Introducing Mr Craig L. Sandy our most recent Brand Ambassador from Victoria, Australia!
Mr Sandy, a licensed surveyor, is the Surveyor-General of Victoria, and Chair of the Surveyors Registration Board of Victoria, as such is the primary government authority on surveying and the cadastre. The Surveyor-General fulfils a range of statutory roles and responsibilities dealing with land and property boundaries.
Mr Sandy is also a member of the following Commissions and Committees in Victoria:
- Registrar of Geographic Names
- Victorian Electoral Boundaries Commission
- Federal Redistribution Committee for Victoria
- Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping – Chair
- Council of Reciprocating Surveyors Board of Australia and New Zealand – former Chair
Mr Sandy has a focus on engaging with the surveying profession to develop strategies for meeting the challenges that the current digital environment is creating. In 2020, he was awarded the Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Award for Spatial Professional of the Year for 2019 for his work in modernisation of the cadastre and in raising awareness for mental health issues in our profession. Mr Sandy is the former Surveyor-General for the Northern Territory of Australia, the only person to have held this title in more than one Australian jurisdiction.
Where did you study? University of South Australia
What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? An approved degree, two years of supervised experience and project-based exams and an interview with the Surveyors Registration Board of Victoria.
How did you get into surveying? In year 12 I was tossing up between civil engineering, architecture and surveying. A family friend showed me an article about surveying being a great career for those with an interest in maths and love of the outdoors – I was sold.
How long have you been in the industry? Around 40 years.
Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? I work for the Victorian Government as the Surveyor-General of Victoria and I chair the Surveyors Registration Board of Victoria. I’m also a member of the Surveying Taskforce in Victoria and a national group which promotes the profession to primary, secondary and tertiary students.
Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? We need new ways to attract people to our profession and GKiS is a great way to do this. I want every student to know about the possibility of a career in surveying and what it can offer.
Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? The work of surveyors and geospatial scientists is at the heart of land ownership and underpins the economy. There are so many career opportunities and, in the age of digital data, these can only increase.
What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? Promote GKiS on social media, in professional presentations and at every other opportunity.
What are your hobbies? I have played many sports but now focus on golf. I also enjoy jigsaw puzzles and researching local history and the role of early surveyors.
If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? We created the Leeroy character – a heritage officer who manages land with culturally significant heritage value. Leeroy uses a drone to inspect eel traps built by Traditional Owners over 6,000 years ago.