Career Day at Shamokin Area Junior-Senior High School

Joseph Knapick, PLS, owner of Keefer & Associates Land Surveying of Sunbury, PA, attended a career fair at his alma-mater, Shamokin Area Junior-Senior High School on Friday, November 14th.  Professionals from many industries were set up in the high school gymnasium to explain, demonstrate and promote their professions.  Mr. Knapick met with dozens of students, of which most asked "What is Surveying?".  The standard answer given was: Anything that you see that is being constructed or has been constructed, such as this building, has had a surveyor involved at some phase, or multiple phases of the project.  Prior to construction of this school, the land was vacant, and most-likely a surveyor had to locate physical features (roads, utilities, waterways, woods, etc.), as well as topography of the site, map up those features, and convey that information to a designer, most likely an engineer.  Also, the boundaries of the land or property would have also needed to be determined, which can only be done by a surveyor.  After that, proposed buildings, roads, and utilities are designed, and often-times, a surveyor (perhaps the same surveyor), is contracted to stakeout where those proposed buildings, roads, utilities, etc. are to be constructed.  Lastly, a surveyor might be contracted to locate and map the buildings, roads, utilities, etc. and put together an "As-Built" Plan.  For students that seemed to be interested up to that point, Mr. Knapick also explained other examples of projects that a surveyor may be hired to work on, such as a development of a few lots, or if a landowner in town wants to put up a fence or a garage on his/her land and needs to stay within its boundaries.

A power point presentation was at the ready (courtesy of PSLS), and some patient students watched it in its entirety, asking questions throughout.  Mr. Knapick explained paths to become a surveyor, including obtaining a degree in surveying, SIT certification, and eventual PLS licensing.  Mr. Knapick also detailed that it would be a good career path for individuals who enjoy being outside and are proficient in math and AutoCAD, as well as newer technology such as drones and scanners.  A GPS RTK unit and Robotic Total Station were set up outside the gym, and a few students were shown demonstrations of how they work.  Mapping of a local project which Mr. Knapick worked on was shown to students for them to have a visual of how the location of physical features are mapped.  Mr. Knapick lastly explained that he believes there will continue to be a strong demand for surveyors in the years to come.  A few students that were very interested gave their contact information for potential job-shadowing opportunities in the future.