The way I heard to do it, was to get rich in business, and after you make a couple of million, you can start your own survey firm and keep it going for several years until the money runs out. It's fun, but it's a damn expensive hobby 😛
Mr. Fleming,
I could not agree more, except for one small detail.
There are "sneaker" firms out there with long histories of high turnover in surveying staff. Hmmm let's see how this happens, shall we?
The Firm/Agency/Department, flat out (let's be generous here), let's see, what's a good term.... oh! purposely "Misrepresents" it's corporate
culture in order to sucker in professional survey "staff" (since they openly view surveying is a subset of engineering, and does not deserve the respect, or pay, that so much as an "engineer in training" or construction inspection position would get), then feel free for their engineers to use said "staff", as said b!tches with no support as professionals from management. o.O
Due to said "misrepresentation".... :-O
I've learned this one the hard way. I should have listened to the wife of the previous person in this position at his going away "party", and ran for the hills.
Now not every firm in my market works that way; some have a reputation for treating the surveyors as the engineer's b!tches. But eventually everyone knows who those firms are and they attract the survey staff they deserve 😉
When the market and opportunity presents, word will further, and farther circulate about this firms "corporate" culture regarding surveying as a profession. And I will move on to a firm that values and respects surveying as a part of their professional business plan. Rather than just a "b!tch" support role for engineering...;-)
WORD does get out....:-D
So... that being said, research, and interview any firm or agency that you apply with, as much as they would interview/research you, and, with luck, you'll end up in a fantastic work situation that you can thrive in, both personally, and professionally! B-)
> FWIW In Maryland a representative of the state society attends all licensing board meeting. With the exception of when the board goes into executive session to discuss disciplinary matters, these meeting are open to the public.
>
That is a good start, but speaking from experience, the improper handling of disciplinary matters can lead to undesired policies and results.
> The constant presence has resulted in the board using the society as manpower on regulatory issues. When a change is proposed the board will ask the society to put together a committee to study the issue, poll the licensees, and report back with their recommendations.
Wouldn't it be even better if the board was made up of members of the profession and involved the professional society in the same manner?
It is great that your board currently involves, listens to, and respects the opinions of the society; speaking from experience again, yours is not like ours.
While I do love surveying, in all honesty I would NOT recommend it as a profession.
Here in New Zealand we have a four year degree requirement. The costs of that education take years to repay, especially on a surveyors wage. That same dollar would be much better invested in other qualifications (engineering, law, accountancy) or in setting up a business of some sort.
The NZ economy has been up and down (mostly down) over the past two or three decades and surveyors are always the first to take the hit in a recession - hence my bouncing around the edges of GIS and computing
I look also at the professional support provided here for engineers, and have to say that what leadership I see of surveying here is pretty poor. And I fear it is getting worse...
For that singular individual it might be a good choice, but I am not encouraging my daughter (outdoorsy, maths brain) to follow in my footsteps.
Just my $0.02
