Anyone know the requirements to work in Germany? Possible that one day in the future I may reside there for a year or two as the better half works on her PhD.
Don't know at this point. I would hope Munich or Berlin. But probably southern Germany.
I'm working with a German chap at present. I'll ask him about their requirements when he gets to work.
I do know that they have a five year degree requirement - and that all the work is in metric
OH, you lucky dog!! if you need to take a survey drafter with you, let me know!! Southern Germany is some of the most beautiful places on earth!! And the food!!
I bugged a couple of survey crews while I was over there for a joint exercise or two.
I don't know if it is a German thing or something Patton instituted after WWII, bit there are control markers all over the place. In larger cities each corner building has a survey monument built into the wall. Horizontal and vertical control points.
The only catch will be going metric, but being over there will be well worth the effort to learn the system. PLUS, the German people I met over there could teach this old Rebel a LOT about Southern Hospitality. VERY kind and generous people. A fun loving bunch too.
Wow, when a fella says he wants to get out of town, sometimes he really means it.
Yeah I think it would be a good time. I have been there already twice as we used to take high school kids over there for three weeks tours with host families.
I have driven across most of the country but I agree, southern Germany is beautiful.
Where's Christof?
Christof Lambrecht posts a lot here, or use to anyway. He's in Flanders I believe..just a trainride west of Germany. I bet he could give you some insight.
Surveying in Germany - rules, rule the rules...
I would see the main obstacle to working for a surveying/engineering company in Germany being the work permit process.
A lot of the nations that participate in the Schengen Agreement have regulations requiring companies to submit proof that any vacancy can not be filled buy an applicant from a participating country prior to being able to start the work permit process for a national of a non-participating country. I ran into this when I was looking at a position in Switzerland.
Surveying in Germany - rules, rule the rules...
Wow thanks for all the information. I remember from my visits there ( although the last one was 6 years ago) that boundary surveys were very rare and the GIS/LIS system was pretty much complete nation wide. We stayed with a host family for a week in that visit and the father was an architect. He mentioned that all the design surveys were based on aerial maps with some additions of hard shots on the critical tie-ins. Quite fascinating that a country the size of Texas is that well documented. I guess that is a benefit from having to start over.
At this point though we are just thinking about the possibility of living there for a year or two. In reading your post sounds it will be difficult to get on with a firm. I am a PLS and I am working on my Masters Degree now. Hopefully it will be complete before we leave (if in fact we do). Regardless, I think it would be great to live there for awhile and the boys would benefit from it as well. We also have some contacts in Munich and lots of connections in Paderborn.
There is also the chance we could land in either Switzerland or Austria as well. I don't even want to think about the Swiss and their systems...
I would like to go along. That would have to be both frustrating and fascinating. It would be tough to learn all of the surveying slang such as RCH and BCH and Your Other Left. The old story about "I left it in the box" simply would not work.
Surveying in Germany - rules, rule the rules...
Consider looking at U.S. Civil Service jobs on U.S. Military bases. You might be pleasantly surprised ... who knows? Certainly a U.S. PLS can work ON BASE without any of the German requirements/laws/regulations.
I was in Germany 72-76 surveying. I loved it and did not wat to come back to the States. Most of the work we did was Trig Recovery. Finding lost monumentation. Yes everything is metric but it is easy to adapt to it when you use it daily. Still wish I was there now and then.
