In our day in the life of blog series, we aim to showcase the work of our talented team and help you get to know the faces behind our projects a little bit better. This month, we sat down with Gene, a Survey Technician in our Northern Rivers office, to chat a bit more about the most enjoyable aspect of being part of our survey team, and his best advice for anyone considering a career in surveying.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to become a Survey Technician?
Starting as a survey assistant straight out of high school, it took me a couple of years to decide that surveying was something that I wanted to pursue. The more I learnt about what the job involved, the more interested I became in a career in surveying. The role of survey technician is just a step along the way for me, with the long-term goal of being a registered surveyor.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
Arriving at the Ballina office just a few blocks from my house at 8am to the envy of all other tradesmen, meeting the other surveyors to discuss the day’s fieldwork, and then heading out to work around the lovely Northern Rivers. The day may entail walking around a rural property with the cattle or working on a construction site setting out a new road. Something different every day is the beauty of the job.
What’s it like being part of Barker Ryan Stewart’s survey team? Are there any stand-out projects that you’re currently working on?
It’s great to work with and learn from the professionals in the Northern Rivers survey team. Coming to work is a joy as I know I’ll be in the company of people that are great to be around. A larger project that stands out of late is the Levee project for Public Works NSW. Stretching from Kyogle to the Tweed, we were given the task of surveying a number of levees as part of a post flood study. The project lasted for around 3 months in total and was a fantastic job to be a part of. That being said, by the end of it I would have been happy to have never looked at another levee again.
What’s been the most memorable aspect of working at Barker Ryan Stewart so far?
I love the social aspect of the company, in particular the events and conferences that allow us to get to know our new colleagues down south since becoming BRS. The conference in Sydney last year was a blast and I’m gutted that I’ll just miss out on this year’s (I’m leaving for Europe 3 days before, so I guess it isn’t the end of the world…)
Looking back at your career, is there anything that’s surprised you about being a Survey Technician?
Surveying is an interesting field, so I was surprised to learn that not too many people know much about it. When thinking about a future career I don’t think many kids say, “I want to be a surveyor” (myself included). However, I’m certainly happy things panned out the way they did, enabling me to discover this exciting and unique profession.
Finally, what advice do you have for anyone considering a career in surveying?
If you’re considering a career in surveying and studying a degree, I would suggest working as a survey technician along the way. The first-hand experience is second to none as there is only so much a textbook can teach you. Being such a technical profession, having the chance to work at a firm and learn from other surveyors will put you leaps and bounds ahead of full-time university students. The job itself is the best, working outdoors exploring the beautiful countryside every day. What more could you ask for?
Want to get to know our team a bit better?
Check out our other ‘day in the life of’ blogs to learn more about our talented team.
