Land surveyor

The Job  

It’s the land surveyor’s job to measure, record and visually present features of the landscape all around us. This is usually done by pinpointing the global position of objects, contours, and even materials below the earth's surface. This data is then examined and used to plan various construction works, such as road and sea defence building, or even to produce the maps that help us get from A to B.

The People  

Mapping companies (such as Ordnance Survey), specialist surveying practices and consultancy practices employ Land Surveyors. As well as working alongside other land surveyors, they need good communication skills as they regularly meet clients and other construction professionals.

Entry Requirements  

There are no specific requirements to begin training as a land surveyor, although most entrants have A Levels / Higher Grades.

To become a qualified land surveyor, you will need to hold a BTEC or HND/HNC, and to achieve this you will need 4 GCSE passes (A-C) / S Grades (1-3). You will also usually need to hold a full driving license.

You can qualify as a land surveyor through the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (ICES).

There are four ways to qualify as a surveyor and achieve a RICS certificate, and these involve options to study full time to achieve a degree or post-graduate award, or studying part time whilst in relevant work.

You eventually complete the Assessment of Professional Competence after two years on-the-job experience, keeping a work diary, giving a successful presentation and passing a professional interview.

The Benefits  

Salary and other benefits vary depending on experience, where you’ve worked and how senior you are. Some land surveyors move into hydrographic surveying, while growing numbers are choosing to move into geospacial modelling. For further information on salaries refer to professional institutions and industry press.