Any Surveyors on TBH?

[park5115]

I am wanting to talk to an RPLS about getting into the field of surveying.

I have a B.S. from A&M in Geography/GIS and have been using my GIS skills in the Oil & Gas business for 3 years now but I'm getting tired of sitting on my butt in a Houston office building. I've always been interested in surveying and with my background in mapping it seems like it would be a logical transition.

From my understanding, (what I've read on the Texas Board of Surveyors website), becoming a RPLS is similar to becoming a PE. You need a bachelors degree with a certain number of hours related to surveying, I think I have enough hrs. Then I need to apply to be a Surveyor-in-training, and gain some experience working under the supervision of an RPLS. After so much time as an S.I.T, I can take the exam and become an RPLS myself.

I would like some insight from someone who has been there and done that.

TIA

[Devin]

I'm a PE & an RPLS. They are a similar in their steps to licensure. With your Geo/GIS degree, you should easily meet the class curriculum requirement for sitting in the S.I.T.

Do you have an RPLS you will be able to work under?

The S.I.T. was pretty easy. The RPLS was the hardest test I've ever taken... so I took it 3 times. Lot's of interpretation of the law & application of precedence. I'd recommend one of the prep courses when you're ready for the final RPLS exam.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[park5115]

I currently work for Phillips 66 Pipeline and there is an RPLS in our department, but I'm not sure how much guidance I could get from him without interfering with our day to day jobs.

[catfish391]

Pretty sure you will need to work for the RPLS or be under his supervison, you need to have 2 years of responsible charge time that is mostly related to boundary surveying, either running a survey crew or being an office tech preparing boundaries, plats, easments, etc., under the direction of the RPLS to take the SIT exam, then after passing the SIT test, another 2 years similar responsible time before you can take the RPLS exam, so you may have to transfer the survey dept or take a job with a survey company. Be glad to help out if I can. Terry RPLS