The surveying and mapping industry has experienced many changes in recent years, including more stringent education and licensing requirements and senior-level experts reaching retirement age, leaving a gap to fill with the next generation of land surveyors and mappers.
It’s more advantageous than ever for field technicians to bolster their credentials within the A/E/C industry with continuing education and certifications.
Supporting our employees’ professional career growth and development is key to fostering a thriving work culture at DRMP and providing our clients with the most qualified A/E/C industry experts.
Our firm’s Learning and Development program offers many opportunities for employees to advance in their careers through investments in training and certifications.
The Certified Survey Technicians (CST) certification is one way DRMP invests in our surveying and mapping staff. The certification provides a career ladder to field technicians who want to advance their careers in the surveying and mapping industry. And to encourage our staff to engage in the program and take the exam, DRMP offers incentive bonuses.
DRMP employees gather for a group photo before taking the CST exam at the firm's Orlando, Fla., headquarters.
The CST certification is a comprehensive national certification program for survey technicians and is offered in two primary tracks – office and field. The program is sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) and is administered by the Certified Survey Technician Board (CSTB). The certification aims to measure technical capabilities as well as general knowledge of workplace procedures and safety.
CST and Its Importance
DRMP recognizes investing in its employees and their professional development creates a clear path for employees to elevate their careers. The CST program provides the opportunity for our surveyors to build on their knowledge while growing within the firm and offering exceptional services to our clients.
Earning the CST credential sets the technician apart from other field personnel in the profession, provides them with a career ladder in the survey and mapping industry, and makes them valuable members of the crew.
The DRMP CST Program acknowledges technicians’ critical contributions to the survey and mapping profession. Being able to promote we have certified technicians as part of our team makes DRMP remain competitive within the A/E/C industry. The CST certification also gives technicians the opportunity to better understand the principles behind the technical concepts they use in their day-to-day lives.
L&D Making a Difference
As the Learning and Development Manager, I looked at the benefits of becoming a proctor for CST examinees to make taking the exam easier for our employees. Becoming a proctor allows me to provide testing oversite at any of DRMP’s regional locations so employees don’t have to travel long distances to take the exam.
We’ve already completed testing at our Florida offices in Orlando and Jacksonville. Becoming a proctor has been more convenient for our staff and an opportunity for community exposure. For the exam at our Orlando headquarters, there were seven outside participants taking the test at our office, and one examinee drove from Tampa to test at DRMP’s Jacksonville office.
DRMP employees take the CST exam in the firm's Orlando, Fla., headquarters.
The Survey and Mapping Industry Needs More CSTs
Because of the increasingly technical nature of the surveying and mapping industry, employers are now requiring a bachelor’s degree to enter the profession and a CST certification. Obtaining a CST certification helps set credentialed surveyors apart from those without one as the field becomes more competitive.
The CST program is a way to provide our technicians with credentials and clients with confidence in a technician’s capabilities. It’s a win-win for employees, employers, and clients.
DRMP employees pose with Learning and Development Manager Martha Ayers before taking the CST exam in Jacksonville, Fla.
Certification as a survey technician is an official recognition by the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) a person has demonstrated he or she is competent to perform surveying tasks at a specified technical level. Certification also provides employers with a method of determining job assignments and advancement since this is an indication of one’s ability to perform specific job tasks.
Some technicians who have decided to follow the path to full licensure have expressed preparing for the CST certification helped them more than they thought when preparing for the Professional Surveyor and Mapper (PSM) exam.
At DRMP, we want to invest in our employees and make sure career development is ingrained in our culture. The DRMP CST program is a reflection of an environment that allows employees to thrive and shine in their careers.
