The Inside this issue: BC Land Surveyor E-Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 2 Winter 2008 Survey Students Earn Awards Every year, the Association of BC Land Surveyors (ABCLS) acknowledges the dedication of surveying students with awards and this past fall was no exception. Jemma Phillips and Ashley Locke, both BCIT students, were awarded the BCLS Vancouver Island Group Awards ($1500) for Geomatics Engineering Technology. Trevor Lyons, also a BCIT student, was awarded the BCLS Gerry Andrews Memorial Award ($500), which is given to a worthy Geomatics Engineering Technology student in second year. The award is in honour of Gerry Andrews (1903-2005), a surveyor, teacher, artist, author, engineer, and forester. (From left to right: Dr. J. Ogundare, Lyons, Phillips, and Locke.) Robert Leiper, a Geodesy and Geomatics student at the University of New Brunswick, won the first ever BCLS Foundation Scholarship ($1000) this fall as well, and Arne Ove Hals at the University of Calgary was awarded the BCLS Foundation Award (also $1000). Check out the ABCLS website for a list of other student awards (www.abcls.ca/foundation).
Page 2 BCIT: A Gateway to a Surveying Career What kind of a career could have you involved in such varied work as subdividing land, mapping a pipeline route across the Andes, or being part of the Olympic construction team? A career in Land Surveying provides challenging, exciting and rewarding opportunities. Surveying is more of a lifestyle than a job, and will appeal to those who enjoy the outdoors and want a career that will also be mentally stimulating. Ian Lloyd, of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), wants to tell people how to get involved. Ian is the Head of the Bachelor of Technology in Geomatics program at BCIT. Ian came to BCIT after 20 years in private industry and is a graduate from the program. He became interested in surveying when working as a chainsaw operator assisting a surveyor in the oilfields of north eastern BC. His career has enabled him to work throughout BC, many parts of the arctic, the US, Turkey and South East Asia. The Geomatics faculty at BCIT includes a strong mix of industry and academic experience and a 40-year track record of producing industry-ready graduates. Indeed, many of the potential employers are themselves graduates from BCIT. A career in Geomatics makes use of advanced technology and software, and students are trained in the use of total stations, data collectors, satellite receivers, hydrographic equipment (the department has its own survey vessel), and drafting, mapping, and image interpretation software. BCIT offers a 2-year Diploma Program in Geomatics with an option to continue into a degree program requiring an additional 2 years. In the first year of the diploma program, students will study technical communications, calculus, surveying computations, physics, computer drafting, computer applications, earth sciences, photogrammetry (aerial photography), and mine surveying. Students will also spend one day a week outdoors surveying. www.bcit.ca
BCIT: Continued In the second year of the diploma, students continue with mathematics, geodesy, land-use planning, legal surveying, astronomy, hydrographic (marine) surveying, and Geographic Information Systems, and spend a full day each week outdoors surveying. Students can specialize in Digital Mapping during their second year, which leads to careers with mapping firms, municipal government planning departments, and surveying and engineering companies. Page 3 The diploma program goes by quickly and provides people with a skill-set that is in great demand. There are opportunities locally and further a field. Each year several graduates take employment with firms outside of Canada, while other graduates become self-employed either as business owners or contractors. The Bachelor of Technology degree program meets the academic requirements of the legal surveying community and requires a diploma in Geomatics. Some classes include advanced satellite positioning and geodesy, land registration systems, economics, survey and business law, applied ethics, project planning, and a major project of the student s choosing. Industry or faculty members mentor students during the major project. Some past projects have included the Use of Satellite Imagery for Pipeline Leak Detection, the Haida Gwaii Offshore Land Claim, Dam Deformation Analysis, Integration of Hydrographic Surveying Systems, Air Space Survey Plans, the Effect of Electrical Transmission Lines on GPS Position Accuracies, Geodetic Datums in use in BC, and a Comparison of Strata Titles in BC and Alberta. In both the diploma and degree there is strong industry support. This comes in the form of scholarships, bursaries, summer employment, guest speakers, and industry sponsored student evenings and events. The Geomatics Programs at BCIT are flexible, exciting, practical and well-respected. With significant employment opportunities, joining the program is a smart move. www.bcit.ca
Page 4 Graham Rankine is a newly commissioned (June 26, 2007) land surveyor. Born in Victoria, BC and raised in Fredericton, NB, Graham enjoys sailing, traveling and photography in his spare time. Q: What does a typical work day for you entail? A typical work day does not really exist. One day it may only involve office work (processing field work, invoicing, planning, or discussing a project with a client), and on the next day I may be in the field. I like that I am not always behind the desk or in the field. Graham Rankine: Newly Commissioned and Loving It Q: What experience with surveying did you have before obtaining your current position? I had a summer job with the Department of Public Works doing dredging surveys. Upon completion of my undergrad degree in engineering, Canada was in another one of its recessions and there were no jobs. I went back for additional course work in surveying before starting a series of work terms that led into a full time position with the Canadian Hydrographic Service. Q: How did you first hear about land surveying as a career? I took geography back in high school and my grandfather talked about a summer that he assisted his uncle (a BC Land Surveyor) in the Queen Charlottes. But maps, plans, and being in the outdoors have always interested me. Q: What is the job market like in your field, and is it likely to change? As one can see from the current job listings on the ABCLS website, the current job market is good and will likely improve over time due to more land surveyors retiring in the next few years. Land surveying is a career for someone who enjoys variety in her or his work and likes problem-solving. There is a sense of accomplishment when completing a job that will develop the province and make a record that will become an historical document.
Page 5 Student-Centred Workshop in Kelowna On February 26, 2008, surveying students can participate in a free workshop to prepare for a surveying career, to network, or to discuss anything they suggest: the workshop is student-directed. The ABCLS will hold an Annual General Meeting at the beautiful Grand Okanagan in Kelowna, BC, and in the evening, from 6:30-8:30, all survey students, land surveyors in training, and land surveyor associates are invited to an evening workshop. Hosted by the Continuing Professional Development Committee and The Board of Examiners, the workshop will discuss BCLS professional exam preparation, including information about field projects. As well, the workshop will explore issues of mineral tenure surveys, Petroleum and Natural Gas surveys, and boundary re-establishment. The workshop is student-led, with students submitting topics they would like to discuss before the workshop begins. To register or submit topics for discussion, email Minda C. Riley at minda@mcilvaney.com Students can also attend the Continuing Professional Development seminar the following day (February 27, 2008) and take in a full-day talk with Dr. Brian Ballantyne, which has a special student rate. Check out www.abcls.ca for details and to register.
Page 6 Updates Congratulations to Jerry Mullin who was commissioned on September 24, 2007 by Joe Johnson, BCLS. Jerry was commissioned as BC Land Surveyor #823. Congratulations and welcome to the profession! Congratulations also to David Swaile of Courtenay who completed his professional examinations. From left to right: Walter Johnson, Jerry Mullin, and Joe Johnson. www.abcls.ca Upcoming Events BCIT BC Land Surveyors Student Night: January 25, 2008 UVic Career Fair: January 30, 2008 Education and Career Fair (Vancouver): February 19, 2008 ABCLS Continuing Professional Development Student Night (Kelowna): February 26 ABCLS Continuing Professional Development (Kelowna): More detailed information can be found on the ABCLS website (www.abcls.ca)