I agree that, on the surface it would be good for him to stick it out and finish school.
What I find discouraging in that post was that the school in which he is attending is doing away with the program, forcing him into this situation.
How many other good potential surveyors won't there be because of the school dropping the program?
It has always been a challenge between departments of universities and colleges for funding to grow and develop better sources for education.
When the student base dwindles or the need for those graduates runs low, the system can not hold onto professors and hold classrooms for less than a minimum number of students.
I have always been under the impression if a person has the time and resources to stay in school to do it. An education is the key to anyone's future and is hard to make up later on.
Any education program needs a certain amount of help and support from the surrounding communities to continue to stay in place and the students need a source outside the school to apply and tune their skills.
I worry that the schools losing their programs will only decrease the exposure of our profession, which will create a spiraling downward effect. Education requirements demand 4 year programs, one or no programs in a state due to lack of interest, drying of surveyors, raising prices and forcing others into more and more of our field (GIS, lax construction staking), smaller and smaller exposure, and an eventual evaporation of the profession. Probably exaggerated, but scary to me none the less. I got my exposure to surveying in college and decided to pursue the field. I do not know where we get people exposed and interested in surveying (short of legacies) to continue the education programs.
Save surveying, tell a kid you love your job and make it sound really really cool.
If States Lose Surveying Programs, They Will Go To Engineers
Possibly a greater loss to the public and qualified surveyors.
Paul in PA
