Blinn's inaugural Land Surveying Program class celebrates graduation
Graduates are on the fast track to becoming Registered Professional Land Surveyors
December 13, 2018
Four Blinn College District students recently celebrated the skills they have learned and the job opportunities ahead during a graduation ceremony at the conclusion of Blinn’s Land Surveying Program hosted at the RELLIS Campus.
Cameron Rosbert, Ernie Sanders, Robert Watson, and Christopher Wilson were recognized for successfully completing Blinn’s Land Surveying Program, which launched in October to meet the growing demand for entry-level land surveyors in the Brazos Valley. Watson, a Caldwell native, accepted a job offer immediately following the reception from Bryan-based Kerr Land Surveying.
“This program provides local job-seekers a convenient gateway to a high-demand, high-paying career,” said Jay Anderson, Dean of Technical and Community Education. “These graduates now possess a basic understanding of the land surveying profession and simultaneously can provide Brazos Valley employers with much-needed technical help.”
Land surveyors mark and document the location of legal property lines and establish official land and water boundaries for deeds, leases, and other legal documents. When taking measurements in the field, surveyors use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to present spatial information visually as maps, reports, and charts.
In just five weeks, the students completed two courses – Introduction to Surveying and Field Engineering I – placing them on the path to becoming registered professional land surveyors. Upon successful completion of the program, the graduates earned the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10-hour certification, the Texas Department of Transportation Flagger and Traffic Control Supervisor certifications, and the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Sight Layout I credential.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, land surveyors earn a median pay of $61,140 per year, or $29.40 per hour. The market expects to hire an additional 5,000 land surveyors between 2016 and 2026, an incredible 11 percent growth in the job market.
“This program gives students an opportunity to learn the theories and law behind land surveying, so they may have a better understanding of the industry,” Instructor Justin Roberts said. “The training and certifications these individuals received will allow them to become more marketable to employers and can lead to higher job placement.”
The 96-hour Introduction to Surveying course gives students an overview of the surveying profession and review the mathematics used in surveying. The 104-hour Field Engineering I course covers surveying equipment, sketches, proper field note taking, methods of staking, the layout of a building site, and establishing horizontal and vertical controls.
The program’s two courses run consecutively and meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Instruction follows curriculum guidelines set forth by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).
Students have access to nearly $60,000 worth of state-of-the-art equipment surveyors work with on a day-to-day basis in the field, including data collectors, GPS receivers, topographic stations, levels and level rods, and hardware tools.
“This program has given me an opportunity to learn a new skill set,” said Sanders, a veteran of the oil field industry. “Whether you are training for your first career or looking to switch occupations, this program is very beneficial no matter what stage of life you may be in.”
The next Land Surveying Program classes will begin in June. For more information or to register for the program, visit the Post Office Campus at 301 Post Office Street in Bryan or call 979-209-7205.
