It’s another beautiful Oklahoma City summer day and you are driving east out of town. The feeling of adventure prompts you to take a side road and do some exploring. Backroads are an institution in this part of the country and who doesn’t love exploring? Unexpectedly, you come upon a truck with yellow flashing lights and slow instinctively. Looks like, out in the middle of nowhere, a survey crew is taking some bearings. It might not look like a whole lot is going on but these individuals are highly trained. Just what does it take to become a land surveyor?
Surveying and Education
If you remember your history, you may recall that an important founding father was a surveyor. George Washington, long before he was chosen to be the first president, studied the craft with his brother. Back in his day it was generally through an apprenticeship program that you became a surveyor. Those career paths still exist today but, it is much more common to attend a two year program of study before attempting an internship.
After an internship, it is customary to become an assistant and delve into the craft even deeper. After that period, the assistant is bestowed the title of surveyor. Surveying, for all the technology, remains as it was in George Washington’s day. So next time you see a crew stalking a field in bright yellow coats, think about the rich legacy that led them to this profession. Be sure and contact Bearing Tree Land Surveying & Aerial Mapping for all of your surveying projects.
