I went to a symposium once, maybe 10 years ago, that was held during a really large, multi-state surveying conference and it was all about diversity in the profession. At that time, I think they said that females were less than 1% of all land surveyors, which made it the most male-dominated of all the Engineering branches. It has a lot to do with math and science. At some point in high school, girls and boys head in different directions with their studies. And even within that tiny percentage of women who are surveyors, I think I'm an even bigger minority, because I still do construction staking, so it's not all office for me.
I had a 3 year old child tell his parents there's a crazy guy in our yard with his head in a hole.
It takes a certain type of person who plays with numbers and spends alot of time digging in the dirt.
there are alot of hispanic surveyors in New Mexico and alot of hispanic people including me.
I was wondering the same thing about the winter Olympics . Not very racially diverse . Bunch of rich ski bums ...
In my case, the makeup of land surveyors I know personally is close to 100 percent white/burnt peach and of those all but a handful are male. The skin tone is consistent with the historic demographics of the region. The demographics are changing fairly quickly at this time, however. The absence of women in surveying is not related to any kind of discrimination and most likely tied to stereotyping and exposure to the opportunity. All of my daughters worked with me and seemed to enjoy what we did for the most part. None of them, though, are number-lovers like the traditional surveyor.
During my college days there were very, very few young women majoring in engineering of any variety. Today, that number has grown tremendously. Perhaps this bodes well for diversity in surveying as well.
There's no "diversity" in this trade...
Are you kidding me??
97% of the "PLS's" that I know are uneducated white red necks
Gun toting, 4 wheel'n, beer drink'n fat SOB's
I've only known one female PLS
(but she's a little odd)
I've only met a couple "minority" PLS's
(but they were pot smoking government employees)
I've never met a black PLS
Nor a gay land surveyor for that matter
Come on!
We're one of the most raciest, homo-phobe, anti sexist trade to exist
And besides that
There are hardly any new PLS's
I think there were only 11 PLS's
granted a licensed last year in my state
It looks like we are a dieing breed
Georgia BOR
James Butler is on the Georgia Board of Registration. I prefer to think of him as a surveyor who happens to be Black, rather than a Black surveyor. And a damn good one at that..
Andy
I generally agree with Bob Port, but it's not quite that bad.
I worked with a very few female or non-white surveyors in almost 30 years in Mass.
In the VI 80% of the population is black but maybe 1/4 if the PLS's (or PE's who can survey legally). Field workers are more than 1/2 black. That means they're not moving up which is a trajedy. More Hispanics, mostly from Dominican Rep. or Puerto Rice all the time, but none in surveying that I know of. Only one female I worked with here 15 years ago. It is hot, steep with real nasty vegetation which explains part of that.
And we are a dieing breed, mostly because the equipment doesn't need so many semi-skilled people to run it.
>More Hispanics, mostly from Dominican Rep. or Puerto Rice all the time, but none in surveying that I know of.
We recruit pretty heavily from the two Bachelors surveying programs in Puerto Rico, half a dozen or so guys spread out over three offices.
When we advertise for help and specify that a degree is preferred, we get two dozen resumes from Europe and Latin America that fit the ad requirements for every one we get from the mainland U.S.
The company I work for is owned by a woman, and yes, she is licensed.
We don't have any blacks working for us now. The last one I had to let go because he didn't show up to work for a few days. I later found out he was in jail. Not that it would have mattered because he was dumb as a sack of hammers. The one before that looked like he could certainly handle the field work, but he was deathly terrified of snakes and refused to work anywhere there might be a snake.
> After being involved in American land surveying for 28 years I have observed that land surveying is not a racially or gender diverse to a great degree, in fact it seems like one of the least diverse professions that I can see out there.
>
> Why do you think this is?
>
> What is at the heart of this matter?
Firstly, the majority of the populace doesn't drink to excess, while the majority of surveyors do.
Secondly, many trades are now not allowing those with felony convictions to work on their project, while surveying still does.
Thirdly, summer and winter suck. A small demographic enjoy hard work outside enough to do this.
Fourthly, an even smaller subset of the third item have intelligence enough to solve the puzzles.
Basically, we're a bunch of drunk felons who don't mind working outside and have mental capacity to solve puzzles and apply law. While part of this is in jest, part is spot on and I believe it to be the reason for the lack of diversity.
> > After being involved in American land surveying for 28 years I have observed that land surveying is not a racially or gender diverse to a great degree, in fact it seems like one of the least diverse professions that I can see out there.
> >
> > Why do you think this is?
> >
> > What is at the heart of this matter?
>
> Firstly, the majority of the populace doesn't drink to excess, while the majority of surveyors do.
>
> Secondly, many trades are now not allowing those with felony convictions to work on their project, while surveying still does.
>
> Thirdly, summer and winter suck. A small demographic enjoy hard work outside enough to do this.
>
> Fourthly, an even smaller subset of the third item have intelligence enough to solve the puzzles.
>
> Basically, we're a bunch of drunk felons who don't mind working outside and have mental capacity to solve puzzles and apply law. While part of this is in jest, part is spot on and I believe it to be the reason for the lack of diversity.
Fifth: A even smaller portion of the population that meet the first 4 criteria are willing to do so for meager compensation.
Hey Tommy....I think they meant really diverse....so how many yankees you got working there?
Half of them aren't that good at math,
and the other third don't get jokes....
:good:
> >
> > Why do you think this is?
> >
> > What is at the heart of this matter?
>
> Firstly, the majority of the populace doesn't drink to excess, while the majority of surveyors do.
>
> Secondly, many trades are now not allowing those with felony convictions to work on their project, while surveying still does.
>
> Thirdly, summer and winter suck. A small demographic enjoy hard work outside enough to do this.
>
> Fourthly, an even smaller subset of the third item have intelligence enough to solve the puzzles.
>
> Basically, we're a bunch of drunk felons who don't mind working outside and have mental capacity to solve puzzles and apply law. While part of this is in jest, part is spot on and I believe it to be the reason for the lack of diversity.
Most logical reasoning I've read to date 🙂
Entry-level in surveying is pretty much a trade, and there are fewer women in trades.
There really aren't a lot of minorities in the areas where I work, which could be why I don't see many in the profession.
One of the early jobs I had was with a company that did design surveys for road projects. We where assisting another company on a project. Their crew chief was a Jamaican, the rodman was Korean, and a they had occasional help from a caucasian (white) woman.
That was the most diversity I have ever seen on a crew.
>
> Firstly, the majority of the populace doesn't drink to excess, while the majority of surveyors do.
>
> Secondly, many trades are now not allowing those with felony convictions to work on their project, while surveying still does.
>
> Thirdly, summer and winter suck. A small demographic enjoy hard work outside enough to do this.
>
> Fourthly, an even smaller subset of the third item have intelligence enough to solve the puzzles.
>
> Basically, we're a bunch of drunk felons who don't mind working outside and have mental capacity to solve puzzles and apply law. While part of this is in jest, part is spot on and I believe it to be the reason for the lack of diversity.
Kris,
I am not so sure these statements address the lack of diversity, even if they are true, it does not explain the lack of diversity.
Why aren't there Latino, Indian, AA, Asians and women who are drunk felons that don't mind working outside and have mental capacity to solve puzzles and apply law?
Why are white males predominantly the ones who join this profession, accept the conditions, and stays in it?
BL
