Page 10 - NYS_ESS_01-2022

Land Surveying is a Great Profession,

But Why Don’t Young People Know That?

By Emily Pierce, LS

kno
or
ws, w
e a
e ar
ey
pr
any
ofessional
v
land sur
par
As any professional land surveyor knows, we are a part
As
t
ofession. I
of a great profession. It offers tremendous variety, the
t offers tr
of a gr
eat pr
ariety
emendous v
, the
chance to work outdoors, the opportunity to apply
chance to wor k outdoors, the oppor tunity to apply
math and geography skills in the real world, and
math and geography skills in the r eal world, and
the satisfaction of contributing something of lasting
the satisfaction of contributing something of lasting
alue and impor
tance.
v
value and importance.
F
For me, it has always been about doing something
or me, it has always been about doing something
y
day
,
ent
ev
er
differ
different every day, exploring new technology and
and
technology
exploring
ne
w
wners solv
ence b
making a difference by helping landowners solve
making a differ
y helping lando
e
problems. So why aren’t young people lining up to
pr oblems. S o why ar en ’ t y oung people lining up to
become surveyors? Because they don’t know about it.
become sur v ey ors? B ecause they don ’ t kno w about it.
I did a quick online review of what careers are being
I did a quick online r evie w of what car eers ar e being
r
recommended to high school and middle school
ecommended to high school and middle school
students, and surveying didn’t make any of the lists.
t make any of the lists.
eying didn
’
students, and sur
v
A
ding
P
tunate.
That is unfortunate. According to the Princeton
ccor
rinceton
unfor
That
to
is
the
R eview , “… sur v eying job oppor tunities ar e expected
Review, “… surveying job opportunities are expected
ease b
to incr
e than 20 per
y mor
to increase by more than 20 percent in the next ten
cent in the next ten
thermor
ur
e, sur
v
eying offers stable hours,
years.” Furthermore, surveying offers stable hours,
” F
y
ears.
decent pay
decent pay. Plus, job satisfaction increases as
lus, job satisfaction incr
eases as
. P
eases.
experience incr
experience increases.
That last point is essential. E xperience and
That last point is essential. Experience and
e
v
elate in many car
eers – I’
satisfaction do not correlate in many careers – I’ve
satisfaction do not corr
learned this fr om friends who ar e not lucky enough
learned this from friends who are not lucky enough
to be sur v ey ors.
to be surveyors.
The N ational S ociety of P r ofessional S ur v ey ors
The National Society of Professional Surveyors
(NSPS) has been activ
(NSPS) has been active in working with high school
king with high school
e in wor
ough its public
counselors and doing outreach through its public
each thr
counselors and doing outr
wor
elopment
kfor
committees.
r relations and workforce development committees.
ce
dev
elations
and
This outreach includes offering real money in the form
This outr each includes offering r eal money in the form
of scholarships to high school and college students
of scholarships to high school and college students
pursuing a degree in mapping/land surveying.
pursuing a degr ee in mapping/land sur v eying.
tar Competition.
One specific program is the Trig-Star Competition.
O
T
rig-S
ogram is the
ne specific pr
This competition r ecogniz es and r e war ds high school
This competition recognizes and rewards high school
students who ex cel in mathematics. S tudents hav e
students who excel in mathematics. Students have
the opportunity to win a $2,000 scholarship, and
the oppor tunity to win a $2,000 scholarship , and
their teachers also r eceiv e a ca sh awar d. Also, just for
their teachers also receive a cash award. Also, just for
par ticipating in the contest in high school, students
participating in the contest in high school, students
ar e eligible to apply for the $5,000 and $2,500 T rig-
are eligible to apply for the $5,000 and $2,500 Trig-
S tar Scholarships to suppor t their college classes in
Star Scholarships to support their college classes in
sur v eying/engineering.
surveying/engineering.
8 EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 58 • NO 1 / 2022 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY