Last Saturday on the 10th I was honored to have been elected the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Arizona Professional Land Surveyors association. I have always felt that a professional should always give back to the profession they work in. As a means of educating and serving the profession; to keep it moving forward.
As hard times have enveloped our state and thus all but shut down our profession. Now is the time that service is needed most. APLS is going to be getting proactive on several issues; it would be nice if our membership would use this down time to get engaged. The internet, email, the cell phone, a simple letter; whatever. Let the Chapter directors know how you feel about whatever it is that needs to be addressed.
I am looking forward to serving APLS for the next 2 years. Here is my vision:
1. I would like to see Continuing Education adopted by the BTR
2. I would like to see the Minimum Standards updated and adopted by the BTR
3. I would like to see the State Specific exam re-opened and updated
4. I would like to see the reqiurements for licensure be updated to include the following structure:
A. a 4-year degree and 4 years of experience
B. 36 hrs of surveying classes and 10 years of experience
C. 15 years of experience in responsible charge.
If one of those gets done I will be happy. As far as Item #4 is concerned; I honestly beleive that because of the way our para-professionals are being trained a blanket 4-5 years of experience is not sufficient.
Let me know what you think.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteMy first Party Chief, Tom Stewart, told me when I was just a greenhorn, “your still shi#@%&* green for the first 15 years”. I can tell you he was very correct. That being said, personally, I feel a 4 year degree and 4 years of experience is not enough. 36 hours of surveying classes and 10 years of experience is getting closer, and 15 years of experience in responsible charge may be very, very close. I do think it should be put out for discussion to the seasoned professionals.
I need to give it more thought, but I feel a reasonable amount of time needs to be in the office understanding “CAD”, how to run a business, going through title reports & deeds AND adjoining deeds, boundary analysis, etc., (maybe 20 to 30%) of the time required.
I am leaning toward something along these lines... A 4 year degree coupled with 10 years of field experience in responsible charge - or – 15 years of experience with (say) 80% being in responsible charge. I also feel every surveyor looking to become licensed needs to have worked for, and be involved with a civil engineering firm for the true understanding in the details of a topographic survey, coupled with the construction staking of the final design. Possibly helping in the CAD creation of the plans.
I personally am adamantly against HAVING to have a college degree. Once you get started surveying, your married, have children and a full time job, for most it seams, it would be very, very hard or an impossibility.
I can’t remember the amount, but I also feel the board should allow for a little more time to “count” while construction staking. Even if it’s just another year. There are a lot of surveyors out there that don’t get the opportunity to “only” focus on Boundary and ALTA Surveys...
Anyway, running out of time, but just a few “off the cuff” thoughts...
Best,
Dane
Dan,
ReplyDeleteGoing through the first part of the list:
Continuing education: I agree to the extent that it must be either “free” to attend the seminars or at a very reasonable cost. Personally I am dying out here financially speaking. I hate to say it, but if I have to attend (say) 4 seminars or classes a year at even $100 each I’m in trouble... sorry... Personally, I feel the guys that care are continuing their education without it having to be mandated. They just care and want to make sure they are as up to speed as possible. Of course there are those who don’t...
Minimum standards updated and adopted by the BTR – BIG 10-4
State Specific test updated, another BIG 10-4
Best,
Dane
Dane thanks for the reply. I realize the degree thing is going to be a hot topic and I am sure APLS will be discussing it. However be advised, NCEES is already pushing in that direction and now Arizona finds itself one of only a handful states that do not require it. I realize that sometimes a person's circumstances make it difficult to attain a degree. However I refuse to accept the premise that attaining a degree is impossible. Life is about choices good, bad or ugly. Therefore to say that because it is not easy to do means we should not do it; well I cannot accept that. The same thing with CEU's. The internet has made attaining CEU's cheap and easy. The key here is education. The cold hard reality is that the profession must move forward. We must continue to push forward demanding more of ourselves to become better professional surveyors. No where in the discussion does economics or convienence enter into it. I am not trying to be offensive; however I am trying to inject the reality of our current situation. The profession must move forward.
ReplyDelete