In addition to helping those students complete the program in person, this equipment supports SVT online education, enrollment for which has increased by over 130% since 2019. Providing access to the latest surveying technology is part of the program's strategic effort to recruit students.
“The volume of equipment helps us be more efficient in teaching labs,” said Rich Vannozzi, assistant professor in surveying engineering technology. “For 150 years, if you took a survey class, you worked in a little group of three or four people with one piece of equipment. So say you had a two-hour lab and four people, everybody got a half hour with their hands on the equipment. What we found out is that if we ran the labs more frequently, and every student had a piece of equipment of their own for the whole two hours — they had their hands on it — they got four times as much time and they were 100% engaged.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of surveyors is projected to grow 5% from 2022–32, faster than the average for all occupations. With fewer than 48,000 licensed surveyors nationwide and many expected to retire in coming years, the demand for surveyors is only expected to grow.
“There are two phenomena that are driving a critical need for surveyors nationally,” Vannozzi said. “One is aging out of the profession. The other thing driving the demand is that we need educated surveyors. There was a time 40 years ago when you could enter this profession and have a successful career with a minimal amount of formal education. That is not realistic any more. If you want to have a successful 40-year career as a land surveyor, you will need a bachelor-degree-level education.”
Joe McNichols, assistant professor in surveying engineering technology, will organize and manage the equipment. A ribbon cutting will be held in the spring to celebrate the donation and the updated equipment storage room.
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See the press release on the University of Maine’s website here: https://umaine.edu/news/blog/2024/02/06/umaines-surveying-program-receives-equipment-loan-valued-at-1-7-million/