Welcoming our latest Brand Ambassador Paul Tokarczyk from Hibbing area, Minnesota, USA:
Where did you study? I attended college at Michigan Technological University (Go Huskies!) where I completed Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil Engineering and Land Surveying and a Masters of Engineering in Civil Engineering.
What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? To become a licensed land surveyor in Minnesota you must have a 4 year degree in land surveying (or similar) curriculum or a Bachelor’s degree with at least 22 credits in surveying curriculum. Four or more years of experience working under a licensed land surveyor is also required.
How did you get into surveying? I started as an engineering intern on a survey crew and got to see so many different things in the field that I fell in love with it.
How long have you been in the industry? I have been in the industry for more than 25 years starting as an intern carrying stakes after my freshman year of college.
Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? I am very active in Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA.
Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? As the geospatial industry keeps changing and expanding, we will need to continue adding people who can continue the work. Kids often don’t realize the kinds of tools and technology that we get to work with and how fun it can be to use these in the variety of work we get to do.
Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? Surveying and geospatial play a role in so many sectors, including land management, emergency services, mining, facility information, and the military, that it touches many people. Knowledge of what the industry is and can do is useful for kids as they move forward in any career.
What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? I participate in many opportunities to work with youth on STEM events and projects and I like to be able to show them an alternative job that doesn’t involve an office or lab much of the time. Giving them the opportunity to work hands on with the equipment or see it in use is so much fun for me and the youth as well as letting them see how we can apply them to the real world situations they know.
What are your hobbies? Reading, watching sports, Scouts, and being a dad.
If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? If I had a GKiS character, it would definitely be a chameleon. Because working in geospatial I have to be able to change and adapt for many different situations.