Students directed to unique occupation

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Aboriginal students wanting to enter the career of surveyor are now eligible to receive a generous $1,500 scholarship towards their studies at a recognized university, technical institute or community college.

The Association of Canada Lands Surveyors Association (ACLS) welcomes applications from First Nations, Metis, and Inuit students for its Geomatics Scholarship Program.

"We are experiencing a shortage of qualified land surveyors, especially in Alberta, and we wanted to encourage more students to get the education and training to do the work," said Jean-Claude Tetreault, executive director of ACLS. "We noticed that there are very few Aboriginal people in the occupation, so wished to see those numbers increase as well."

The association founded a charitable foundation so it can issue tax receipts for donations and does its own fundraising to operate the scholarship program.

Surveyors have played a part in the history of civilization since day one, he said. A fresco on the walls of a tomb in Egypt in 2000 BC shows land surveyors measuring off a distance with a rope using early technology, and explorers charted the rivers and other wonders in North America with careful calculations and meticulous map drawing.

Today the occupation offers a nice combination of being outside and in the office, said Tetreault.

"Surveyors spend considerable time with a crew at a site, taking measurements and determining property limits. This work is sometimes done on Aboriginal lands, but can take place anywhere.

In the office they work on their calculations and results of the survey. It's very interesting high-tech investigative work, using satellites and computers."

There are opportunities to travel across Canada and around the world. For example, a current crew is charting boundaries between two countries in Africa, he added.

"There is so much expansion with the bustling economy that there is lots of work for surveyors, and the profession pays well." Statistics on the Web site at www.acls-aatc.ca quote the average annual salary of an Alberta land surveyor as being more than $100,000. Ten positions are available for every geomatics engineer graduating in North America, whether it's from university or technical college.

More information can be obtained by calling (613) 723-9200 in Ottawa or by going to the ACLS Web site where a presentation can be viewed that fully explains the profession. The contribution of surveyors is explored and questions answered such as "Did you ever wonder how they can dig a tunnel from two ends and meet at the right place," or "How was the height of Mount Everest measured." Students also enter the interesting world of remote sensing, where acquiring information about objects without contacting them physically, using methods such as aerial photography, radar, and satellite imagery are explored.

"If you like working with computers, you'll love being a surveyor," Tetreault said.

Another exciting area is geomatic information systems, or GIS, a technology that is used to view and analyze data from a geographic perspective.

Geography is the study of location and spatial trends about the earth's surface, the objects found on it, and the people who inhabit it, Jean-Claude Tetreault explained. Some of the modern applications include use by fire and police personnel, businesses for delivery systems and site location, industry for communication, mining and pipelines, government for military use, and education as a research and teaching tool.

Typically, a project begins with client liaison, initial planning, and research. Then there is the field work, where a team of surveyors spends time on site.

Finally, there are more computations, analysis, drafting and a final report back at the office. All in all, it is a very interesting and rewarding experience where the surveyor is involved in all aspects of the project and sees it through to completion.

Although the deadline isn't until May 15 each year, studens are welcome to apply for the scholarship any time.

"Other documents are needed, such as transcripts from the educational institution being attended, acceptance of registration for the upcoming fall term, proof of Aboriginal status, and resume," Tetreault said, adding that gathering together the necessary supporting paperwork can take some time.

Tetreault concluded the interview with Windspeaker by stating that the ACLS is an equal opportunity employer, but there is a shortage of Aboriginal surveyors. Considering the great job security in the occupation, he urged students to consider the profession.

"Those who have grown up on reserve or in rural communities and have enjoyed the closeness of nature will especially enjoy being a surveyor because of the opportunity to work outside. We urge the workers of tomorrow to consider applying for a scholarship from ACLS and enjoy a great occupation."