2021 started off with a bang for the geospatial industry when the GeoSquad Comic Book was released back in May. Two whole years in the making, this really was a very exciting time and we finally saw the results of our efforts both online and in our hands.

Our team has seen first hand the changes in the industry over the last 20+ years, with an aging demographic, less recruits, and university courses struggling to attract applicants. Something had to be done about it … kickstarting the #GetKidsintoSurvey movement. At first there were a couple of posters which promoted the industry in a fun way, followed by quiz questions and colouring in sheets. But we needed something MORE, something bigger, something better!

A comic is something that can be put into libraries, schools, kids clubs, waiting rooms… the list could go on! Our aim: to give exposure to the industry by getting as many eyes on our geospatial resources as possible.

So, let us answer a few overriding questions that you may have about the Comic Book:

Why is there a high shipping cost? Our Comic has been designed and produced in the UK (where Elaine Ball Ltd are based). We wanted to keep it British and ensure the product can be quality checked easily by us, they are printed and shipped by our fabulous printers here in Yorkshire, UK. 

Our shipping cost is correct for the size/weight of the comic book, as per Royal Mail. We put a small mark up for admin costs and packaging. Currently, the exchange rate is higher due to covid/political reasons, to certain countries such as Australia which is out of our control.

*We are happy for you to print in your country for bulk orders. The downside of this is that the quality check will still need to occur, making the process quite long. If this is something you’d like to do we are happy to oblige.

Who is the GeoSquad Comic Book aimed at? All of our resources are aimed at 8-12 year olds, although some younger children have read it with the help of their parents. Adults are known to enjoy it too so it has a very broad appeal!

What went into making the Comic Book? As previously mentioned, this venture began over two years ago with a basic idea. This was transformed into a story chapter by chapter, by our fabulous teacher and writer Mat Sulivan. Not only did the story need to be thought out from scratch, so did all of the characters, followed by each scene in every comic strip. Once the basics were sketched out, Marek, our fabulous cartoonist, transformed it into what you see as the finished comic strip. 

But that isn’t all… The team worked so hard to get the first couple of chapters sponsored by different geospatial companies which were kindly published in POB and CES magazines. Building the brand up and gaining more exposure to kids via their parents. Once the final ten sponsors had been sourced for the book we were nearly ready for lift off. Countless hours have been spent by multiple team members on this project. This process took over 2 years, and cost £29,000, most of this was covered by our fabulous sponsors.

How much is the Comic Book? A hard copy printed comic book is £10.99 and is only available in GBP due to the ever fluctuating currency rates. We also have an e-book which is slightly cheaper at £6.99, which wouldn’t include postage charges. 

Is Get Kids into Survey a Charity? No we are not a charity. Unlike other organisations we do not receive any external funding to produce these resources, so rely purely on the industries good will through sponsorship. We do however have an Education Fund which can be contributed to in order to help us produce and distribute these resources to those who cannot afford it.

 Introducing our latest Brand Ambassador from Alaska, John Brady! Here’s his Q&A:

Where did you study?

University of Alaska Anchorage

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

4 year college degree, 4 years of work experience (3 of which must be in “responsible charge”)

How did you get into surveying?

I started college as a civil engineering major and didn’t like the prospect of sitting behind a desk for the majority of my career. Intro to surveying is required for civil majors and enjoying the class I changed majors to Geomatics and have never looked back.

How long have you been in the industry? Almost 12 years.

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention? I am active with my local chapter of ASPLS (the Alaska Society of Professional Land Surveyors) serving as the Fairbanks Chapter President for 2021. I am also a member of ASPRS and am working to be more active with our local Alaska Chapter.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador?

We desperately need more surveyors and I wish I would have known it was an option when growing up. I knew about engineering, but had never heard of surveying. I want to change that for kids so they at least know it is an option. This has been important to me prior to hearing about GKiS and becoming a Brand Ambassador just made sense.

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

They use it all the time now with GPS enabled smart phones and it is good to know what you are using and about the world we live in. Plus it is a very cool industry that covers so many interests. Want to play with the latest and greatest tech? Survey has it. Want to do scientific research? Plenty of geospatial areas to do so. Love the outdoors and don’t want to be stuck behind a computer screen for the rest of your life? Become a land surveyor or hydrographic survey.

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

Hopefully, COVID willing, I will be able to get back into the schools and show off the industry to students. I am trying to encourage more of our local surveyors to do the same or assist me when I do so as well.

What are your hobbies?

My wife and kids are my pride and joy. We love spending time in the Alaskan Wilderness (hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, snowmachining (snowmobiling), camping, etc.). We also love to travel and especially make our way to warmer and sunnier climates in the middle of our cold/dark Alaskan winters. I have played ice hockey most of my life and continue to do so.

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

I will be starting at Stantec on March 1st and have not found if they already have a character or not, but for ASPLS I would say a moose or an old sourdough miner would be pretty fitting :).

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

It would be great to see one focused on the Arctic considering all the opportunities that are coming with the change in climate and how geospatial sciences are playing such a large part in those changes.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in?

Alaska is yet to be 100% mapped by land surveyors and much of it is quite remote making it a great challenge for land surveyors.

10 Reasons Why you Need the GEOSQUAD Comic Book in your Life:

1- The GeoSquad help to teach kids (and adults) about the types of jobs surveyors do. Help your kids understand what you do for a living!

2- Learn just how important surveyors are – involved in so many workings of the world.

3- Surveyors are the superheroes. Hype up your profession!

4- It’s not just a comic – there’s also 10 amazing fun activities to have a go at.

5- It includes five incredible chapters of comic action.

6- Feel like a kid again and enter the world of superheros!

7- You’ve read the first chapter in the industry magazines and need to find out what happens in the story.

8- You’ll be helping to educate the next generation of industry specialists.

9- It is a limited edition first edition copy – a must have collectors item of the future!

10- Share the love with local scout groups or school libraries so more children have access to read it.

Pictures of the team with the new comic books, we would love to see yours… tag them to #GetKidsintoSurvey

Welcome to Total Surveying Solutions (TSS) the leaders of the latest custom Australia poster! Thank you Gary Dorn for answering this character spotlight:

Company Name – 

TSS TOTAL SURVEYING SOLUTIONS

Location –

SYDNEY, Australia 

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey?

TO HELP INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION. 

What do you do?

Inspire and lead a company of excellent surveyors to help them become the best in their field providing them the ability to make executive decisions to achieve their desired outcomes in their work 

How long have you been in the Survey Industry?

14yr (6uk + 8au)

How did you get into the Industry?

Luck. I didn’t know what a surveyor was when I fell into the procession, but my love of math, problem solving and attention to detail made the decision easy to keep pushing forward in this field. 

Funny Fact about you

I’m known as ‘uncle Tourette’s’ by the family. When I speak passionately about something I slip back to my native dialect and apparently swear a lot! 

Favourite piece of kit and why?

Trimble S8 hp. The sound it makes when taking a shot!  It’s the sound of precision. 

Favourite Survey technique and why?

Half and quarter (marking radius) and 3-4-5 (making sure it’s 90). Old school but never fails!! 

Your website

How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? Mean to you? What’s his/her name?

Well, it’s my son Lucas and his dog Monty. Monty is TSS’s office dog also. He cheers everyone up. And Lucas. He cheers me up all the time!

Introducing our Brand Ambassador Beau Winfrey from Oklahoma, USA

Where did you study?

I received a Bachelor of Science in Geography from the University of Oklahoma. I was previously enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering program, but worked for a land surveying company during the summers and part-time through the school year.

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

Oklahoma currently requires a minimum “core” list of surveying courses to be completed prior to approval to sit for the exams, however a 2 or 4 year degree is preferred and requires less experience if obtained.

How did you get into surveying?

I lucked into a summer job as a “pack mule” for a survey crew after my freshman year of university. I quickly realized that I preferred the survey end of the building to the engineer end of the building when I couldn’t be working outside.

How long have you been in the industry?

I started in June of 2000, so nearing 21 years in the career, 10 as a PLS.

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

I am a member of the Oklahoma Society of Land Surveyors (OSLS) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador?

I wish someone had told me about surveying at a younger age. I enjoyed my trigonometry and geometry and geography and history classes. Surveying ties in with all of those interests. I also benefited from a few great mentors in my scholastic and professional career and would really enjoy passing on some of my knowledge and putting the satisfaction that a career in surveying has brought into my life on display.

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

I think there are a lot of people who would choose surveying as a career path if they knew it existed and knew that it was obtainable. I spent several years studying to be an engineer because I didn’t know that surveying was a real career path. Due to the boon of technological advances our profession has seen over just the last decade even if they become interested in the geospatial industry as a whole, I believe that benefits everyone.

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

As a Parkhill employee, we are encouraged to take part in all types of community outreach. Because of that we make time to participate in events that enrich our community. We do a “touch a truck” style event as part of Public Works Week and our storm water division does outreach with local schools and youth organizations as well. I plan to include a short talk about the role surveying plays in their operations when they do their presentations as well as set up other presentations separately to talk about how surveying and other geospatial play a role in their community and how it was built and functions. I was very active in Boy Scouts growing up and would like to get involved in that world again. My daughter is old enough and interested in some type of scouting, so I anticipate my involvement will begin sooner rather than later.

What are your hobbies?

I enjoy day hiking, car camping, puzzles, and DIY projects. I especially enjoy sharing these activities with my family. We have a pipe dream of visiting every national park in the United States.

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

I enjoy tromping around outdoors and solving a good puzzle, so I would say a cross between Grizzly Adams and Sherlock Holmes looking through the records, observing evidence in the field with the multitude of tools at my disposal, then utilizing experience and knowledge with the aid of GIS or drafting software to find a solution to the many varying requests that I get from almost every single department and division within the city government. Often times the hardest part of my job is determining how to use the available tools and evidence to get everything to fit into place.

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

I would say an agriculture, wind and/or solar farm, or neighbourhood development related poster or lesson would be a great addition to the already impressive collection.

Anything else you want to add that you think our audience (surveyors, teachers, parents) would be interested in?

I think most land surveyors need to see themselves as specialists in the geospatial realm. There are very few surveyors who would not benefit from collaborating with our neighbours in the geospatial industry.

Introducing Matthew Stansberry, creator of the famous Party Chief Survey Vests! Let’s find out some more about him and his company:

Company Name – Safety Apparel LLC 

Location – Seattle WA USA 

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? I believe the children are our future,  teach them well and let them lead the way

What do you do? Land Surveyor and business owner

How long have you been in the Survey Industry? Since 2004

How did you get into the Industry? Friends were surveyors and one was a LS

Funny Fact about you: I’m a prankster and love to goof on other Surveyors

Favourite piece of kit and why? The good ol Plumb Bob. It’s an ancient and a lost art that needs to be utilized more

Favourite Survey technique and why?  Using the total station with robotics so we can chat and joke while getting the job done

Your website: www.safetyapparel.us

How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? Mean to you? What’s his/her name? The character is me wearing my vest. Elaine thought it was a great idea for me to use photos of myself to represent my company. The BluBlocker sunglasses are hilarious and it tips you off to my personality.

Follow along as team member Erin Hull experiences her first time surveying!

I arrived on site at a Yorkshire Water treatment site (not as smelly as you’d predict- fyi!) to meet Joe Haines and another work experience guy Louis, who I’d be spending the day with. The task set was to install a control network. This is so the construction company can use these points for site setting out works. Basically making sure everything is in the correct places.

To begin with we went through a safety talk and site walk to ensure we were fully up to speed with the rules and regulations. This included wearing full PPE (hi-vis, glasses, steel toe capped boots, hard hat and gloves), we also carried round some gas monitors with us as the ammonia levels on site could fluctuate. 

Firstly, we hammered some markers in the ground and spray painted around them with their numbers. Around the boundary of the site there were 8 points, ensuring that we could see a clear path back and forth to the previous point (so that the equipment could connect, ‘see’ each other as I like to think).  

The two first points need to be a ‘known’ location so this requires the GNSS system. The GPS communicates with the satellites (see picture) to get the exact location of our point. With this it calculates the distance and angles between the two known, in order for us to apply this to all the other points on site.

There is a reason that the GPS isn’t used to calculate all the points, but instead the total station and laser scanner come out. This has 3-4mm error range whereas the GPS has plus or minus 30mm accuracy! So better results with total station, which is very useful for everyone on site.

For each point onwards the total station needed to be levelled, this was done firstly using the eye tool. What was cool about the SX10 was there was a camera on the bottom which allowed you to see when the scanner lined up exactly over the point in the ground. This was a little challenging as you then have to level the top part too using 3 twisty rounds (the sighting and the trunnion). Once nearly perfect we measure the height of the scanner from the ground and walk away to the next point.

At the following point we align the SX10 to clock onto the prism (picture) at a height of 0.100m. Here the SX10 takes two measurements, turning 180 degrees for the second to reduce error. This method is called traversing (going back and forth taking measurements).

For a couple of points where fences etc were in the way, we used a different prism with a total station. This has higher accuracy rather than extending the pole with the other prism.

So there you have it, my first surveying experience! I learnt so much, which will hopefully continue through the following months/years! Play it forward and teach someone you know or a local school about the joys of the geospatial industry… email erin@getkidsintosurvey.com to be added to our waitlist for the use of our presentation (aimed at 8-12 year olds).

Welcome to SEAM Surveys who are our latest sponsor for the soon to be released Australia Poster!

Company Name – SEAM Surveys

Location – Australia & New Zealand

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? We have worked with high schools to explain what surveying is for a while now BUT… GKiS can spread the word about how COOL surveying is to kids of all ages!! Our partners MOONYAH are partnering SEAM to work with Indigenous students which is why the First Australians’ Survey Poster was so exciting!  

What do you do? We like to explain it as “We Measure Everything” from up in the air, on the ground, underground and even underwater to help people build important things like roads, buildings and mining operations. We use 4×4 trucks, boats, drones (helicopters and planes), lasers plus supercomputers with the latest technology and programs.   

How long have you been in the Survey Industry? SEAM has been around for 11 years, but our team members are both young and old have been surveying for between 1 year and 30 years!

How did you get into the Industry? Most of our team wanted to work outside and also with computers, so they did a surveying course or started a traineeship with a survey company.

Funny Fact about the you – Our team travel all over Australia and they can live wherever they want. Even on the other side of our country. So they get to see lots of things that most others will never see working just near home.

Favourite piece of kit and why? Laser Scanners – they create a “3-Dimensional World” exactly the same as the real world of everything you can see and they do it super-fast. Measuring over 1 million laser shots per second! We can send this model to people all over the world to help build big projects for tomorrow.

Favourite Survey technique and why? Underground Surveying – because it’s exciting and different doing our job in the dark and still managing to get it all done!  

Your website: www.seamsurveys.com.au

How did you choose the character and what does he/she/it represent? Mean to you? What’s his/her name? Our Characters are Saia & Anthony –important to us because they are Indigenous Role Models. These two brothers played for the “Wallabies” our National Rugby Team and help mentor other indigenous people including through surveying with Seam!