Surveying & Beyond: Additional Occupations To Consider

By Carey Bourdier


If you have a love for mathematics or perhaps you like the idea of helping to build things or create maps, then you might be interested in surveying or perhaps an occupation similar to surveying. You will have the opportunity to use a variety of unique instruments, such as theodolites and other optical tools. If you think surveying might be for you, take a look at these jobs that are in many ways similar to surveying.

Many people love maps, and making detailed, accurate maps is just as important today as it has been for thousands of years. Cartographers and photogrammetrists are the scientists that make all types of maps. These include road maps, topographic maps, climate maps and many more. Cartography is the more familiar of these two branches of science, but photogrammetry is also quite important.

Most of us probably know little about photogrammetry as it is a fairly new branch of science. Surveyors and cartographers will use clinometers and theodolites as well as other optical instruments to make calculations for mapmaking, but a photogrammetrist has to take measurements from photographs. For instance, perhaps you are measuring a mountain and using a photograph to help you with this process. With the help of satellite images, projective geometry and optics, a photogrammetrist can make these types of calculations.

No surveyor, cartographer or photogrammetrist is an island, however, and they have assistants known as mapping technicians or surveying technicians. A surveying technician does not need a great deal of formal training but will need to learn how to use angle measuring tools such as the inclinometer or the theodolite, and much of these skills can be acquired with on-the-job training. On the other hand, a mapping technician will need some level of formal schooling in order to learn how to use the complex technology needed for cartography and photogrammetry projects.

If you have a love of nature and design, then one job that you might enjoy is that of landscape architect. This professional might be the person who plans out someone's front and back yard, but many landscape architects also tackle huge projects such as the landscaping of a planned community or perhaps the construction and planning of a new park. In addition to using optical tools as well as many angle measuring instruments, you also must have a thorough knowledge of botany, ecology, conservation, water conditions and much more in order to create workable, environmentally safe landscape designs.

A civil engineer is another job where surveying skills come into play. You might see a civil engineer on the job making measurements with a theodolite during the initial stages of road construction or bridge construction. Civil engineers also work on projects such as building a dam or constructing an airport. This is a job that requires at least a bachelor's degree and many civil engineers have master's degrees as well. This is a job that is much in demand for projects all around the world.




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