Anne Smoke

When I was younger, I thought I’d grow up to be a veterinarian because I love being around animals. Unfortunately, I don’t deal well with blood, so that didn’t work out! Luckily, I found my way into a career I love.

My dad is a civil engineer, so I became interested in following in his footsteps. To achieve that goal, I began working toward a 4-year degree. One of the first classes I took was a basic land surveying course. Part of the class included students from the land surveying program coming to talk with us and encouraging us to learn more about the field. Their presentations sold me, and I quickly switched my major to surveying engineering (now called geomatics engineering).

In a nutshell, land surveyors take measurements to figure out property boundaries; provide information about land characteristics like shape, ground contours, etc.; and prepare paperwork that reflects their findings.

After earning my degree, I felt well prepared to enter the job market and get working. Today, I’m a principal land surveyor and own my own land surveying business. Between owning the business and working in the field, no two days are ever the same! Some of my job responsibilities include visiting sites to take measurements and make calculations, determining where one property ends and another begins, preparing legal documents and handling billing.

I love the variety this job offers. Each day being different means there’s always a new problem to solve. I also like using the latest technology, which is constantly changing and improving. For instance, we’ve incorporated drones and robots into our workflow. On the flip side, the rich history you get to see in this career is fascinating. Seeing land deeds dating back to the 1800s is very cool, plus the cursive handwriting is beautiful.

If you’re interested in the industry, take all the math classes you can, especially geometry and trigonometry. This is a fantastic career path for many reasons, like the ability to specialize in what you’re most interested in — from mapping with drones to surveying for construction sites. Also, you’re able to decide if you prefer to spend your time outdoors or in an office. This really is a world where you can choose your own adventure!