Becoming a Surveyor

• Offers opportunities for advancement to being a partner or owner of a firm

• Is very challenging and provides a high level of decision making

• Requires a lot of knowledge and skill

The Surveying Career

• 10 Geomatics positions are available for every Geomatics Engineer graduating in North America!

• Every Geomatics graduate from the University of Calgary has at least 2 job offers in hand!

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!

As an example, the average salary of an Alberta Land Surveyor is:

•$149,556 if sole proprietor or partner

•$111,809 if employee in a private practice

•$89,333 if in government

2004 Income and Benefits Survey by ALSA

High Salaries

The minimum requirement for becoming a surveyor in Canada is to have achieved at

least a college degree in survey technology from a Canadian college.

Therefore, you can choose between the college route or the university route.

Education

Trains students to: • Function in a field surveying team• Provide computer skills• Provide CAD mapping skills

College Diploma

Institution Location Program Duration

British Columbia

Institute of Technology

(BCIT)

Burnaby, BC Geomatics Engineering

Technology

2 years

Northern Alberta

Institute of Technology

(NAIT)

Edmonton, AB Geomatics Engineering

Technology

2 years

Saskatchewan Institute

of Applied Science and

Technology (SAIST)

Moose Jaw SK Geomatics Technology 3 years

Red River College Winnipeg, MB Geomatics Technology 2 years

The College Route

The College Route

Institution Location Program Duration

Southern Institute

of Technology

Calgary, AB Geomatics Technology 2 years

Lethbridge

College

Lethbridge, AB Geomatics Engineering

Technology

2 years

CEGEP Ahuntsic Montréal, QC Geomatics Technology 3 years

CEGEP Limoilou Québec, QC Geomatics Technology 3 years

Centre of

Geographic

Sciences (COGS)

Lawrencetown,

NS

Geomatics Engineering

Technology

College of the

North Atlantic

Stephenville,

NF

Geomatics Engineering

Technology

3 years

• More advanced education• Opens the doors to high-level

jobs such as research and management positions

• Provides easier access to the surveying profession

University Degree

The University Route

Institution Location Program Duration

University of New

Brunswick

Fredericton,

NB

Geomatics Engineering 4 years

Laval University Québec, QC Geomatics Engineering

and Geomatics

Sciences

4 years

Ryerson University Toronto, ON Geomatics Engineering 4 years

Queens University Kingston, ON Geographic Information

Management Studies

4 years

University of

Calgary

Calgary, AB Geomatics Engineering 4 years

BCIT Burnaby, BC Bachelor degree in

Geomatics Technology

4 years

• Join the land surveying profession by applying for a commission with a professional surveying association– 10 provincial associations– The Association of Canada Lands

Surveyors (National Lands) • Write a series of exams developed for your

academic background

What do I do with my surveying degree?

How to Become a Professional Surveyor

Write Canadian Board of Examiners for Professional Surveyors (CBEPS) exams

(up to 13 depending on academic background)

CBEPS Certificate

College or other University Graduate

Write Provincial Association Professional

Exams

NationalProvincial

Two years of Practical Experience

CLS Commission

ACLS LicensePractice Surveying

Yes

No

Graduate in GeomaticsEngineering at U. of C.

Or U.N.B. with required electives

Commission or Licence as a

Land Surveyorin a Province

CareerPath

Want to be a CLS?

Articling

Write CLS Professional Exams

Provincial Association Membership/License

• A federally enacted professional association for the Canada Lands Surveyor (CLS)

• Regulates the activities of over 620 members located across Canada who have expertise in all disciplines related to geomatics

Association of Canada Lands Surveyors (ACLS)

CLSs are the only professionals authorized to perform cadastral surveying services on Canada Lands, which include:

• Yukon, Northwest

Territories & Nunavut • Federal Parks• Aboriginal Reserves• Offshore

Photo courtesy of Rob Stirling, CLS

The Canada Lands Surveyor (CLS)

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