I have been the MA TrigStar coordinator for the past ten years. I have enjoyed working with the students and administrating the exam each year, at my alma mater. Nauset Regional High School has consistently been the State winner, too. Why? Because it is like pulling teeth to get surveyors involved!
Why do we cry about the lack of entry level personal into the profession but resist educating the students? I reach out to about 60 students a year through the TrigStar program and I can guarantee you that if they don't enter the profession they at least will not be the neighbor asking you stupid questions in the future! They have been taught the broad scope of our discipline, they know it's NOT A CAMERA, and some have expressed interest in the profession. I have even have a few work with me for a day or so just to get a taste.
Here is the MA 2015 winner, again from Nauset, because not a single other surveyor in MA administered the exam.
I have reached a point where I feel guilty about MALSCE sponsoring my school year after year, to the tune of $750! Once, in the past ten years, did another surveyor participate and their school won!
I don't get the reluctance to get involved in this program. The free publicity doesn't hurt, you spend maybe 2-3 hours A YEAR, unless you want to do more, and you get to help promote the Profession that has treated you well. "Surveying has been very very good to me."
Adios for now,
Dtp
Outstanding Donald!! :clap: I agree 100% with the importance of such programs. Once I get out of this dustbin I hope to be more involved with the society. I know our local chapter is active with a program and has been for several years.
Kudos!
I have helped give an intro presentation about surveying to the examinees a few weeks before an exam. There seemed to be some interest around the room.
My main concern (and possibly related to that reluctance) is that it seemed to me that the students who were the most interested, would likely enter into engineering, physics, etc.
Keep up the good work, we have a few counties here in Maryland that participate, and I expect a few more in the coming years.
Thanks for your responses, and your current and/or future involvement.
Dtp
