How To Become A Licensed Surveyor In Ghana

Surveyors measure and map land, water, and airspace for official purposes. Their work is used in a variety of ways, including legal documents and land boundary assessment, as well as for determining the boundaries of construction projects.

Below is How To Become A Licensed Surveyor In Ghana

Certified Surveyor Career Info

Surveyors work on a full-time basis, although some overtime may be required when the workload demands. A lot of travel is associated with this career and may include local, long-distance, and long-term travel. The job requires time spent in an office setting as well as in the field.

Professional surveyors must be detail-oriented and proficient with specialized tools and technologies. They must also have mathematics, communication, and time management skills.

Degree LevelCertificate or associate’s degree; bachelor’s degree beneficial
Degree Field(s)Surveying, surveying engineering, surveying technology, or related field
Licensure and/or CertificationLicensure required; voluntary certification available
ExperienceNone (entry-level)
Key SkillsDetail-oriented; mathematics, communication, and time management skills; proficiency with specialized tools and technologies; physical stamina
Median Salary (2018)*377,923.44 GHS

Get Education

Technical schools and community colleges offer entry-level training for those interested in careers as surveyors. Certificate and associate’s degree programs offer hands-on instruction in surveying basics, including project definitions, environmental factors, CAD software, and fieldwork. Certificate programs are often in a pass/fail format that relies on strong student competency, while associate’s programs are typically grade-based and take about two years to complete.

Many surveyors enter this job field with a bachelor’s degree in surveying, surveying engineering, or surveying technology. Programs are available at a number of colleges and universities. Students focus on the fundamentals and principles of surveying, terrain mapping, and data collection, as well as completing advanced coursework in mathematics and geography.

Obtain Licensure

Every state requires surveyors to obtain licensing. Each state has different requirements, but most follow the guidelines set by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Licensing typically requires attaining the country’s minimum educational requirement, experience working in surveying, and passing examinations on surveying fundamentals and surveying practices.

Requirements to renew licensure vary from state to state. Verifying these requirements and being prepared for renewal can help an individual maintain licensure with no lapses.

Professionals in the surveying profession can achieve Certified Survey Technician (CST) status through the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS).

The NSPS offers four levels of certification depending on the length of work experience, and each level requires passing a skills assessment examination.

Continue Learning

GPS and geospatial technologies have transformed the surveyor’s profession. Programs such as Google Earth have made the traditional work of a surveyor widely available to the public. To keep and advance a career as a surveyor, take continuing or postsecondary education courses in data management and analysis, advanced mathematics, or natural resource management.

Again, aspiring surveyors who seek certification should first complete an educational program such as a bachelor’s degree, get licensure in their state, and then seek certification in the field.

Who is a land surveyor and what do they do? 

Land surveyors measure, and map land. They create records on land survey maps, keep the records and other documentation for the needs of the public, private industry, state administration, economic development, and national defense.

What are the activities of the land surveyor? 

Surveying land and recording its boundaries and features; recording the values obtained from the fieldwork in the form of their own sketches, preparation of maps and plans of the land; saving the data obtained in national land survey information systems; design and management of the initial surveys and of the subsequent documentation based on them, including property and title deeds or records, etc.; they may carry out initial surveys to enable others such as engineers, architects or planners to assess the needs of a project, then make more detailed surveys to inform the design of construction or civil engineering work; maintenance and administration of database files containing land survey data; they also look after, adjust and control, optical and mechanical apparatus used in the survey work; preparation of records that provide evidence of ownership and other rights of individuals and organizations to the land.

Where is it done and under what conditions? 

Both in offices and in the field where there can be a variety of weather conditions.

What tools/equipment do they use? 

Field survey devices, land survey information technology systems, writing and drawing utilities. Computer-aided design (CAD) tools may also be used.

What do you need to succeed? 

You need a certificate from a four-year secondary course in land surveying or the corresponding university degree in land surveying and cartography or a similar specialization, spatial imagination, accuracy, a good level of numeracy, ability to work in a team, and good eyesight. Knowledge of building, law, and economics are all helpful.