Careers in the Surveying and
Spatial Information Industry
Surveying and Spatial Information Systems involves the
measurement, analysis, management, storage and display of spatial
data describing the Earth, its physical features and the built
environment. It encompasses professionals in the traditional specialised
areas of cadastral surveying, engineering & mining surveying,
cartography, computer graphics, photogrammetry, geodesy, and land
development. However, as spatial information is increasingly being
integrated into business, government and personal decision-making,
the tools and skills of Surveyors and Spatial Information Specialists
are finding wider application.
These data come from many sources, including Earth-orbiting satellites,
air and sea-borne sensors and ground based instruments. It is
processed and manipulated with state-of-the-art information technology
using computer software and hardware.
It has applications in all disciplines which depend on spatial
data, including environmental studies, planning, engineering,
navigation, geology, geophysics, oceanography, land development
& primary industries, land ownership & tourism. It is
thus fundamental to all the geoscience disciplines that use spatially
related data, as well as increasingly in mainstream IT.
When the questions - what is it? where is it? and how much
is there? - are asked, Surveyors and Spatial Information Specialists
provide the answers. As approximately 80% of all information/knowledge
has a spatial component, all decisions made by planners, engineers,
property developers, farmers, navigators, government agencies,
etc., regarding the Earth, its environment and resources, initially
require studies and analysis of models of the Earth in the form
of maps, plans, Earth images and digital information. Increasingly
the operations of industry, financial institutions, government
agencies, transport systems, service providers, and private citizens
all require location determination, navigation, mapping &
spatial analysis tools such as GPS (Global Positioning System)
receivers and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) computer systems.
The work of Surveyors and Spatial Information Specialists are
found all around us, in infrastructure such as the legal definition
of property boundaries, in support of all civil engineering projects,
in digital & paper maps and plans, the safe navigation of
ships & aircraft, the management of environmental resources,
land development, more effective emergency services & homeland
security, and a plethora of location-based services.
There is currently a global shortage of surveyors and spatial
information specialists:
Visit our Surveying
Student Homepage...
|
