Read what the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping has to say.
View 20 minute presentation on the history and future of the Surveying profession. (Best viewed with Internet Explorer.)
Surveyors work in these areas:
Surveyors apply their knowledge and skills for such purposes as field data collection, statistical analysis, mapping, boundary location, and wetland delineation. They identify and locate hazardous waste sites and tectonic plate movements, map areas such as the polar ice cap and deforestation in the Amazon River basin, and collect and present data used by land planners and environmental agencies. Data is obtained from digital ground-based surveying equipment, aerial photos, and satellites.
Planners and legislators rely on the data generated and analyzed by surveyors for the information
they need to make decisions. One well-known use of the technology employed by surveyors is
the support mapping for the 911 emergency phone system. More familiar products provided by
surveyors include road and city maps, building layouts, maps of the moon and planets, and
diagrams showing population growth.
Who hires surveyors?
Federal, state, and local government agencies employ almost one-third of all surveyors. Among the federal agencies employing these workers are the Bureau of Land Management, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Army Corps of Engineers, Forest Services, and US Geological Survey. On the state and local levels, surveyors find employment with private land surveyors, highway departments, and urban planning and development agencies. There are also opportunities with construction companies, engineering and architectural firms, crude petroleum or natural gas companies, railroads, and public utilities.
How do I become a licensed surveyor?
Laws for licensure as a professional land surveyor vary from state to state. Most states require that a person work a specific number of years under a professional land surveyor after passing the Fundamentals in Land Surveying (FLS) exam. In Pennsylvania, it is four years. This FLS exam covers a broad spectrum in knowledge areas that are taught as part of the baccalaureate Surveying Engineering program here at Penn State. You can learn more about the examination process by visiting the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying.
Additional
Information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job growth in the surveying area is expected to be between 10% to 20% in the next five years. There are jobs for both surveying technicians and surveyors. To learn more about this visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos040.htm.
For job related sites visit:
 |
America's Job Bank |
|
|
BridgePath |
|
|
Career Magazine |
|
|
Career Mosaic |
|
|
Career Path |
|
|
College Grad Job Huner |
|
|
The Internet Job Hunter |
|
|
JobCenter |
|
|
Job-Hunt |
|
|
JobTrak |
|
|
JobWeb |
|
|
Careers & Jobs |
|
|
Virtual Job Fair |
Back
to Surveying
Engineering Program Main Page.