needs to secure a certificate from the recognized surveying board. “Although it is hard to generalize as there are many different jobs, in general a hydrographic surveyor needs to be ‘hard’ skilled in applied mathematics, physics, computer science and a fair dose of electronics. As everything is applied, a future surveyor shouldn’t be an ‘armchair’ Surveyor but be able to apply all knowledge directly into practice,” says Johan Stam, of Skilltrade BV.
In addition, there are some important skills that every Surveyor needs to have. A good surveyor needs to be detail-oriented, physically fit, good at problem solving, good with statistical methods and very skilled in writing a convincing narrative in the field of surveying. All these are the prerequisites for a successful career as a professional surveying surveyor. Additionally, according to Johan, besides the hard skills a number of soft skills are required. Surveying is often done in a small team, far away and problems need to be solved in the here and now. “Amongst the soft skills required are being a team player, being capable of trouble shooting, thinking outside the box, working under pressure, being able to convince but also work on your own part of a project (but still as a member of a larger team) etc. A good overall surveyor is one that combines the hard skills and the soft skills,” he adds.
Now that you know all these important things about surveying, you should be in a position to look for a suitable course sequence. It would be a great help if you can find a chartered or certified surveying consultant who can guide you through your education and prepare you for a rewarding and fulfilling career in the field of surveying.
