To become a surveyor, you can take a variety of routes. People are increasingly attending college to obtain a surveying degree, but this is not the only option; those who struggle in college may still have a chance at a surveying career if they are willing to put in the effort. A surveyor is someone who is capable of taking precise measurements to map out boundaries and known areas, doing everything from assisting companies in the creation of maps to filing formal descriptions of real estate with property deeds so that future property boundaries are not a source of confusion.
A bachelor’s degree in surveying is the traditional path to becoming a surveyor. Coursework will include a lot of math, as well as surveying, geology, and other related subjects. In order to gain real-world experience, college students are frequently encouraged to work for survey crews during the summer. Following graduation, a student can work as an intern for a surveying firm to gain experience before taking the surveyor licensure exam. A surveyor can work independently once licensed, and some prefer to join a professional organization and earn certification, which demonstrates special knowledge in the field.
To become a surveyor, you can enroll in a training program at a technical school or community college. These courses may be more limited than those offered to students with four-year degrees, but they provide students with fundamental knowledge that they can apply in a professional internship and later on a licensure exam. Some parts of the world also allow people to enter the surveying profession without any formal education by completing a minimum number of years of professional practice and passing a licensure examination.
When studying to become a surveyor, students should consider whether they want to work as geodetic surveyors on land or hydrographic surveyors on waterways. They should also consider where they want to use their skills, as surveyors are needed in a variety of industries, including road and highway agencies, county land offices, real estate agencies, mapmaking firms, and environmental organizations.
For example, a land surveyor could work on mapping forests for a timber harvest plan, mapping out homesites for potential real estate developments, or measuring the locations of future roadways to find the best routes and assist agencies with land rights. Hydrographic surveyors can help navigators create maps, environmental groups map out watersheds, and geologists map the beds of rivers, lakes, and streams to learn more about how and when they formed.