Geospatial Surveyor, Formby Surveys

Started with: Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician Apprenticeship

Working as: Geospatial Surveyor, Formby Surveys

How did you get into land surveying?

After gaining A levels I had plans of attending university to further my education, however, didn’t feel this was best fit at the time, therefore I entered into work, becoming a Residential Field Technician. This job was used to gain experience in a workplace and allowed me to grasp the qualities needed to work for a company. This job allowed me to have time for research and personal development in order to find the right career path I wanted to enter.

After some research, I knew surveying was the area I wanted to get into, this was due to the opportunity for progression. Land surveying allows for personal progression within a business and also within the profession, allowing me to keep improving while I gain experience.

I am currently progressing in land surveying and I am looking to gain experience in utility surveying – there are many pathways that can sprout off becoming a surveyor.

What qualification have you gained?

For this role, I attended Riverside College one day a week as part of my Level 3 Geospatial Surveying Technician course, over 2 years. This course was very beneficial for the understanding and knowledge of not only surveying but the construction industry as a whole. Attending college, allowed my knowledge and skills to be assessed and addressed in order for self-progression. This course stripped land surveying back to basics and taught me how to gather data and information without using modern day techniques. This ensures a full understanding of the precision and mathematics that goes into capturing data, rather than using the equipment unknowingly.

Why were you attracted to land surveying as a career?

My interests in surveying developed as a career through the idea of working nationally. This role gave me the opportunity to visit and work in places I had never been to before in the UK. Another factor that begun my interests in surveying is being at the forefront of any construction project. Typically, land surveyors are one of the first points of contact before any construction works can go ahead. This idea really intrigued me, as it felt like my work had real purpose, which also motivated me to ensure the work was not only correct, but also completed to a high-quality level.

What does a typical day look like?

A standard day for me would entail arriving at site around 8.30am. Depending on the specific project, I will perform a site recce and a risk assessment to ensure the job can be done efficiently and safely. I may perform a topographical survey using a total station, I may perform levelling run where I will use a digital or optic level or I may be producing floor plans for the location of fire equipment where I will use a 3D laser scanner. No two days are ever the same and there is always a new challenge to overcome.

The thing I value most and enjoy about surveying is the fact there is always something to learn – the equipment software is constantly updating, new equipment is always coming to the market, new challenges on site, and different people to interact with, expressing how there is always new information and knowledge to obtain, therefore my understanding is always being furthered. 

How do you encourage others to get involved in the profession?

I share photos and experiences on site on social media, this way people can gain a real insight to some of the interesting places and sites I work in. This also enables people to put themselves in my shoes so they can feel what it would be like to be a surveyor.

Advice I would give to my younger self would be to stop comparing my journey to others as everybody is at different stages in their lives and careers and be patient with your journey as career growth takes time and effort.

What is the most memorable project that you have worked on?

My most memorable job that I have worked on would be a Hilton Hotel in London, here we produced floor plans, elevations, a topographical survey, and inputted control. This was my most memorable job as this was my first job as lead surveyor. Being lead surveyor means my trust had been gained from my peers and managers that my skill level was competent enough, in order to delegate the workload to my colleagues, be responsible for any problems that went wrong, liaise with the client for updates and any accessibility issues and also arrange a system of work that was most efficient to that job.

What is your proudest career moment?

My proudest career moment would be receiving ‘’The Best Apprentice’’ award at the 2025 TSA conference and awards event. This was a significant achievement and an acknowledgement of all my hard work and dedication that I had put in over the course of my 2-year apprenticeship and something I am particularly proud of.