Description:
Surveyors measure and draw what the earth's surface looks like. They measure air, land, and water and write descriptions, called surveys, so we know where everything is. We need surveyors to tell us where our backyard ends and where our neighbor's yard starts. They also create maps for us.
Duties:
• Measure land, air space, and water areas
• Explain what is there and how much there is
• Study legal records to find previous boundaries
• Make sketches, enter data into computers, put stakes in the ground, and carry equipment
Where and When:
• Surveyors spend a lot of their time outside.
• They work long hours in the summer and when the weather is good.
• Some work in mines, and some work on the water.
• Land surveyors often have to climb hills and sometimes stay out overnight.
What or Who They Work With:
• Measuring tapes and chains
• Computers
• Work with architects, engineers, and planners
• Maps and records
• Drawing using rulers and compass
Education and Training:
• Attend surveying courses
• Licensed surveyors must pass a test
• 2-yr or 4-yr program would be helpful
Similar Jobs:
- Cartographer
- Geographic Information Systems Specialist
- Marine Surveyor
- Landscape Architect
- Urban Planner
Related School Subjects:
• Math
• English
• Drawing
• Handwriting
• Computers
Print:
- Learn and Color: Architecture and Construction
- Outside Jobs
- Career ABCs
Read:
- THE SURVEYOR (COLONIAL PEOPLE) by Christine Peterson and Christine Florie
- AS THE CROW FLIES: A FIRST BOOK OF MAPS by Gail Harman and Harvey Stevenson
Explore:
- Careers on Parade
- Draw and Learn
- PBS Kids "Where's Buster?"
Sources:
VA Career VIEW Career Search
Bureau of Labor Statistics
