As athletes from around the Commonwealth compete for gold in Glasgow this week, millions of people around the world will be watching incredible performances, nail-biting finishes and unforgettable sporting moments.

But while the athletes are in the spotlight, there is another team whose work began years before the Opening Ceremony – surveyors.

Long before the first race is run or the first medal is awarded, surveyors play a vital role in creating the venues and infrastructure that make major sporting events possible.

Every stadium, athletics track, athletes’ village, transport hub and pedestrian pathway begins with accurate surveying. Surveyors collect the precise measurements and spatial data that architects, engineers and construction teams rely on to design and build safe, functional and world-class facilities.

Throughout construction, surveyors continue to play a critical role, ensuring structures are built exactly where they should be – often to within millimetres. Today’s surveyors also use cutting-edge technology including drones, laser scanners, GPS and 3D digital twins to capture and manage information faster and more accurately than ever before.

Of course, hosting an event like the Commonwealth Games is about much more than the sporting venues. It also requires upgraded roads, rail networks, public spaces, utilities and surrounding infrastructure that will continue to benefit communities long after the Closing Ceremony.

That brings us to an exciting opportunity much closer to home.

With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games now just six years away, planning and construction are already well underway across Queensland. The Games are expected to deliver significant infrastructure projects and leave a lasting legacy for future generations, creating exciting opportunities for professionals across engineering, construction, planning and surveying.

For today’s secondary school students, Brisbane 2032 isn’t some distant event. A Year 10 student considering career options now could be a qualified graduate or early-career surveyor by the time the Games arrive in 2032. They could be helping to survey new sporting venues, monitor construction, map transport corridors or use drone technology to capture data on some of Australia’s most exciting infrastructure projects.

It’s a reminder that while athletes spend years training for their moment on the world stage, many other professionals are working just as hard behind the scenes to make those moments possible.

At the Surveying Task Force, we’re passionate about helping young people discover the many career opportunities within surveying. Whether it’s using drones, creating digital twins, working on major infrastructure or contributing to world-class events like Brisbane 2032, surveying offers a career where you can help shape the future of our communities.

So as you enjoy watching the Commonwealth Games this week, spare a thought for the surveyors whose work helped create the stage where champions compete.

Who knows? One of today’s students could be helping deliver Australia’s biggest sporting event in Brisbane in 2032.