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Surveyors get started in their career through many paths.
It could be through a summer job, through a class about surveying,
or from a family member who knows or who is a surveyor. Many
surveyors suggest spending a summer working on a survey crew
and asking questions. You don’t
have to have a degree or experience to help on a crew as a summer
job. It can provide a chance to see what surveying is all about.
In general, people who like surveying also like math—primarily geometry and trigonometry. The field attracts people with geology, forestry, history, engineering, computer science, and astronomy backgrounds, too.
To become a surveyor, you need to follow four basic steps:
The first step is to get a degree. Accredited college programs throughout the country—sometimes called geomatics engineering—offer two-year and four-year degrees. To learn more about college surveying programs, view a list of ABET-accredited schools and a list of schools offering surveying education programs.
After completing an education, you take the Fundamental exam. Successfully
passing this exam allows potential employers know that the
candidate has achieved a recognized standard.
The next step requires work experience under the supervision of a licensed surveyor.
After attaining the required experience, you take a national exam and,
if required, a state-specific exam to obtain a license for
the state in which he or she will work. Many surveyors obtain
a license in multiple states, especially when they work for large
firms.
Several states currently allow surveyors to become licensed without a
college degree. In these instances, surveyors need to spend significant
time in the field as survey technicians—usually
more than 10 years—before they can pursue
a license.
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