Hi All
I had an interesting discussion with a surveyor I give a lot of work to yesterday.
They have now blown out to 6-8weeks before they can get on site. There are several partners in the firm.
He says that it is a dying profession, not because of lack of demand, there is heaps of that, but because not enough people are entering it.
There are enough jobs for Cadastral surveyors in the mines to take up all the graduates. He would gladly hire 3 new surveyors at present, give them a ute all the gear and keep them going full time. He just can't find any. He is happy to pay well, but just can't match what the mines offer. He has trained numerous cadets and they continue to get snapped up by the mines.
His 6-8 week delay is just looking after his regular clientelle like me, let alone new people.
From a property developer and town planners perspective, this is worrying as surveying is already my biggest impact on lead time for submitting approvals.
RPI | Certus Legal Group / PRO Town Planners
http://www.certuslegal.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeProperty Lawyer & Town Planner
RPI – how do you become a surveyor?
Terryw | Structuring Lawyers Pty Ltd / Loan Structuring Pty Ltd
http://www.Structuring.com.au
Email MeLawyer, Mortgage Broker and Tax Advisor (Sydney based but advising Aust wide) http://www.Structuring.com.au
2 Routes I believe
University + work experience + exams
Practical training- on the job training + study at tafe + exams
D
RPI | Certus Legal Group / PRO Town Planners
http://www.certuslegal.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeProperty Lawyer & Town Planner
Hi rpi,
I think if they make it a little easier to become a building surveyor a lot more people would be interested in applying. I’m currently in the process of becoming a RBP and can’t believe the amount of bs involved. It’s almost to the point that they rather you not apply.
Not to worry Darryl I expect that to all change over the next few years. You'll have surveyors coming out your ears.
I wonder how busy they are in Victoria?
More Surveyors or less work?
RPI | Certus Legal Group / PRO Town Planners
http://www.certuslegal.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeProperty Lawyer & Town Planner
Stacey Surveys on here is Vic based
RPI | Certus Legal Group / PRO Town Planners
http://www.certuslegal.com.au
Email Me | Phone MeProperty Lawyer & Town Planner
More surveyors because of less work.
Watch coal and gas resource expansions literally go full stop over the next few years. I'm betting you'll see an increase in mine closures within 18 months. If India builds a proposed rail link for its 3 largest coal deposits scheduled for the next 5 years coal in QLD will crash and China's talking up a cap on coal use due to pollution. Another major problem.
I'm watching things slow up here in WA and it's happening way faster than even an old doomer and gloomer like me thought it would.
Hi Darryl,
I definitely agree that there is a looming shortage of surveyors. We are booked about 1-2 weeks in advance, but as compared to this time last year the work load is significantly larger. I'm a bit scared about our peak season being May-Oct.
The problem with surveyors is it is an aging profession. How many people know what a surveyor is, let alone wan to be one. I know that in Vic the average registered surveyor is well into their 50's. I've been surveying about 7 years now, and had worked at 3 firms before branching out.
I have gone the university route of formal study (BA Applied Science- Surveying at RMIT) and it is in my opinion one of the hardest degrees on offer. Barely any of the original class made it through. The coursework is central to the older standards of surveying, where unbelievably high expectations were expected of each surveyor. Victoria has always placed much emphasis on this, but in this day and age it is a bit I've the top. Very few of my surveyor friends have also completed formal study for this reason. Obviously this restricts the work they can do which makes the qualified surveyor small in numbers.
Following the degree, you can undertake a licensing program of about 4 years which allows you to sign off on title work. Again seeming over the top for the work you actually do. Most fundamentals are learnt on the job. I hardly ever apply knowledge from my formal study.
I suppose it is good for younger companies such as mine to take advantage of the shortage, but I do worry for the future. The ACSV keeps telling everyone to charge unbelievably high amounts for work, but I feel in doing so it will just harm the competitiveness of the market.
Anyway some food for thought!
Ashley
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