Surveyors can take on many different tasks and roles during their careers, depending on their qualifications and level of experience.
Surveying students at TAFE and university are able to get a taste of what surveying is really like by starting out as a survey assistant during their study. TAFE students can then move into a surveying technician or draftsperson role once they are qualified. Meanwhile, those in university complete their degree as a graduate surveyor, with some choosing to specialise in other related fields like geospatial information systems.
Graduate surveyors can further their career opportunities and remuneration by undertaking a professional training agreement to become a licensed surveyor.
Typical salary: Starts from $90,000 + vehicle
Study: Undergraduate degree + postgraduate degree + professional training agreement
A licensed or registered surveyor is the only person who is legally authorised to perform land or cadastral surveying and sign-off on projects.
They perform the following tasks:
Read about Tom’s journey to become a newly licensed surveyor, and Joe’s unique experience surveying the outback.
Find out more about what registered and licensed surveyors do here.
Typical salary: Start from $55,000 (plus use of a vehicle within six months)
Study: Undergraduate or postgraduate degree
Surveyors perform the following tasks:
Surveyors work in many related fields such as cartography, geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing surveying or as project managers. Find out why Elaine decided to become a surveyor.
Typical salary: $64,000 with five years experience (technician may also have use of vehicle)
Study: TAFE or VET diploma
Surveying technicians collect, analyse data and develop plans for land Surveyors to provide the basic information required for a surveying project.
They may do the following:
Surveying technicians are involved in various projects such as survey drafting, photogrammetry, mining, land development, engineering and construction surveying.
Typical salary: $42,000
Study: TAFE or VET Certificate III (traineeship)
Survey assistants help surveyors undertake surveying projects.
They may do the following tasks:
Find out more about Lucas’ journey to become a survey assistant in this video.
Spatial information professionals specialise in the collection and analysis of location specific data about populations, land use and more.
They perform the following tasks:
GIS analysts analyse and provide technical support to help environmental management, exploration & mining, land ownership titles and urban & regional planning.
They perform the following tasks:
GIS professionals develop and customise geographic information systems (GIS).
They can do the following:
Watch this video to find out more about studying geospatial science or visit www.geospatialscience.com.au.
As clever and dedicated as surveying professionals are, they can’t do their jobs all alone. Ever since human beings developed the concept of land ownership, the surveyor has been there with equipment in hand to help determine land boundaries. You can read all about the ancient history of surveying technology here – and about its…
On November 28th, Advanced Mathematics students from grade 9, 10 and 11 at Norfolk Island Central School became honorary surveyors for a day. Norfolk Island was the site of the latest Maths in Surveying Day, an engaging, challenging event that puts maths students through their paces with a number of activities that show off the…
The silver screen is filled with heroic figures that hail from enviable professions. Army generals. Astronauts. Cops. Presidents. Surveyors. …Surveyors? That’s right. You might have missed the memo, but Hollywood has a long and illustrious career of sneaking surveying into the background – and sometimes foreground – of their blockbusters. In fact, some of the biggest stars…
It’s one of the biggest seismic shifts in the geodesy landscape, and the groundwork is being laid for it right now. We’re referring, of course, to the 2020 update of the Australian Geospatial Reference System. Don’t have the foggiest as to what we’re talking about? For surveyors and other spatial specialists, the Australian Geospatial Reference…
Surveying is not just an old profession; it is also a highly-respected profession. With surveyors being so instrumental in the measurement and recording of the very ground that we walk upon, there have been many across the centuries that have aspired to join the surveying ranks – particularly during eras of great exploration. It comes…
There is no doubt that the history of surveying in this sunburnt country is a fascinating one. You may have already read one of our previous blog articles looking into Australian surveying history. Reading about it is one thing, however – seeing it is another! Retracing the footsteps of the surveyors that mapped Australia is…
