“We are getting more and more requests for participation in career fairs,” Tim says. “The posters and this whole pro- gram are filtering into the school counselors. … It’s opening the doors for surveyors nationwide to help generate buzz about who we are and what we do and the technology and everything that’s based upon the profession itself. So, it
has really been a big help.” The Role of Technology
For the current generation of professionals who have already chosen other careers, the posters, comic books and lesson plans might have come too late. But here, a different form of outreach is having an impact. With the increasing technol- ogy innovation and autonomy in the surveying profession comes an opportunity to attract new talent from unexpected sources. “I’m a second-generation surveyor,” Tim says. “So the idea of the stereotypical surveyor, that’s what I grew up with. That was the man on the side of the road, with a tripod, taking pictures. … Now in the 21st century, it is so much more than that.
It is all geospatial. [There’s so] much 3D technology in what we’re doing now. … It’s laser scanning an entire room or building, or site … and basically creating what the industry calls a digital twin of that space. Making that connection, I think, is very important. “Even that younger generation that maybe has already gone through college, maybe they’ve gotten their degree … we come across the 25- to 35-year-olds that are still looking for an identity,” he adds. “So, it’s not just chasing down the junior high, high school, college kids. It’s also a generation of young adults that are still maybe looking for something, that like a challenge. … It’s not just going out and finding property lines. There’s so much to the All this is small consolation to surveying and engineering firms that are turning down work because they lack the staff. But while there is no quick-fix solution to the talent shortage in surveying, a solid future is being built on the groundwork being laid by Elaine Ball, Tim Burch and many others. Sharing the story that surveying is a dynamic, exciting career with tremendous growth potential is a clear way to accelerate that progress. “I am optimistic that we’re going to make a difference simply because I know even early in my career what fascinated me about surveying and the technology that kept me in surveying for a long time,” says Tim. “I know there are more like-minded people out there like me, who like a challenge, who like the history, who like being able to work with people, work with data, work with things. There’s a lot more out there. And I think we just need to find those bright, young minds and challenge them.” Note: This story is based on a podcast episode recorded for HxGN Radio, which is available on iTunes, Spotify or SoundCloud. Listen to the full podcast episode here > Note: A version of this article was originally published on Pure Surveying Insights. For more stories on how technology im- proves surveying efficiency and quality, visit https://pure-surveying.com/insights. To learn more about solutions to maximize your surveying potential, get in touch with a surveying and engineering expert at Leica Geosystems. measurement, to the data.” A Dynamic, Exciting Career
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October 2022 csengineermag.com
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