Page 33 - 2022- 49.4

6 Ways... continued from page 7
Lahontan Chapter “The point of that is that you come back with that skill set and
then pass it on to people. Pass it on to the people that you’re
mentoring. You should go back to your company and be like, ‘All
Update right, surveyors! Gather round,’” Brandon says from a mentoring
standpoint.

By: Jake Johnson, PLS From a business owner’s standpoint, professional development
can also provide you with a key edge. What you learn could help
Following a summer break with a successful golf tournament, you refine your current practices, expand into a new market, or
the Lahontan Chapter met for our September monthly meeting learn about new and cutting-edge technologies.
on September 14 . Author Robert Temple joined the group and Parting Thought: Surveying May Change but Will Never Disappear
th
spoke about his article “Bounding the Silver State.” While it’s clear that surveying is headed towards a pivotal

Our guest speaker for the October meeting was Janelle Thomas moment due to mass retirements and few fresh faces, the
with the City of Sparks. Janelle discussed FEMA elevation profession is guaranteed to continue in one form or another.
certificate and application review processes. The meeting was Buildings still need to get built, and the project must be
very well attended from chapter members as well as other completed. But the bottom line is that the greater industry will
individuals interested in Janelle’s topic. find a way to forge ahead.
In November, Brian Martinezmoles with Wood Rodgers met with Moving forward may not happen in an idealized way, but it will
the chapter to present on the Wildcreek Golf Course/Hug High happen. It may mean that large contractors will begin to take
School project. This meeting was also well attended. Thank you surveying seriously and work to establish their own survey
to those members that take the time to come out to our monthly departments. In fact, change is already starting to happen if you
meetings. look closely. Positions such as “field engineers” are becoming
popular, which are nearly identical to a surveyor in many ways.
To close out the year, we will have a Christmas party on
December 15 at South 40 in Reno. I hope to see all of you there. Neither new technology nor run-of-the-mill engineers will
th
replace the value of a professional surveyor. The answer to the
As we move into 2023, a new Lahontan Chapter Board will be surveyor shortage lies in making smart programs and alliances
taking over. Thank you to those members that have accepted that pass on surveying wisdom to future generations. others.
nominations and have volunteered to serve on the 2023 Board. “The point of that is that you come back with that skill set and
I am certain that the Lahontan Chapter will be in good shape then pass it on to people. Pass it on to the people that you’re
under your leadership. Also coming up in 2023 is the CLSA-NALS mentoring. You should go back to your company and be like, ‘All
Annual Conference in Reno, March 25 through 28 . Keep an eye right, surveyors! Gather round,’” Brandon says from a mentoring
th
th
out for information forthcoming regarding the conference. standpoint.
Finally, I would like to thank the 2022 Lahontan Chapter Board From a business owner’s standpoint, professional development
members for their participation this year. I have enjoyed working can also provide you with a key edge. What you learn could help
with all of you over the last year, or years in some cases. It has you refine your current practices, expand into a new market, or
been a fun couple of years working with each of you. Thank you learn about new and cutting-edge technologies.
for taking the time and effort to help keep the Lahontan Chapter
moving forward.

Thoughts On Professional Practice.. continued from page 26
and other professions that allow graduates to have licenses soon Having given my opinion, I now offer advice by suggesting the
after graduation. I believe I have made my point. Surveying and NCEES model law be changed to allow licensing with a four-year
engineering are in a small minority of professions that continue degree and state legislatures adopt this option. At the very least,
to require experience in addition to their education before states should allow graduates to take both their fundamentals
licensing. of surveying and professional surveying exams near graduation
allowing licensing as soon as experience has been achieved.
So, what is wrong with requiring experience before licensing?
I believe it hinders efforts to attract new members to our Some licensing boards have already adopted this option. I will
profession. For an eighteen-year-old high school graduate, speak more on this latter option in a subsequent article.
the time required to obtain a four-year surveying degree along † Other books and articles by Knud can be found at https://
with four-years of relevant experience to become licensed as a umaine.edu/svt/faculty/hermansen-articles/
surveyor is a long commitment. The high school graduate can be and to the public to support the honest and competent practice
a licensed engineer in the same time, or become a teacher, nurse, of Land Surveying.
military officer, accountant, forester, electrician, and plumber
four years sooner or a lawyer, doctor, dentist, pharmacists,
minister, veterinarian, occupational therapist, and architect in
one year less. Must the surveying profession erect barriers upon
roads that few choose to travel anyway?

The Nevada Traverse Vol.49, No.4, 2022 31