I wanna be a surveyor

My advice is back away slowly from this idea and no one will get hurt.

A rancher once told me that his 40's were great, his 50's, he slowed down a little and was always nursing some sort of pain, but got the job done, his 60's were hard every day due to the injuries in his 50's and now his 70's he just can't do it any more and is selling the ranch.

I kinda relate since I am closer to 60.

Surveying in the field is hard hard work, Around here anyway.

Randy

SJ-

You might consider stating what your geographic location is here and beating all the local surveying company bushes, looking for a part time position.

That way your responsibility is to yourself after your employer and your employer may appreciate a bright willing worker.

We have a 75 year old field assistant who was a master at installing printing presses throughout the World.

He works with us 'to keep in shape' for playing hockey !

Cheers,

Derek

If you're the type of person who likes to be active and stays in shape, you may enjoy it. But be warned, some of what you may not have noticed the field crews doing is things like packing a bunch of gear through swamps or up mountainsides, choping line through several hundred or several thousand feet of dense brush to run a traverse through, pounding stakes and iron pipe into rocky soil, trying to center the top of that stake or iron at a certain location while the subsurface rocks continually force it to lean anywhere but where you need it to be, digging holes in asphalt or concrete to find the monument that's supposed to be there but was paved over, and digging that hole while cars and trucks buzz by at 50 mph and your protection is a few road cones placed around your work area. Then there are the construction staking jobs, in which you spend the entire day on the same hot, dusty, noisy patch of dirt all day, avoiding getting run over by equipment and pounding in hub after hub after hub...

Many larger and midsized firms do a lot of construction staking, and because of the often difficult working conditions day in and day out, and the often relatively low pay, look for younger people who are more likely to be able to keep up that pace 5 or 6 days per week for several weeks or months.

Best bet for part time work is to find a surveyor who either is a one man shop or has a very small company, and only needs a field person or office help one or two days per week. An owner of such a small operation may also appreciate the help at drafting and research from a person who is responsible, is able to think independently, and has an aptitude for such work.

Good luck.

It all depends on the State you want to get registered. In Texas you will need to be an SIT for two years with two years of in charge survey responsibility before you can take the exam.

You can work part time as a surveyor, but only if you want to make extra money for fishing bait and just do a few lot jobs a month.

If you want to survey to help pay off your dream retirement home, well its going to turn into a full time job.

1. Grass always greener on other side of fence.

2. Setting up a business after time spent getting qualifications does not guarantee clients will be breaking down your door or ringing the phone of its hook...

3 ...Want to get into surveying... . settle for chasing an assistants job in drafting or instrument work.

4 Many small firms are heading down solo path as work is quiet and more efficient and profitable.

5 What you see when driving could be boundary or engineering surveying parties, but there are many other fields of surveying that may better suit you from your existing professional knowledge and expertise.

6 Running a surveying business should be a full time profession, not a part time semi retirement toy.

Good luck

RADU

Randy, That initial advice was funny.

Thank You - I can't stop laughing about it.

> A few questions for you lucky professionals(or tradesman):
> 1)Is this a reasonable "semi-retired" occupation? ...less than full-time
> 2)How does one get into the field while working full-time elsewhere?
> 3)What educational/experience path would you recommend

1. If you're ok making less than $20 per hour then sure. However, you will have to work up to $20.

2. The board usually gives partial credit which makes getting your time in to sit for the exam take forever.

3. Both, however the investment of time and money for education often is barely worth the effort when you compare surveying with other potential paths.

4. For me the constantly dumping cash into vehicles, equipment, computers, and software was super irritating, these days they became obsolete at light speed.

5. If you hire someone, enjoy all the paperwork and taxes, healthcare etc. or you can do all the work yourself which to me sucks and will get you poor super fast while working like a slave.

6. Before GPS, Google earth, machine control, scanning, GIS, and all the internet maps surveyors were seen sorta like the guru map authorities in the world but no more......now soccer mom is a map expert too with an I-phone 5... lol

My advice. Be careful what you ask for.

A few questions for you lucky professionals(or tradesman):
1)Is this a reasonable "semi-retired" occupation? ...less than full-time

Possibly, if you had your license and after you're well established. Otherwise you'd likely be on call and have to work around someone else's needs and schedule.

2)How does one get into the field while working full-time elsewhere?

It's really tough to be in two places at once. That may require a reality check.

3)What educational/experience path would you recommend

I tell folks the quickest and most thorough route towards getting ahead in surveying is to get a minimum of an associates degree in geomatics. Most states require a degree for licensing these days.

As one surveyor I worked for put it to me when I asked him what it would take for me to get my license. His reply was, 'It'll take time.' Man, was he was right. It's a long row to hoe.

Williwaw's advise is good if becoming a licensed professional in responsible charge is your goal. I'm thinking that you want to work on the field crew...

> 1)Is this a reasonable "semi-retired" occupation? ...less than full-time
Surveyors, especially small shops, are always looking for a reliable guy they can call in on an on-call basis. It is so rare to find that most of us don't consider it a possibility. But I have seen it work.

> 2)How does one get into the field while working full-time elsewhere?
I think I'd just call up local surveyors, especially the small time operators, and go chat with them about what you want to do. Stay in touch. Donate a day to hang out with a crew.

At first you would just be a go-fer. A bag carrier. Hired muscle. Both my boys spent some time on the field crew and the only thing (about surveying) that I taught them before their first day was how to set up a tripod over a point properly- about an hour and a half of instruction. They picked up the rest on the job. One of them became a party chief within a couple of years before moving on. The other is now a PLS.

> 3)What educational/experience path would you recommend
Very little as a helper in the field. Ask the question again after that first day. But by then you will likely know the answer.

Your mechanical engineering background will serve you well. There are a few textbooks you could read but I doubt that school would really do a whole lot for you that some hands on experience and reading won't do as well. Possibly at some point you will want to go deeper and then school might be appropriate. Cross that bridge when you come to it.

Where Are You Now? When And Where Will You Retire?

Where you are now affects your education choices. I have information on 90+ surveying programs in the US.

When and where you will retire affects your survey planning schedule.

Do not worry about the naysayers. If you want to do it, do it. I was a PE Civil Engineering for 20 years bfore deciding to expand my education to surveying. I had no plans that I thought I might recover the costs with work. The real cost was not in the actual education expenses, but in the lost opportunity costs as I put engineering work aside for study and commuting to classes.

Since you are a mechanical engineer you have a head start on the math. Are you a PE?

I suggest you look to be licensed in a state that requires a Survey Certificate education, about 1/2 of an Associates worth of classes, a state that accepts an engineering degree plus survey courses or a state that requires an associate degree.

Then consider the experience requirements, som states only accept experience after one becomes an SIT, Surveyor in Traing, which occurs after the fundamentals exam, which only happens after education. Look for a state that accepts experience before the SIT or has no experience requirement.

For experience you want find an older surveyor who is willing to work with you part time as in weekends. One suggestion is to get yourself educated in GPS and hook up with a non GPS oriented surveyor, you are then bringing something to the table. Also you could find a surveyor doing surveys for Habitat for Humanity and work for free on such projects.

Another option may be to begin your education in the GIS field.

Paul in PA

Where Are You Now? When And Where Will You Retire?

:good:

Listen to Norman & Paul, not me. I'm a bit of a grump today with a herniated disk and shot knee after wading through rotten snow shooting in utility locates all day. 😉

Randy, you summed up just about the same lines as what I was thinking.

It is like, test the waters.

During a vacation or if you have some down time here and there, volunteer to follow a local survey crew and just play water boy or gopher.

[sarcasm]good luck dude[/sarcasm]

I have read the responses to you and they appear to be mostly negative. Based upon your statements I am making the assumption that you have a BA in Mechanical Engineering, you may or may not be a licensed ME in your state, you are probably in you early 50s and while retirement sounds good after the honeydo list is completed you would still like to exercise the muscle between your shoulders.

Do not let the responses discourage you. I would suggest the following:

As others have indicated your best path would be to seek discussion with a small to medium size firm. The older the firm the better since they have a history in and of the area where you reside or will upon retirement.

It is possible, depending upon the economy in your area, that you could work with a firm on the weekends to get some background and basics.

To get a leg up there are some text books that you should read:
1. Clark on Surveying and Boundaries
2. Brown and Eldridge on Evidence and Procedures for Boundary Surveying
3. Gurdon H. Wattle on Writing Legal Descriptions
4. R.B. Buckner on Surveying Measurements and their Analysis
5. Manual of Surveying Instructions by the Bureau of Land Management. There is a new one that is either 2012 or 2013.
6. After you have whistled through the above books you can delve into Land Surveyor's Formulas and Applications by John E. Keen.
7. Next would be some background in GPS. You should be able to find on line:
Standards and Guidelines foe Cadastral Surveys using Global Positioning System Measurements (this has to do with Static survey with GPS, Geometric Geodetic Accuracy Standards and Specifications for using GPS Relative Positioning Techniques (this also is related to static gps and understanding network layout and trivial and non-trivial baselines in gps networks)and GPS Guidebook "Standards and Guidelines for Land Surveying using Global Positioning System Methods by Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Your state Department on Natural Resources probable has a similar text.
8. If you let google do your searching and look for Surveying field procedures you will find a bunch of information. The first one I came across is "www.marylandroads.com/ore/FieldManual.pdf?"

I would start with #8 and then #1 thru #7. If you have questions I would put them on a forum and get all kinds of responses. Then sort out what might be right answer.

If you have additional questions I would be glad to discuss them with you.

I personally have enjoyed my 50 year career in land surveying whether it be in boundary, cadastral or construction and feel that I have never worked a day in my life. I have just had fun and been paid to have fun.

Become a GIS tech. No muss no fuss, no real responsibility. Find something neat to map, the wetlands, the bike trails, the invasive plant communities. Find a grant or other funding and have at it.

Not quite a surveyor, but still mapping.

I would say this:

be sure you want to work outside - I am 54, started when I was 12, and still LOVE working outside, but have seen many come and go that didn't like it when it was not a nice sunny day.

You are more of a candidate for an office job with your education and experience - tell them NO, I DO NOT WANT AN OFFICE JOB - that will defeat the purpose of what you are trying to do.

I suggest easing into the whole thing once you get a job as a gopher on a crew, and seriously consider the "CERTIFIED SURVEY TECHNICIAN" program through NSPS (National Society of Professional Surveyors). This takes you from the beginning and guides you through the whole mentoring process - since there is no more on the job mentoring.

Don't worry about reading all the volumes that you will eventually read just yet. With your education and experience, reading, studying and learning are proven attrubutes and you will easily be able to get through the books after you try the field and decide to stick with it.

The most important piece of advise I can offer, for someone your age, is to be mentally prepared for relatively low pay, especially for what you do, for a few years. Do NOT get into surveying if you need good, steady money fast. It isnt gonna happen - it can - but not for a while.

good luck!

Wow...I really appreciate all the advice.

A few points of clarification:
I live in south central PA...Shippensburg. I intend to stay around here.

I have a BS in mechanical engineering; also an MBA. No PE. I've spent most of my career in factories, either in manufacturing engineering or production management positions.

I'm not looking for this to make me rich. I will keep my day job until my retirement nut is squirreled away. Having a plan for some income will allow me to walk away a bit sooner. I'm not really keen on the idea of full retirement...without work, I'm pretty sure I'll wither and die.

Working outdoors is a major draw for me. I look forward to spending all day hunting in a tree, sometimes in a cold rain or snow storm, so I know what I'm getting into there. I enjoy being out in the nasty stuff.

The physical work is also a draw. The thought of slogging through a swamp just excites me, although the thought of cutting through a thousand feet of thick brush sounds rough.

Again, I appreciate you all taking the time to give your honest input. I was hoping that this forum would be a good opportunity to get a bunch advice from folks living the dream. You all have not dissappointed.

I think my next step will be to contact a local firm to see if they need a water boy and do some reading...maybe they'll let me play with the tools eventually.

Nothing against any of those references for eventual study, but I'd start with an elementary surveying book such as Wolf and Ghilani.

Jimmy,

I've been registered since dirt. Today I just have some of the most fun surveying when I assist a young gun whom I mentored years ago and he gained his license and went solo. I go out with him at times to assist, cut line, pound stakes and just crack jokes and talk about important things like huntin, fishin, fine wines etc. Anything but the job. He puts up with me, but he has to, help is hard to find at times. I like it when the Robot or GPS goes south and his blood pressure goes up trying to figure it out. Real fun just to go out and supply plain old muscle and laughs on the job.

Pablo B-)

Working outdoors does seem glamorous until you've stood in 10° weather all day till you cant feel your toes. Or waded through knee deep mud, or trekked through waist-high grass covered in morning dew. Or bit by yellow jackets, deer flies, ticks, dogs people, Or..........