A career full of possibilities: Douglas’s Surveying journey

Douglas Pianta was drawn to surveying because it combined two things he enjoyed: maths and the outdoors. It also offered the balance of field and office work he was looking for in a career.

“I like maths, as well as the outdoors. With surveying you are not chained to a desk, nor the field, so you get to use both unlike most careers using them which are one or the other.”

The variety within the profession was another big drawcard. From construction survey to railway surveying, to boundary surveying, hydrography and photogrammetry, Douglas saw the potential to take his career in many different directions.

“You can essentially have mini career changes in the industry every 10 years and still be doing something new.”

Douglas graduated with a Bachelor of Surveying (Honours) in 2022 and now works as a Surveyor at Hanlons Consulting. During his studies, he particularly valued learning from experienced academics with different areas of specialist knowledge.

“The lecturers were very experienced and knowledgeable, and passionate about teaching us.”

Their expertise also gave Douglas opportunities to explore surveying in greater depth, including through his final-year project.

Since graduating, Douglas’s career has already taken him across major construction, railway and cadastral projects. He helped manage and build the replacement of the Werris Creek Gap Bridge, a curved railway bridge of around 70 metres. The project included replacing the final bridge during a 96-hour railway shutdown.

More recently, Douglas has spent three years managing and providing surveying for the construction of the Tamworth Baiada Integrated Poultry Processing Facility. He has also worked on rail and cadastral projects across NSW.

For Douglas, moving into the workforce after university was easy. Having worked in surveying during a gap year before beginning his degree, he returned to the same employer after graduating. He says strong demand for surveyors also creates plenty of opportunities for people entering the profession.

“In general, there is a huge shortage of surveyors, so you can work wherever you like. Most surveyors in the degree had work lined up from around 2nd/3rd year if they wanted.”

Today, Douglas’s role draws on much more than technical surveying skills. His work involves management, problem-solving, independent work and thinking outside the box. He says the knowledge gained through his degree continues to underpin the decisions he makes in his day-to-day work.

It’s the diversity of surveying that continues to appeal to Douglas. The profession offers opportunities across many different areas of surveying, with skills that can also open doors to related fields such as engineering, town planning, management and consulting.

“If you don’t like one type of surveying, there may be many others you still enjoy.”

For students considering surveying, Douglas recommends gaining some industry experience to better understand the profession. He also encourages students to make the most of their studies and focus on building knowledge they can take into their future careers.

“The more work you put into learning, the more knowledge you get, and the more you will understand the connections between the courses, and the application of these to the workforce.”

Douglas Pianta

Alumnus Douglas Pianta shares the diverse career paths available in surveying, the major projects he’s worked on and why strong industry demand creates plenty of opportunities for graduates.