Love the outdoors? Become a surveyor and mapper at Allen & Company
The opportunity to develop a career in a growing—and evolving—field of works is an opportunity many people welcome, particularly when they love being outdoors
If you ever considered working as a surveyor and mapper, you probably have heard the negative opinions that say it is “dirty work,” long hours under the sun, and tedious calculations on a notebook. The reality is that surveying and mapping is a highly-skilled trade and it is appealing to not only those who love the outdoors, but also to young people who enjoy a challenge to their intellect as well.
While we cannot tell you these perspectives are wrong, we believe these are incorrectly stated since there is so much more to surveying and mapping—some of the oldest professions in the history of mankind.
Allen & Company wants to share with you a few reasons why “loving the outdoors” can be the starting point for a career that will grant you a dignified profession with advancement opportunities and relevance into the future of construction, development and even high-tech fields like Modeling and Simulation or Augmented/Virtual Reality.
From the Frontlines
‘When you see a project go from nothing to a bunch of coordinate points, to a finished topography and then to a completed subdivision or commercial building there is a sense that you are part of something. You feel like you helped create something from nothing at all.”
Brice Hellstrom, P.S.M.
Senior CAD Technician
There’s Growth and Development Everywhere in Florida
For starters, let’s take into account how every day you may see new construction happening around Central Florida. The Construction and Real Estate industries are somewhat cyclical but there is always land being cleared, buildings being constructed, and improvements or additions made to existing locations—whether it is a residential community, a hospital adding a new wing, or a theme park adding new attractions.
Just based on that premise alone we can see that there is plenty of growth and development across Florida—not just the Greater Orlando area—and Allen & Company is actively expanding to the East and West coasts of the state. Therefore, career opportunity abounds in a company that also invests in the continuous training and education of its employees—as Allen & Company does.
Allen & Company teams head out every day in our fleet of trucks and utility vehicles to measure, scan and communicate opportunity to customers of every size—from homebuilders to national construction and development companies. This type of “outdoor” activity by our surveyors and mappers is actively making a difference in the way Florida grows and expands.
New Technologies are Shaping the Surveying Profession
Second, consider the evolving nature of surveying and mapping into the geospatial services arena. New and highly advanced technologies have become the direction in which traditional surveying and mapping is evolving, creating opportunity through the adoption of highly-sophisticated tools and instruments—including 3D laser scanners and Subsurface Utility Exploration tools.
This means that surveying and mapping are an “evolving profession” where opportunity continues to manifest depending on the creative application and perspective of Allen & Company and its customers. Our collaborative approach to serving customer needs makes our surveying firm a relevant partner for any customer seeking accuracy and efficiency.
While many of our surveyors and mappers spend time outdoors, they also spend time meeting with customers, interacting with other construction professionals and learning in our dedicated training center to remain ahead of the curve. This includes getting cross-trained in diverse sub-competencies and in the usage of various instruments and software to help them do the best job possible for our customers.
Looking for a Job in Surveying?
Allen & Company is always looking for people who want to grow a successful career in surveying, mapping, geospatial service, and related specialties such as CAD techs, project managers and more.
Opportunity Abounds and There’s More to Come
Third, there is both vertical and horizontal opportunity for surveyors and mappers in an industry that is more like a fraternal order than just “a place to work.”
On a vertical plane, many surveyors have transitioned from outdoor fieldwork into other technology-based roles within Allen & Company, including CAD techs, business development, UAV pilots, and management or supervisory roles. Through the knowledge acquired on the field, they become more effective team members and use that knowledge as a springboard into new career directions—all within our company.
However, the horizontal opportunity of the surveying and mapping profession is extended through the application of advanced technologies in the areas of Modeling and Simulation (ModSim), 3D laser scanning/LiDAR, aerial photogrammetric mapping via UAV, hydrographic or bathymetric measurement, and Subsurface Utility Exploration—as well as Utility Locating Services.
Overall, Allen & Company continues to grow by having an active role in the evolution of the surveying, mapping and geospatial services industry. Our teams’ cross-training and competence as PSMs, CSTs and company-trained roles make a difference in our customers’ projects, who continue to procure and refer business to Allen & Company.
