Become a Mentor
by Connor G. Brown, RPLS, PLS 

Pick up a copy of Texas Surveyor, attend a TSPS event, or just get a few surveyors together in the same room, and chances are you will come across a common topic: the need for more young surveyors! This is a complex problem that our profession must attack from multiple directions if it is ever to be solved. Mentoring is one area I believe is vital to the health and continuation of our profession. As Heather Sides asked in her article “Active Mentoring” in the May 2016 Texas Surveyor, isn’t it our responsibility to pass our knowledge, experiences, struggles, and rejoices to those who are coming behind us?


To the veteran surveyor: Can you recall that old-timer who first piqued your interest in surveying? The one who encouraged you to stick with it when you became discouraged? That person that you bounce ideas off of when you run into a challenging project? What have you done lately to become that person to a young surveyor? Could you take a young surveyor to a local Chapter meeting, a TSPS Board Meeting, or to Symposium or Convention and introduce them to your colleagues? Maybe invest in TSFI, volunteer for Trig*Star or SkillsUSA, or sponsor books/equipment at a college land survey program? Mentoring could be as simple as reaching out to someone you know that is studying for the SIT or RPLS exam and asking if you can help them prepare.

I think sometimes we have the wrong idea about training. I’ve heard some discussion lately about the importance of sending employees to seminars. Why wouldn’t it be a better solution to take employees to seminars? Not only would we be making an investment into their future, we could help open doors for them to build their own network. There are some who would respond to this idea by saying, “I’m training my own competition!” Well, what’s a greater risk for you: competent competition or incompetent employees? As one of my favorite quotes says: “What’s worse than training our people and having them leave? Not training them and having them stay!”

To the young surveyor: Wouldn’t it be great to have someone inspire you? Someone to give you guidance as you find your footing in the profession? Someone to be a trusted advisor along your journey? What have you done lately to find an older surveyor to be that person? Do you attend your local Chapter meetings or State level board meetings? Are you involved in committee work either at the Chapter or State level? Do you attend the Symposiums, Conventions, and/or other TSPS sponsored events? When you attend these events do you reach out and introduce yourself to older surveyors? Are you working to build networks with your peers?

It’s up to all of us to pull together to strengthen and grow our profession. Our profession (and TSPS) can only become what we make of it. Just as a business owner should be worried if they don’t have a Business Transition Plan, we need to be worried about our Profession Transition Plan. Albert Einstein said, “Those who have the privilege to know have the duty to act, and in that action are the seeds of new knowledge.” No matter where we are in our journey, we have the duty to become a mentor. 

Connor G. Brown is a Project Manager at E.L.S. Surveying & Mapping in Tyler and currently serves as the TSPS Chapter 4 Vice President and the TSPS State Level Chapter Activities Chair.