Say hello to George Eustice a Hydrographic Surveyor from Lancashire, UK:

Where did you study? How did you get into surveying? Studied Marine Geography at Cardiff University. I’d never heard of Hydrographic Surveying until I started my course. I did a placement year in my 3rd year – which was a year at South Wales survey company. I learned very quickly about Hydrographic and Geophysical survey, as well as beach topographic surveys.

I’m now a Business Development Manager for a Land and Hydrographic Survey company.  

How long have you been in the industry? 15 Years this summer.

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? We’re members of TSA for all of our survey related questions. We are also members of Mersey Maritime and Wirral Chamber of Commerce.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? In the past I’ve done a number of talks within schools about the Hydrographic Survey industry. There was some very good engagement, and it was very rewarding. Since joining a land and marine survey company, there would be a lot more to talk about – with more career paths to choose from . There are already a lack of surveyors coming through, so if I can inspire a handful of local kids into a career in surveying, it will be a huge boost of the local workforce.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? A lot of people within our industry, including myself, just stumbled across the industry without ever planning to go down this route. Once we were in, we could see how rewarding a career it could be. Telling kids about the industry early, will give them the best chance of choosing the right subjects to get the best jobs that suit their strengths and interests.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? Hopefully going into as many schools as possible on the Wirral and in the NW to promote the industry.

What are your hobbies? Mostly involve Football or sport of some sort. Watching Sheffield Wednesday or Non-League local teams. Watching my 6 year old son, who’s now playing at Manchester United. Watching my daughter do her gymnastics and dance competitions. Playing cricket (Whenever I get time!)

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? We’d have to have a marine based animal for the Hydroside – A dolphin or Shark maybe.

For the Land team, we do a lot of work in Manchester – So a Manchester Bee would be a good character (We also do drone surveys, so that would be a good link)

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS? A hydrographic survey posted would be cool. Showing bathymetric / geophysical / UXO / Asset inspection surveys

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? Maybe a preview of the types of training we do as Hydro surveyors. (BOSIET Includes the helicopter ditch training – which is really cool)

Introducing our Brand Ambassador Bruno Krenski from Parana, Brazil:

Where did you study?  I studied surveying first with my Father, Mr Helio Krenski and in 2017 I started the technical course in surveying.

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? How did you get into surveying? In Brazil you can start the profession without any requirements. Only with willpower and someone who is willing to teach you. But if you need to sign your surveys, you must have the professional registration with the government, through technical courses or colleges of surveying.

I started learning the profession with my father in 2005 when I was 15 years old, he was the brain and I was in charge of the computer, then the years went by and I started going to the field, so I learned a lot of things in practice.

How long have you been in the industry? In full time 13 years

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? Measuring Masters

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I would like to be an ambassador for the GKIS project, because I identify with the project, I love drawings and children. I would like to bring a little fun to children and inspire them to become surveyors.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? With surveying we can grow into an organised society. We are experts in measurement and increasingly we need more data collection to plan our future.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? I hope to be able to carry the flag for surveying, along with the GKIDS project, through social media and events.

What are your hobbies? Home automation and additive manufacturing

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? This guy, but with more Beard 😊 and a military hat

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS? A poster in the moon or mars

Welcome to the Terrane Brand Ambassador team! It is comprised of the following members:

• Colin Palmer | Project Surveyor PLS
• Jeff Savage | Project Surveyor PLS
• Alissa Porto | Project Coordinator
• Amanda Allred, PLS | Director of Surveying & Mapping

Let’s learn a bit more about them!

If you are a surveyor:

Where did you study?

Colin: I attended East Tennessee State University, where I received a Bachelor’s of Science in Surveying and Mapping.

Jeff: I started surveying in 2005 without any formal education in surveying.  I participated an dozens of after hour courses put on by the Land Surveyors Association of Washington (LSAW) as well as in house courses that professionals provided at my company.

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area?

Colin & Jeff: To become a licensed Land Surveyor in Washington state you are required to pass the 8-hour Fundamentals of Surveying exam, the 6-hour Principles and Practices of Land Surveying exam, and the 4-hour Washington State specific exam. In addition to these tests, you must also possess 8 years of professional-level experience under the direct supervision of a licensed surveyor (4 years of education may count towards this).

How did you get into surveying?

Colin: My neighbor in NC was a land surveyor and he offered me a job when I got home from Germany, after serving in the Army for 3 years after high school. After 6 months of working for his company I decided I never wanted to do anything else!

Jeff: A very good friend of mine was a surveyor, given our similar interests in outdoor activities he told me several times that he thought I would love surveying.  I had a good job at the time, with a lot of upward potential but I did not enjoy it.  It was a difficult decision but ultimately I decided to give it a shot, it’s one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made.

How long have you been in the industry? 

Colin: A little over 20 years.

Jeff: I have been in the Surveying industry since July, 2005 (17 years) and licensed since December 2014 (7.5 years).

Are you part of any associations or organizations you would like us to mention?

Colin: I am a member of the LSAW (Land Surveyor’s Association of Washington).

Jeff: I am a member of the Land Surveyors Association of Washington (LSAW).  They are an organization committed to the growth and development of Land Surveyors as well as creating a community for Land Surveyors in the state of Washington.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador?

Colin: I am very passionate about this profession and love to explain surveying to anyone who will listen, especially children. I have three boys and I have had the opportunity to speak at their schools about surveying on several occasions. It’s so much fun!

Jeff: From the moment I got into surveying I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I’ve always excelled at mathematics and finding a career that can challenge and utilize those skills is great.  Being able to show kids that there is a practical application to the math that they are learning will hopefully help in keeping them inspired to learn it.  Along with the historical aspect of how surveying has affected common life is something that I’m very excited about passing on.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry?

Colin: Surveying gets a bad rap sometimes. People think that surveyors are the grungy guys they see on the side of the road with the “cameras” on tripods. Kids should know that surveying is such an important part of our society.

Jeff: Surveying is a crucial step in many different trades and careers from real-estate to construction and engineering, having a better knowledge of the surveying world will not only get kids more interested in perhaps pursuing a career in surveying but also create a better level of respect in the other many related fields they may choose.  Understanding how maps get made is very important to understanding the ever-growing world of GIS, so many companies are integrating a variety of GIS platforms to their client facing websites as well as their internal production engines.  Understanding how the world relates to GIS through surveying will be a huge benefit to anyone taking that path.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS?

Colin: Help children to see how cool of a profession this is!

Jeff: I am open to classroom presentations to all ages, capturing the interest in children as early as possible has always been something that I’ve wanted to do.  Not only to hopefully get them interested in the profession I’ve come to love but at the very least I would hope to show them that math is not a useless venture of the school system, this stuff has real world application.

What are your hobbies?

Colin: Exercising, hiking, reading, and being a Dad.

Jeff: I enjoy hiking, camping, and coaching my daughter’s softball teams.  I’m a diehard Seahawks fan and love going to games.  I am also co-owner of a small business which takes up a lot of my spare time.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be?

Jeff: It would have to be a dog, our company is filled with dog lovers.  Also having a dog out in the field is the absolute best!

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS?

Jeff: I would just love to see more resources dedicated to schools, whether it’s posters, books or physical presentations in the classroom, all of it would be great for the kids.

Amanda recently spoke at the PLSO Conference in Portland! Keep up the good work Team Terrane!

Welcome to Christine Wanja our latest Brand Ambassador! Here’s a little bit about her:

“Hi, my name is Christine Wanja. I am a land surveyor here in Kenya. I studied at Regional  Centre Training Institute. You need to have good grades,register with the Institution of surveyors Kenya, be passionate, ensure accuracy and follow the guidelines set aside when it comes to lands and surveying to be a surveyor. I got into surveying out of curiosity I never really knew what it entailed since I have never met any land surveyor. I was passionate about it since I knew it involved shambas and that was enough to make me pursue land survey.

I have been in the industry for two years now.

I got into land survey without knowing what it entails. I had never been involved with any surveyor. I almost gave up the dream of becoming a surveyor since I never knew of any college that could offer a diploma in land survey.

If as a kid I had a land surveyor to mentor me into survey I would be very far in my profession right now.

In Kenya, most of the kids I have met or know want to be either a doctor, engineer, or teacher, Most kids, and people don’t know about any survey or geospatial engineering. Being a brand ambassador I have made it my obligation to enlighten kids that survey is a career profession one can pursue and that it is interesting and it also pays.

I love traveling and experiencing new cultures and places. I love socialising and meeting new people”

Introducing our latest Brand Ambassador Bradford Folta from Minnesota, USA:

If you are a surveyor: Where did you study? What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? How did you get into surveying? I am an Insistute Executive Director, Owner, Geospatial Architect, & Geomatic Engineer. I help collect and prepare data for different industry-specific workflows that assist other professionals in being better at their job. I help people communicate and make better decisions with data essentially.

How long have you been in the industry? Since 2008

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? MnLIS/GIS Consortium, ESRI Silver Partner 

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? When I was younger I was told I had too many interests. That was going to be my downfall according to one teacher. I love history, technology, and science. So I went into Geology and still didn’t feel in my spot… then I added Geomatics and wow! I found my groove. Why did I mention all of that? Because that’s why I want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador. I didn’t have any mentors or guidance that got me to where I am, I had to find it myself, it’s not a fun journey. So I am really here to help the next me, get an idea, and find their passion earlier. 

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? We literally design the real and digital world. Metaphorically we construct the reality in which people live. Without us, it would be a scary non-uniform place. That said, it would only be this way for humans.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? Bring GIS and Geomatics to students.

What are your hobbies? Scuba diving, photography, hiking, camping.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? Honey Badger with a GPS pole

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS? a 16personalities type with the different folks or jobs in the industry with a small description on each.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? Public speaking events! I have a room we could use here to do it.

Introducing Brand Ambassador Chris Shelly from Lincolnshire, UK:

Where did you study? What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? How did you get into surveying? I am a business manager or the survey company CLS Survey. I have been a land and building surveyor for 20 years. As part of the role I have gained qualifications (BSc Hons Civil Engineering / HND Civil Engineering at Leeds Uni 04 – 09) I got into surveying via my passion for pre-construction areas at a school age. I enjoyed drawing and making maps etc so seemed like the perfect fit.  

How long have you been in the industry? – 20 Years

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I believe in the initiative and believe it’s one of the best driving forces to bring the younger generation into the industry.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? Because the industry is drastically under appreciated and is not widely pushed on children at a young age. There are very few true surveyors in the UK and I believe if we do not continue to teach and get the word out about the fantastic industry it may just become a push button exercise. We need to teach and pass down the principles and understanding behind the geospatial industry to keep it flourishing and pushing in the right direction.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? I continually push the brand via my Email signature and LinkedIn profile. I also look to promote the initiative through my Instagram account (Geomatics_UK) which is coming up to 10K Followers.

What are your hobbies? I am also Vice Chairperson of Crosby Utd Junior Football club. Where I also coach the U12’s. The club is a large part of the local community and we have 10 active teams playing in local Lincolnshire league systems as well as external hire state of the art facilities. Although this is a hobbie there is a lot of work involved but I really enjoy the role and giving back as much as I can to the community.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? Hmmmmm I think I would be the Manager of the GKiS Football team 😊

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS? I think a poster for sporting etc. How instruments are used to measure in Olympics maybe.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? I think you do an amazing job already.

Welcoming Ben Nobelius our latest Brand Ambassador from Victoria, Australia!

Where did you study? RMIT (Melbourne) 

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? To be a Licensed Surveyor one needs a 4 year degree in an accredited university course (there are only 3 available) and the successful completion of a Professional Training Agreement – administered by the Registration Board of Victoria and takes an average of 5 years to complete. (Throughout the process work experience days are also required). 

How did you get into surveying? My father is a now non-practising Licensed Surveyor, and started his own company when I was 12. Before this he worked for the Gas & Fuel (Government Corporation) whilst doing his own private surveys on weekends. I’ve worked with him and then in the family business for as long as I can remember (child labour!) and took over the Managing Director role when I was 28 (9.5 years ago). 

How long have you been in the industry? All my life! 

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? Institute of Surveyors Victoria Association of Consulting Surveyors 

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? We are one of the most educated and relied upon professions. Surveying underpins the countries most valuable resource – land/property. Our importance goes largely unknown and the best way to increase our profile is to educate the next generation. Furthermore there is a critical shortage of Licensed Surveyors in Victoria, we need to educate and encourage kids to take up a career in our industry. 

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? We have already attended careers fairs at local high schools (pre covid) and plan on providing a talk/info session for primary school kids this term (along side using your lesson plans from the website for the teachers). We believe strongly in the ethos of GKiS and will continue to promote all that you do on our soicals and in person. For the last 3 years we have provided a scholarship for a child transition from a (government) primary school to high school.  I came through the public system and we want any child to be able to succeed in life, no matter what school they go to.  We appreciate the background some kids have may put them at a disadvantage.  Therefore we provide all uniform, school fees, books, laptop and the cost of school camp for their first year.  Although we don’t expect the children to be a Land Surveyor (we can only hope!) we look for someone who is performing strongly in the STEAM subjects and would benefit from the scholarship to keep them motivated in high school.  We find the whole process rewarding although at times quite heartbreaking. 

Finally, we take on regular students for work experience and longer placements.  We are working with Consulting Surveyors to try and get a pathway to a diploma for our students as none are currently available for them. 

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? I like to play golf and would love to see a golf playing Land Surveyor. 

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS? Another Australian Poster.  One that address the concerns of subdividing/the environment and bushfire overlays/management plans. 

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? We are a family led business with 3 generations of Nobelius family members having now worked for and with us.

Introducing Ravi Parmar from Cheshire, UK:

If you are not a surveyor, what do you do? Business Development and Marketing Manager for Malcolm Hughes Land Surveying. I promote and help grow the land surveying business and I am one of the only members of the team that is not directly involved with the actual surveying side, however growing the company is a huge part of my role.

How long have you been in the industry? Since 1977 – so 43 years

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? Ogilvie Group (parent company) – The Survey Association (TSA) – the TSA is used for best practice and guidelines for all Land Survey companies and is a fantastic place to find out more information on Land Surveying as well as job opportunities and a community dedicated to the outreach of surveying. They also own The Survey School which is a place for all ages to learn the art of surveying.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? The industry is vast and we are always looking for new talent. Sadly land surveying is not taught in schools and we want to help kids realise there are career opportunities available within this sector of construction. It is ideally placed for people that love mathematics and being outside. It is also extremely tech orientated with the use of things such as laser scanners and 3D modelling. So anyone interested in design and computers, there are CAD opportunities for those that love computers.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? The surveying industry is vital for all forms of construction and is the starting block for all forms of construction at initial stages. We provide plans, designs and precise measurements so that everything is put in the correct places. The tech that not only kids, but all adults use to navigate is based on our industry from things as simple as using maps and satnavs, to the placement of the house they are in now.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? We would love to give talks and educate kids on the vast number of jobs and opportunities available in the sector and help broaden career horizons for all.

What are your hobbies? Skydiving, gliding and being outdoors!

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be? An eagle! Very American I know, but drones are a big part of what we do and having that aerial view of the world is exactly what we deliver.

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS? The range of jobs within the survey industry arranged into one place. There are many aspects to surveying and as specialists in land surveys we know there are so many more opportunities in the wider survey industry for people to know about.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in? Surveying is such a large and well paid industry, so being a surveyor is an excellent career path for not only kids, but adults looking to change their career.