We cannot expect surveys to go out of style. Just like today, the world will need surveying technicians even tomorrow. Of course, the need to survey lands would not die. The technology would advance. And there will be certain differences in the process of surveying due to the advancements in technology. Yet, the fundamental principle would never change. There will only be advancements. Also, this is a profession that can give you a good income. So, in this article, we will be focusing on how to be a surveying technician. We hope that you will be able to get to know about all this through this article. Keep reading!
Elementary Surveying: An Introduction to Geomatics 15th Edition
This is a book by Charles Ghilani. In this book, each of the topics important to current surveying practice is in detail, including both basic principles and practical information. While it is intended to be introductory, its depth and breadth make it an excellent resource for self-study and licensure test preparation as well. This edition reflects the most recent technological advancements. It features QR codes that lead to video tutorials on how to solve certain issues, as well as over 400 figures and drawings, as well as countless examples of computational methods. So, this would surely be a good read for you.
What do surveying technicians do?
However, before we tell you what surveying technicians do, it would be better to get to know what surveying technicians do in the first place. So, what do surveying technicians do? Basically, surveying technicians are the ones that mainly do surveying and mapping of lands.
So, surveying technicians would have to visit lands and record the data. Basically, they would have to use the necessary tools and equipment for surveying tasks. In addition, they would have to consider the previous surveying points and take them into consideration as well. A survey party typically consists of party chief and one or more surveying technicians. The survey chief leads the day-to-day work activities of a surveying team. The surveying chief is either a surveyor or a senior surveying technician. Following the collection of data by the survey team, surveying technicians assist in the processing of the data by entering it into computers.
Surveying 6th Edition
The authors of this book are Jack C. McCormac, Wayne A. Sarasua, and William J. Davis. This book covers all the fundamental ideas in a basic surveying course in a simple manner. This can help is satisfy the learning demands of today’s students. Also, this book covers all of the necessary skills in surveying and civil engineering, including measurement, distance corrections, leveling, angles, area computation, computer calculations, topographic surveying, electronic distance measuring instruments, and construction surveying, in a clear and concise manner. Photos and illustrations, as well as listings of helpful locations and degree programs, surveying tables, and formulae, are in the book.
How much do Surveying Technicians make per year?
This seems to be an interesting question. Having an appropriate value in mind would be good. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual wage for surveying and mapping technicians on an average was $46200. For the highest 10 percent, it was $77480. And for the lowest 10 percent, it was $29110.
In which sectors do Surveying Technicians work?
Alright. Still, there is some more that we need to tell you about surveying technicians before we tell you how to be a surveying technician in particular. Some professionals work in the sector of utilities. Also, some technicians work in the local government. And it can be in the sectors like quarrying, mining, and oil and gas extraction as well.
Now, you have a good idea of the field in which surveying technicians work. Therefore, we can move towards getting to know how to be a surveying technician next.
Surveying: Principles and Applications 9th Edition
The authors of this book are Barry Kavanagh and Tom Mastin. This is an easy-to-understand and practical introduction to surveying. Expert treatment of surveying concepts, remote sensing, and other recent advancements in technical equipment, as well as modern applications for anything from mapping to engineering, are all in this book. It is designed to be as simple as possible while yet covering complex subjects normally covered in advanced surveying courses. So, we think that you would be able to learn a lot from this book.
Steps to be a Surveying Technician?
Okay, now, let us see how to be a surveying technician step by step. Hope this will be informative for you all.
- Get a high school diploma
- Complete post-secondary training
- Get on-the-job training
- Get certifications
- Advance in your career as a professional
These are the basic steps to be a surveying technician. So, we can now look into each of those steps in detail.
1. Get a high school diploma
The first thing you should consider if you think of becoming a surveying technician is that you must have a high school diploma. It is also acceptable to have an equivalent, a GED, or a General Education Development test. If you graduated from high school, you have a fundamental grasp of the vast majority of topics. High school graduation, in particular, signifies that you have a basic grasp of maths, science, reading, and writing. That is why, in order to begin your profession, you must obtain a high school diploma. You do not, however, need to be an expert in any of these. All that is necessary is a rudimentary understanding of the subject.
Mathematical knowledge is the most important sort of knowledge that you would need to work in this industry. To accomplish a range of tasks, you would nearly always need to apply your fundamental math abilities. We have previously told you what surveying technicians do. And you have probably observed that some basic arithmetic skills are necessary to complete such jobs. You should be able to solve an issue without too much difficulty. It is, however, only basic knowledge. You do not need to be a math whiz to become a surveying technician.
Students who want to work as a surveyor or mapping technician in high school should study algebra, geometry, trigonometry, drafting, mechanical drawing, and computer science classes. These disciplines can help you find work and advance in your career.
A high school diploma or GED, on the other hand, will not teach you anything about this field in particular. To achieve this, you must make a deliberate effort to advance in your profession with this goal in mind. In the next parts of this article, we can go over it in further depth.
Land Surveying Mathematics Simplified 1st Edition
This book by Paul Gay is an approach to the mathematical principles that surveying technicians would need. This explains angles, bearings, trigonometry, coordinate geometry, and traverse closure through a hands-on approach to widely-used equations and ideas. Many examples are in this book to assist the reader in comprehending the ideas. The author has endeavored to offer clear explanations of each subject in this book, in a simple manner. Hence, it is worth reading it for you for sure.
2. Complete post-secondary training
As the next step in our list of steps on how to be a surveying technician, we can consider completing post-secondary training. This might not be mandatory. But with post-secondary training, you can easily pave your path to success in your professional career. An associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, such as geomatics, is more prevalent in this regard. These kinds of training would be pretty beneficial in advancing your career.
Of course, it is not merely theoretical knowledge that matters. And it is not merely the practical competency that matters. You need to have both theoretical knowledge as well as practical excellence. With both these aspects, you can easily clear your way towards excelling in this field. Now, you would have understood how important completing post-secondary training is to excel in this field of surveying.
3. Get on-the-job training
Now you would need to acquire some on-the-job training. On-the-job training would be the primary method of learning and mastering the trade. You would figure out what you need to accomplish and how to go about doing it.
Under the guidance of a surveyor or a surveying party chief, surveying technicians learn their work tasks. At first, surveying technicians are responsible for simple duties like putting marks on lands and entering data into computers. With their knowledge, they can assist in determining where and how to measure the land.
Yes, this is basically how surveying technicians can start their careers. After they get their on-the-job training, they can proceed further in their occupations. Simultaneously, surveying technicians can earn certifications as well.
Land Surveying Simplified Paperback – June 25, 2016
The author of this book is Paul L. Gay. This is a book on surveying boundaries. It is for anyone who wants to learn more about how surveyors conduct surveys. The book is also for land surveying students who want to have a better understanding of how land surveyors survey a piece of property. It would give the reader an overview of boundary surveying methodologies as well as some of the most prevalent legal problems that regulate boundary determination. So, this probably would be an informative read for anyone who wants to be a surveying technician.
4. Get certifications
Now you know how to work as a surveying technician. In some circumstances, you may now have the necessary skills to work as a building maintenance worker. You could also have the necessary skills. Nonetheless, without certificates and licenses, you would be unable to develop in your profession as a surveying technician. Because of this, acquiring certifications and licenses is critical for a professional in this field.
In terms of where you can earn certifications from, you can earn a certification from the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS). They offer certifications for photogrammetry, remote-sensing, and Geographic Information/Land Information Systems (GIS/LIS). The Certified Survey Technician credential is offered by the National Society of Professional Surveyors. Also, the GIS Certification Institute is offering a GIS Professional certification.
As we told you, getting these certifications is really worth it. It is with these certifications that you can dignify yourself. Needless to say, you can surely get into higher-paying positions when you have all the necessary and requisite certifications and licenses. So, it is really important and vital to get the necessary certifications, notwithstanding.
5. Advance in your career as a professional
Now, we have already told you how to be a surveying technician. But that does not end there. You can go a lot ahead of this. You can advance to great heights as a professional. But this takes time. You cannot straightaway reach higher positions. Mainly, you need to get an ample amount of experience. It is the experience that you gain helps you reach where you want to reach eventually.
Basically, you should aim at becoming a licensed surveyor. That requires a lot of experience and training. But do not worry, with formal training and experience, you would surely be able to become a licensed surveyor ultimately.
Important Qualities you would need
In the last part of the article, we told you how to be a surveying technician. And now, we are going to tell you the important qualities that you need to have if you wish to be one. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the following important qualities to be most useful.
- Decision-making skills
- Detail-oriented
- Listening skills
- Physical stamina
- Problem-solving skills
These are the important qualities that surveying technicians would need to have. Let us move into a comprehensive analysis of each of them.
1. Decision-making skills
If you are reading this article on how to be a surveying technician, keep in mind that it is vital to have decision-making skills with you. Without proper decision-making skills, you would not be able to excel in this field. Because surveying technicians may not always be able to interact with team members, surveying technicians must be able to make on-the-spot decisions in the field.
You actually do not know the cost of a bad decision. Making a bad decision can even cost your entire job. And on the other hand, the right decisions that you take can be pretty advantageous. So, you need to be competent enough to make the right decisions at the right time.
The Art of Decision Making: How We Move from Indecision to Smart Choices: Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
The author of this audiobook is Joseph Bikart. And the narrator is Bill Bingham. We already told you important decision-making is for surveying technicians. If you go through this book, you will find out a lot of methods and techniques that you can use in order to improve your decision-making skills. So, we recommend this book to you. We hope that this would be a good read for you.
2. Detail-oriented
Surveying technicians, of course, must be meticulous. A surveying technician must pay great attention to even the tiniest details while on the job. It is the little things that mean the most. If you do not use them, it may have a negative impact on the end result of your work. Therefore, professionals like surveying technicians must be extremely detail-oriented. Most of the time, you would not be able to correct a mistake after you have made it. Hence, if you want to work as a surveying technician, make sure that you are attentive to even the smallest details. It is pretty important.
Most importantly, the results of surveying technicians are into legal records, most of the time. So, you actually cannot allow any mistake to occur. If you do, that will make you face legal problems in the end. You would not like that, would you? So, always make it a point to be precise by all means.
Improve Attention To Detail: A straightforward system to develop attention to detail in yourself, employees, and across an organization. Paperback – April 17, 2019
As we previously told you, in a career like surveying, paying attention to even the tiniest detail is crucial. And we believe that this book will assist you in doing so. Chris Denny is the author of this book. You would discover advice on how to increase your attention to detail in this book. therefore, we recommend that you read this book. This has wowed a large number of its readers. And it has got good ratings as well.
3. Listening skills
Surveying technicians have to communicate with the party chief of the surveying team and other team members over long distances while working outdoors. Following the party chief’s oral instructions is critical for saving time and avoiding mistakes. Therefore, having good listening skills is critical. If you mishear something, that might cause something that you would not want to happen. And you are dealing with legal entities. If you go wrong due to your ignorance, you would not be right there.
Power Listening: Mastering the Most Critical Business Skill of All: Audible Audiobook – Unabridged
The author of this audiobook is Bernard T. Ferrari. And the narrator is Sean Pratt. By now, you already know how important listening is for a surveying technician. And if you go through this book, you would be able to correct the problems in terms of your listening skills. Its information would surely be a lot useful for you. And this book has received really good ratings and reviews from its readers. So, this would surely be a good read for you.
4. Physical stamina
Let us start with a definition of physical stamina. The capacity to maintain a high degree of physical or mental activity over a long period of time is referred to as physical stamina. When it comes to surveying technicians, you must be physically active at all times during your work hours.
As a surveying technician, you will have to work outdoors, in harsh environments, most of the time. If you cannot, you probably are not suitable for this field. If this is the case, you should think about changing your professional route. Increasing your stamina helps you to continue with a challenging activity. It also aids in the relief of fatigue and lethargy.
Basically, you need to know that you need a good level of physical stamina if you want to go ahead in this field. That is mandatory.
30 Minutes to Fitness: Strength & Stamina with Kelly Coffey-Meyer
This DVD by Kelly Coffey-Meyer would surely be a good one for you to refer to. You would not have to spend a lot of time on this at all. It takes only 30 minutes of your time. So, if you refer to this, you can get to know some techniques to improve your physical stamina and strength. We recommend this to you. It would really be worth giving a shot at this.
5. Problem-solving skills
Why would surveying technicians need to have problem-solving skills? Basically, surveying technicians need to be aware of how to fix the issues that can arise in the tools and equipment that you have to use. Also, you would have to find solutions for the potential problems that arise on certain occasions in terms of your professional career. So, it is necessary to have problem-solving skills in the main.
Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills Hardcover – April 7, 2014
Michael Kallet is the author of this book. If you wish to work in the field of surveying, you’ would need problem-solving skills, as we previously said. Here is a useful guide to assist you. This book will help you improve your problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making skills. This book has received favorable reviews and ratings, making it an excellent pick for you.
Conclusion
This article focused on how to be a surveying technician. Meanwhile, you would perhaps like to know how to be professionals like an aircraft mechanic, marine mechanic, and so on. You can read about all that and get to know them. We wish you good luck in your career.
