Introducing Dave Dagostino a fabulous Brand Ambassador who does a lot of work for us!

What do you do and what company do you work for? CEO and owner of Dagostino Geospatial, Inc. 

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

Member: American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

Member: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS)

Member: Collier Building Industry Association (CBIA)

Member: Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce

Member and company is a “sustaining firm”: Florida Surveying and Mapping Society (FSMS)

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador and why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry?

The need for getting more people into surveying is becoming a critical issue right now. As we all know the demographic for surveyors is aging quickly and we are not replacing surveyors fast enough to keep up with demand. Getting kids exposed to surveying is so important as none of them even know who we are or what we do. Most adults know that either. I can hopefully be a small part of the solution of exposing kids to our profession and getting them interested in what we do.

What are you going to be doing as an ambassador for GKiS?

 I would like to be able to set up presentations at all levels of schools to promote our profession. Also attend job fairs and career day events for kids to do the same. I am open to promoting GKIS in any way that you feel would be helpful to the organization as well as the profession.

How did you get into surveying?

 I actually just stumbled into to it by luck. I was working at a grocery store right out of high school and ran into a surveyor. He explained what he did and it sounded interesting to me. He gave me a contact and I wandered into a survey office 34 years ago and never left – ended up with a B.S. in Surveying & Mapping from The University of Florida in 1995 and have had my own company since 1998

What are your hobbies?

 In my spare time I enjoy family time with my wife and kids, all Gator athletics, being a student of business and entrepreneurship.

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

 A Survey Gator of course 😊

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

 I really enjoy the coloring pages for the younger kids. Maybe something geared more towards middle school age kids – a little more technical and in depth.

Introducing Kaha loa, our new fantastic sponsor Surveyors Supply Co Inc’s new character!

Company Name –  Surveyors Supply Co. Inc.

Location –  Waipahu, Hawaii, USA

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? A few years ago I saw the posters being handed out at our annual Hawaii Land Surveyors Conference and thought what a great idea. I was never taught anything in school about surveying and how important it is. The more we can do to promote the various areas of surveying the better. And the technology today is moving so fast making it more efficient and cooler!  When my son came to work for us 5 years ago out of high school, he was unfamiliar with the work and never learned anything about it in school either.   So he started learning the instruments and equipment and now trains companies how to use them. It has opened up a whole new world for him. 

What do you do? We sell construction and surveying supplies and equipment around the Pacific islands.

How long have you been in the Survey Industry? Our company has been in business for 51 years.

How did you get into the Industry? My father-in-law started a business like ours in Alaska out of the need for wooden stakes to be used for building roads. No one was manufacturing them at the time so he stepped in and started to.  He then started a retail business in Alaska.   When this business opportunity became available in Hawaii he purchased it. That was 30+ years ago. 

Funny Fact about the you – I will always eat hot french fries (chips) in the car while driving. A soggy cold fry is no good.

Favourite piece of kit and why? The brand new Leica GS18i, GNSS Receiver with Integrated Tilt Compensation & Imaging Sensor Allows you to Capture Data Quickly & Efficiently in Areas That Were Not Previously Possible with Conventional GNSS Equipment.  Combines Point Cloud Data & GNSS Data Into 1 Georeferenced Image Group to Create a Detailed 3D Model of your Project Site Without the Need for a Laser Scanner or 3D mapping Device.  It’s so efficient!

Favourite Survey technique and why? UAV LIDAR / Photogrammetric Mapping, Fastest & Most Efficient Data Collection Method for Large Scale Mapping Projects.  Very Versatile & Allows for many Different Data Deliverables including georeferenced orthometric photographs & Digital Terrain Models.  What a time saver! 

Your website: www.surveyorshawaii.com

Character details; name, what does the character represent/ meaning behind it/him/her? Our characters name is Kaha loa (2 words) which is the Hawaiian name for “turn and then go straight for a long distance” . That pretty much sums up any Surveyors job. 

If you imagine your younger self thinking of what you wanted to be when you were older, didn’t it seem like such a daunting task? What do I want to spend the rest of my life doing? Do I choose something that pays well or something that I enjoy? A safe 9-5 office job or take a risk and work for myself? Will it be too stressful? Will I be any good? What if I’m not successful. Can I change my decision later? These are all possible questions that you ask yourself.

No matter what we do, kids are always going to have these worries about career choices. That’s what we do, we worry about the unknown. However, if you were more exposed to different career options and pathways at a younger age, you might not be so worried about thinking you have 5 choices and must make yourself fit the mould; teacher, doctor, vet, fireman, lawyer, you know the drill. Instead we want to expose kids to a multitude of careers that not even their parents may know exist. That is the exciting thing. There is something for everyone and we just have to let kids know that they don’t ‘have’ to fit the mould. They can make their own path, we just have to give them the tools and the exposure to different industries not showcased in the public eye. As they say, ‘knowledge is power’.

Here at Get Kids into Survey, our mission is to bring young people into the exciting world of survey and geospatial through pioneering content and engaging experiences. To expose them to the diverse opportunities within our industry from a young age.

Enjoy a short introduction video by The Survey Association!

However, when you do get to the stage when you are that bit older and making steps towards becoming an adult, what do you do?

We have put together this document with the help of Sarah Clark a Surveying Recruiter from Australia, James Gibbs owner of Geospatial Jobs, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Katie Holt at Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES) with their research ‘State of Geospatial Engineering Education’, Antony Pritchard UK Surveyor at Storm Geomatics, and Ryan Swingley Surveyor from the USA. Collaborating our knowledge to try and show you the different entry ways into this industry, from the choices you make at school, to getting your first job.

Becoming a Surveyor in the UK

Understanding the Basics

To become a surveyor you’ll usually need a professional qualification approved by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), CICES, ABET or equivalent. In the UK you do not have to be a member of either however, this may limit what you can do and who you can work for. Full members of RICS call themselves chartered surveyors and are generally more property based. In comparison to being a member of CICES which is more engineering surveying and commercial management. If this is the route you would like to go down, that can be followed by applying to be a chartered engineer through the Engineering Council.

To become a Chartered Surveyor whether you’ve just come out of university or you’ve been working with a company, are required to take an Assessment of Professional Competence. There is another assessment to take before this to become an Associate which is the entry-level RICS qualification and offers the chance to progress to full chartered status. More information on becoming chartered here. There are multiple levels to CICES membership, with the two main professional grades being Technical member (TCInstCES) and Member (MCInstCES). For a more detailed descriptions of all the options look here.

Lower School Options (pre 18): Usually to get into higher education you’ll need 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent. Subject choice is important even at this early stage and can help with the understandings of the basics. Good choices include:

• Maths- with a maths extension if you can.
• Economics
• Geography
• Geology
• Physics

Design Engineer Construct! is a secondary school aimed accredited learning programme by Class of your Own. The result is having young people with real-world practical experience and employability skills. So being involved in projects like this will definitely help build up your skills if this is something your school can get behind. If you are a teacher and interested in applying this to your school then check out this link.

University: “If the university lifestyle appeals to you and you want to study a subject leading to a fast-paced, high-tech career, then a surveying-related degree could be ideal for you.

There are more than 300 courses in the UK alone, so there’s a surveying course suited for you – no matter where you want to study or what your career ambitions are” (RICS).

They could include:

• surveying
• business studies
• economics
• estate management
• land and property development

Taking an accredited degree can be the first step to becoming a surveyor. Whether that is undergraduate study or postgraduate. This is because the relevant organisations work in partnership with universities to ensure that the accredited degree courses are relevant to industry. So when studying, your qualification will be recognised by employers as the benchmark of quality. Find courses here: http://www.ricscourses.org/Course/# or  https://www.cices.org/membership/about/courses/.

Apprenticeships (16 plus): You could do a chartered surveyor degree apprenticeship. Also the geospatial survey technician level 3. You will usually need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship. This will be partly studying in school and partly out getting hands on. Search opportunities on the Government website (UK).

There are two levels of apprenticeships. At age 16 you can study a level 3 course, and then at 18 can study for the level 5 or 6.

There is a level 6 option which is geospatial mapping and science specialist. This is equivalent to a Bachelors degree. Find out more here.

T-Levels (age 16)– Mike from RICS introduced the concept to us, where students can gain practical work experience whilst studying 14 key modules in college (20:80 split). Work placements are scattered between the college work, with three exams at the end of the second year. It has been developed in collaboration with industry employers and professional bodies, including RICS and CICES.

*Could your business help train the next generation of surveyors? To find out about the benefits of offering a T-Level work placement, visit the government’s website, or email Mike Cox at mcox@rics.org.

Work Progression: If you have a higher national diploma or foundation degree in surveying or construction, you may be able to work as a surveying technician, and take further training on the job to qualify as a professional surveyor, or to specialise into a specific field. This is similar to progressing and diversifying into your niche of preferred work.

Development scheme: You could get a postgraduate qualification through a graduate trainee scheme with a company to work for (through RICS or CICES which offer special schemes); The Survey School run by the TSA provides a great 2 year block release course as well as other short courses. Education is also available through distance learning with the University College of Estate Management.

Becoming a Surveyor in the USA

American Specific University Study– Taking a ABET (or similar) accredited course provides a great base. “We are a nonprofit, non-governmental agency that accredits programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering and engineering technology. 

ABET accreditation provides assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates. 

We accredit programs, not institutions. We provide specialized accreditation for post-secondary programs within degree-granting institutions already recognized by national or regional institutional accreditation agencies or national education authorities worldwide. 

Our accreditation is voluntary, and to date, 4,307 programs at 846 colleges and universities in 41 countries have received ABET accreditation. Over 100,000 students graduate from ABET-accredited programs each year, and millions of graduates have received degrees from ABET-accredited programs since 1932”.

Find courses here.

NSPS get certified.

Becoming a Surveyor

Unlike other countries, each state in the US has different requirements for becoming a surveyor. Each state has their own licensing board which is often referred to as the Board of Registration. Education requirements and experience requirements vary state to state as well.

In Indiana (where our Brand Ambassador Ryan is from) for example you must have an associates degree with 27 credit hours in specific land surveying courses. You must work under the direct supervision of a Professional Surveyor (PS) for 2 years and then you can take the Surveyor Intern exam. Once that exam is passed there’s an additional 4 years working under a PS before you can sit for the PS exam. Once all of that has been completed you are able to practice on your own.

All states have some sort of combination of education and experience. Some require a Bachelor’s degree and 2 years of experience. A few states have a path to licensure where no education is required but you have to work under a PS for 10 years. For more information about the qualifications required by the respective states for designation as a Professional Surveyor, visit this site.

Becoming a Surveyor in Australia

Australian TAFE Qualification: “Work with civil engineers, builders, project managers and architects in the design and construction of major projects such as commercial buildings, bridges, roads, dams, tunnels and railways. Civil Construction and Surveying courses offer students a chance to gain hands-on experience and apply their expertise in the construction industry.

TAFE NSW qualifications can lead to careers in a range of different industries and sectors from roads to mining to residential to defence”. Find out more here.

Australia Specific University Study: Attending University to obtain a degree (Associate, Bachelors or Bachelors with Honours) – the entry requirements and prerequisites differ in each state. Find more detail about each state and the courses available from this link.

Becoming a Surveyor Worldwide

Extra Curricular: Gaining work experience is one of the most important things you can do. Not only does this show how keen you are to learn the skills needed for the job, it also tells you if the career is what you expected, which at this point you could alter your career path to suit something that is more suited to you.

If work experience isn’t an option for you, volunteering certainly is. Volunteering not only looks good on your CV, but it helps you get a grounding and gaining life skills. It does not have to be within the industry, any volunteering is valuable.

There are a wide variety of sectors and routes to go down in this industry. Nicely demonstrated in this image:

A great representation by Geospatial Jobs showing which sectors the Geospatial Graduates of today want to go into. There are so many options within each of these sectors too. Lots to explore and grow with as you gain more experience and opportunities. Further specialisation can be made with further qualifications for career progression.

Challenges in recruitment in the sector: It is clear from the ongoing needs of the construction industry that there will be a significant shortfall in the number of suitably qualified individuals to take up post in organisations working on the huge infrastructure projects that the UK will be embarking on over the next 10 to 20 years The shortfall in construction skills is mirrored in the supporting geospatial profession which provide the foundations to most of these projects so play a critical role.

“Both the University of East London and Newcastle University have seen a long-term trend of falling numbers of students applying to study specialist geospatial degree courses. The Design Engineer Construct! curriculum, which features geospatial engineering, has had its parity with GCSEs and A levels removed by the Department for Education, making it less viable for schools to offer”.

Solutions to the Challenges:  The Industrial Strategy: Construction Sector Deal published in July 2018 refers to the investment of an additional £406m in maths, digital and technical education, helping to address the shortage of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills. Which will be a big boost to the geospatial industry as we are very much included in this and the digital aspect.

Kids often do not have the understanding of what the geospatial industry is. With a lack of applied activities in school even though they are learning the content. The major problem is that teachers, parents and the children do not know the career options available or the possible high earnings for those professionals that come with it. As mentioned previously the Design Engineer Construct is here to try and teach more about the opportunities within the industry to secondary school ages. In lower years Get Kids into Survey is trying to expose the industry in a fun way, including it in posters which are branching out into Q&A’s and lesson plans too. Schools are encouraged to have geospatial engineers and survey firms to come in to deliver assemblies and regularly engage with the kids. Lastly, the Adopt a School programme from Class of Your Own partners construction firms (including geospatial engineering businesses) with schools and offers site visit opportunities and hands-on demonstrations of geospatial equipment and software.

In the Geospatial Engineering Education report the Geospatial Commission are provided with a list of proposed changes and targets in order to help the industry progress. Some of these suggestions include: ensuring long term funding is available for more apprenticeship based learning, : Geospatial academia and research bodies are asked to work with industry and professional bodies to ensure opportunities are present to everyone, Geospatial academia and industry and professional bodies are asked to improve liaison with STEAM and geography teachers, and that careers information is available from a young age.

Advice for current students:

How do you ensure a job is right for you? “Knowing if a job is right for you is such a circumstantial question, I think. In my opinion, the most important thing is that you be interested in the core of the role. For me, it’s chatting with people/socialising, for surveyors, it may be geography, or math, or being outdoors. Surveying can see you in the middle of the bush, or on top of a 28-story high rise in the city, or hundreds of metres underground; this is great, because there’s a branch for almost everyone.  But you have to be excited, and love what you do” -Sarah Clark

Katie Holt explains “There are lots of exciting career choices in surveying – you could be involved in construction and helping to make sure projects are built correctly, in the right place or you could be using drones, laser scanners and other instruments to produce plans and maps of areas.  There are plenty of opportunities for varied work and travel within your country and overseas.”

Linking back to another blog by James Gibbs, he asked the question ‘What advice would you give to someone starting a geospatial career?’ in which five geospatial experts gave their advice. Some key messages that I took away from this were:

-Curiosity is key… ask those questions, dig deeper and make connections. The more you show genuine interest and willingness to learn the further you will go.

-Technology is advancing at a rapid rate, which leads to never ending opportunities where the only limit is your imagination! Especially in recent years the development of tools used in space, collecting data through environmental observations, navigation and communications.

-Don’t be afraid to question how and why things are done in a certain way. New ideas come from new perspectives, that might just happen to be you!

-Your first job doesn’t need to be your final job. You are free to follow your interests when different and new opportunities present themselves.

Useful Links:

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/planning-and-development-surveyor

https://www.truity.com/career-profile/surveyor#

https://www.classofyourown.com/

http://www.buildingpeople.org.uk/

https://geospatialjobs.co.uk/articles/

‘State of Geospatial Engineering Education’ Submission to the Geospatial Commission September 2019.

Map making is also known as Cartography, they both mean the same thing, this is, using geographical information and transforming it into a map.  

As you’ll maybe know from seeing maps in school and at home, a map is a graphic which shows a simplified picture (or visualisation) of some of the features of a location/area (also known as, spatial data) it is representing. 

Over the years, map making has been developed by various occupations joining forces to produce maps using COOL technology, e.g., land surveying, satellite remote sensing, aerial photography, geographical information systems, photogrammetry, & hydrography.

Map making uses skills from subjects like art, geography, science, and technology. It’s a FUN and CREATIVE profession, and there is a high demand for skilled map makers as an occupation. Map making can lead you down an avenue of lots of opportunities, including the use of GIS (Geographical Information Systems) which is a career in itself. 

How to spark interest with your kids:

Start off by going out for an exploration of your local area. Pick an area with a few key objects eg a bridge, path and pond. Using objects around you, map this out using stones, sticks and grass (or whatever you can find) to create your own little nature map! Once you’ve finished remember to put back or clear out of the way the items you used. 

National Geographic have created a really simple map making web page. Here you can create all sorts of different maps. Some examples of the layers you can add are the ranges of where the Big Cats are currently occupying, natural disaster hotspots, and political factors like boundaries. These can be layered as you wish, with a base map of your choice. Worth checking out with your kids if you have some spare time! Find it here.

Map making comes with a whole host of topics that need to be understood… contour lines, scale, measuring distance, grid references, compasses and directions, and learning all the map symbols! Mapzone has been created by Ordnance Survey to try to educate children (of whatever age) about all of the skills mentioned above… plus lots more in other aspects of geography if you are extra keen. Have a look here.

Company Name – Seiler Geospatial.

Location – Midwest United States (we have offices in MO, KS, NE, WI, MI, IN, IL).

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? We loved the idea of promoting and supporting continuing education.  The Seiler family have supported continuing survey education with equipment donations and scholarships to many of the Midwest surveying colleges and universities across the Midwest.  

What do you do? Our core strength is supporting the Geospatial Industry by continuously expanding and evolving to promote and educate our customers on new technologies and industry trends. Seiler Instrument  is one of the largest Authorized Trimble Distributors in the Midwest and a premier distributor for several other high quality hardware and software products. We are dedicated to our clients’ success by providing the best hardware, support, and software tools that fit their specific workflows, which ensure efficiencies and profitability.  Our products include Survey Optical, GNSS, Data Controllers, 3D Scanning, Drones, Mapping GIS, Utility Survey Systems, Field and Office Software  and much more.  Our family owned business has a complete satisfaction purchase policy and we are committed to our customers’ complete satisfaction.

How long have you been in the Survey Industry? 75 years – this year is our 75th Anniversary!

Tom Seiler, Louise Schaper, Eric P Seiler, Elaine Seiler, Rick Seiler

How did you get into the Industry? Seiler Instrument was founded in 1945 by Eric H and Dora Seiler. Today the family business is headed up by Chairman Eric P. Seiler-2^nd generation, President and CEO Rick Seiler, Louise Schaper and Tom Seiler all the third generation. Kurtis Schaper, Eric Seiler III, and Matt Seiler comprise the 4^th generation also working at Seiler Instrument.  Our founder Eric H. Seiler helped create a company and culture of hard work, excellence in quality, service, reliability and integrity in Optical Instruments.

Did you know that Seiler Instrument/Seiler Geospatial, played an important role in surveying history as one of the original makers of surveying instruments from the United States, St. Louis area?  Seiler founded Seiler Instrument Company in a small facility at 922 Pine Street, St. Louis, Missouri 75 years ago. Its primary service was the repair and overhaul of surveying instruments and microscopes. The company continued to grow and was soon manufacturing instruments designed by Eric H. Seiler. Most were Dumpy levels for the construction industry, but also included transits and theodolites.  In 1956, the company outgrew its facility and moved to 1629 Washington Avenue in St. Louis and expanded again in 1968 when they moved to accommodate a complete optical manufacturing environment expansion to Webster Groves, Missouri.   Today the family owns a 150,000 square foot facility in Kirkwood Missouri along with six other offices across the Midwest United States.  We no longer manufacture surveying instruments, but are one of the largest resellers for Trimble Navigation in the Midwest United States.

Favourite piece of kit and why? The Trimble SX10 and Trimble X7 are the latest survey scanning and 3D modeling products to help surveyors do their job.  Scanning and 3D modeling are the future of surveying,  More and more people want and need to see additional data, thus with more data you can make better decisions.

Favourite survey technique and why? Surveyors use instruments to lay our property lines, housing and subdivisions and for infrastructure maps, topographic and aerial maps and much more.   Surveyors are the ones responsible for maintaining  land boundaries and boundaries are the basis of real property and wealth – e.g. where are my property lines and how much property do I own?   Just about everything built needs a survey and surveyors are the first ones to be involved in locating and laying out what will be built.  They ensure what is built is in the “right place.”

Your website: www.seilergeo.com

Our super awesome Brand Ambassador Ryan Swingley from Indiana tells all in this blog: 

Where did you study? I did my Land Surveying studies at Vincennes University and graduated in 1999.  I have maintained a close relationship with the university through out my careers and now I am an adjunct instructor there who teaches Remote Sensing for Land Surveyors.  

What are the requirements to be a surveyor in your area? When I achieve my license in 2005, I was required to have 27 credit hours in college Land Surveying courses, 14 credit hours of college level math including Calculus, and 14 credit hours of college level science including Physics. I had to work under the direct supervision of a licensed Land Surveyor for 7 years and pass two national exams and one state specific exam.  

How did you get into surveying? Since I was a little kid I loved to draw.  I had dreamed of being an Architect as a young child and in my teen years I had decided to be a mechanical engineer.  I exceled in drafting classes in high school and I was able to get a job as a construction manager for a company that did excavation and paving while I was in school.  During my work I would calculate dirt quantities from plans from Civil Engineers and Land Surveyors so this got me interested in this industry.  I started college in a Civil Engineering program but switched to Land Surveying after a semester because I like the hands on and outdoor activities.  

If you were not a surveyor, what would you do? I am a pretty good cook so I always thought I would be a chef.  I am also a pretty big fellow and I have been told I can be intimidating so being a police officer was always on my radar as well.  After seeing both of those careers from a far and seeing the hardships they go through, I am glad I am a Land Surveyor.

How long have you been in the industry?  I got my first land surveying job the summer of 1997 and worked near full time while going to school so I have been doing this for 23 years.  

Are you part of any associations or organisations you would like us to mention?  I am currently a Board of Director for the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors (ISPLS) and have been the president in the past.  My time with ISPLS has been very rewarding and has allowed me to help to make many positive contributions to the Indiana Land Surveying community.

Why do you want to be a GKiS Brand Ambassador? I have been working for many years to attract youth to this profession.  I helped to get the Boy Scouts Surveying Merit Badge program off the ground in Indiana.  GKiS is just a great tool to give ISPLS other avenues to teach children about this great profession.  The average age of a licensed Land Surveyor in Indiana is 56 years old so we need youth to keep this profession alive.

Why is it important for kids to know about surveying and the wider geospatial industry? I think kids all know the importance of teachers, doctors, police officers, and construction workers but often do not know what a Land Surveyor does.  I often explain to kids that a Land Surveyor had involvement in every man made physical feature on the earth.  From roads to schools a Land Surveyor was there.  This is important to let kids know all of the career opportunities there are but someday, those that do not become Land Surveyor may someday be consumers of land surveying products so the sooner we can shed a positive light on the services rendered by Land Surveyor the brighter our future will be.

What are you going to do as an ambassador for GKiS? We (ISPLS) have been going to as many career days as we can.  Before COVID 19 I estimate that we had spoke to 700 students about a career in Land Surveying.  When things get back to normal we will continue that mission but in the mean time we are seeking online opportunities to get in front of students.

What are your hobbies? I run a office that focuses on mobile LiDAR, I am an adjunct instructor at Vincennes University, I am a board member of ISPLS, I am the president of our Home Owners Association, I am instructor in 4h Shooting Sports, and I am a husband and father of four kids so I don’t have a lot of time for hobbies.  When I find some rare free time, I enjoy a fine bourbon with friends, fly fishing and shooting skeet.

If you/your company had a GKiS character, what would it be?  ISPLS has a character named Bengal Cat.  He was created to honor a long time ISPLS board member, Don Bengel who had passed away.

What poster or resource would you like to see next from GKiS?  The foundation of all things that are built in this world is the land.  The land is defined by boundaries.  A boundary survey is the one land surveying product that the general public is mostly likely to purchase in their lifetime and boundary surveys are often very misunderstood by those outside the profession.  Often when I am talking to kids I also have an opportunity to educate parents about the boundary survey process.  I would like to see a poster dedicated to boundary surveying to highlight the legal aspects of this profession.  

Written by Erin Hull

Here at Get Kids into Survey, we have started planning and drafting ideas for our upcoming Environment poster. We thought we would share some of the resources we have come across in the recent weeks… they may be useful for lessons, home learning ideas or just for you to check out! There are a range of environmental topics discussed, some which happen naturally and others that are induced by human actions. It is our aim to include as much as possible in the poster to spread awareness of what is happening to our planet. It is so important now more than ever that everyone understands what is going on with the big sphere in which we live, so that we do not cause even more irreversible problems.

The British Geological Survey (BGS) are an organisation focused on public-good science for government and research to understand earth and environmental processes. They have a landslides database, which holds records of over 18,000 landslides in the UK, as well as a range of case studies, and then there are all sorts of construction, remediation, safety measures which can be implemented. If you want to look further into what they do, have a read of some of their research articles. They hold a lot of information on a range of topics with extreme relevance. Take a look: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geology-projects/landslides/national-landslide-database/

Global warming is an issue that brings with it a lot of different factors. What I love about this resource by NASA, is that it is visual and easy to comprehend. NASA show a time machine back through the last 100/200 years to see the changing Sea Ice, Sea Level, Carbon Dioxide and Global Temperature changes. Another interesting side of geospatial is environmental / climate monitoring – imagine working for someone like NASA?! Please have a play with this resource that demonstrates that change needs to be made or else this pattern may continue: https://climate.nasa.gov/interactives/climate-time-machine/

Everybody remembers spending lots of time studying volcanoes and earthquakes at school. These two hazards including their monitoring is another large area of employment in high risk areas, producing hazard maps, setting incident levels and response measures /evacuation plans. MapAction is an organisation worth mentioning, they work with Humanitarian emergencies that often strike without warning, destroying lives and livelihoods within a matter of seconds. In the immediate aftermath, the challenge for those responding is to know where to start. So between 24-48 hours after a disaster the volunteer mappers are on the scene, collecting data that is vital to efficiently handling the support. “Which area has been worst affected? Where are the most vulnerable people? What has happened to roads, railways and communication networks? Where are medical supplies and where are they needed most?” are some of the most common questions that need answers to… fast! Take a look at their website, they have a lot of data sets and maps that show a variety of information from around the world: https://mapaction.org

Do you know what your carbon footprint is? It is interesting to find out and amazing to see what different factors contribute the most to increasing your carbon usage. Although some may put this problem down to the larger companies, it is each of our responsibilities to make little changes and be as kind as we can to our planet. If we all start making little changes to improve, that will equal a whole lot of positives between hundreds, thousands or millions of people. Have a go at this carbon footprint calculator by the charity WWF: https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/

The War on Waste Documentary by Craig Reucassel has returned for a 2nd series after the first series sparked action across Australia and beyond. Craig targets a different aspect in each of his episodes, starting with the extreme issues with our food waste. Moving on to plastic waste in the oceans, the problems with fast fashion, and looking at possible solutions for these problems. Available here: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/war-on-waste/series/1/video/DO1624H003S00

I could not write this blog without including the legendary Sir David Attenborough. He has presented and helped showcase so many beautiful places around the world. In his more recent documentary (A Life on Our Planet) he highlights how the world has changed since he started and the differences over time are truly shocking. The emotion he displays in trying to make the world realise what is currently happening is hard for anyone to ignore. So, please have a watch (available on Netlix): https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80216393

On that note, it would be great if you would like to get involved in helping educate the next generation on these topics mentioned. There is still time to put your stamp on the poster with a collection of other great brands. We need you to be able to bring awareness to our industry and all of the opportunities for great careers within it. For more information you can look on our sponsor page here https://www.getkidsintosurvey.com/get-involved/, or email us direct at hello@getkidsintosurvey.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

Written by Draco the Dragon

Company Name – Leica Geosystems

Location– We are based in a big town in the middle of England called Milton Keynes – Often called the concrete city. Our UK head office is much nicer than the cave I used to live in!

Why did you get involved in Get Kids into Survey? 

Leica Geosystems and the profession of surveying have been around almost as long as dragons. Like dragons, something with so much heritage and importance is worth protecting. That’s why I’m proud to help Get Kids into Survey spread the word about surveying to the next generation of talented young surveyors and engineers. Ultimately, who can breathe new life (and fire) into the industry and set the world alight?

What do you do?

At Leica Geosystems, we design and build lots of exciting equipment that help people do all sorts of jobs all around the world. It could be a laser scanner to capture 3D images of a castle, a detection instrument that helps find dangerous objects deep under the ground or a drone that helps surveyors get a dragon’s eye view of the area they’re working in.

How long have you been in the Survey Industry?

The origins of Leica Geosystems date back 200 years when I was just a little baby. It all started with a company called Kern & Co in Switzerland. Over the next two centuries, the company grew in various forms to become what it is today. One thing that has never changed is that Leica Geosystems is still number one when it comes to surveying innovation.

How did you get into the Industry?

I got into the surveying industry almost 100 years ago when there was no such thing as drones. I used to fly over worksites and, thanks to my excellent photographic memory, could tell my colleagues exactly what I saw down to the millimetre. Today, I help Leica Geosystems by flying with their new drones such as the Leica Aibot AX20 as a quality check. If the new drones pass the Draco test, they’re ready to go out to our customers.

Funny Fact about you

I love toasting marshmallows by breathing fire. Although I burn most of them, it makes the ones I don’t burn even better.

Favourite piece of kit and why?

Apart from the drones, I love the Leica DSX. It’s a GPR instrument (that stands for ground-penetrating radar). The DSX uses radar technology to locate objects buried underground, making it very useful for utility surveys. If someone is about to dig, it’s important to make sure there’s nothing dangerous hiding below like electric cables or gas or water pipes. It’s also perfect for treasure hunts!

Favourite Survey technique and why?

My favourite survey technique is aerial surveying – with the help of the Leica Aibot drone of course. The Aibot can see everything from above just like me and it’s great fun flying around while it works it’s magic. Plus the Aibot’s photographic memory is even better than mine!

Your website: https://leica-geosystems.com/en-gb