Topcon team heads to SURVEY Fest 2019

To mark the launch of our partnership with Get Kids into Survey, some of the Topcon GB team spent the day at St Ambrose Barlow RC High School in Greater Manchester, where pupils were busy taking part in the first ever ‘SURVEY Fest’ – a one day event aimed at encouraging high school pupils to think about a career in surveying.

The event, which was set up by Get Kids into Survey and Class of Your Own, brought together a host of industry experts to share expertise from the surveying field with eager 11 and 12-year-old pupils.

Currently, there is little understanding of the surveying and engineering professions within schools and no clear pathway for young people wanting to get into the field. This, coupled with challenges in early education refining the skills needed for the industry, mean that there is now a serious skills shortage in construction across Europe.

This is exactly why we partner with organisations like Get Kids into Survey.

At Topcon GB we believe that to tackle these industry-wide problems, alongside our usual work with schools and colleges, events like SURVEY Fest are crucial for attracting younger generations into the profession. Through practical demonstrations and engaging activities, both teachers and pupils can see how skills learned at school – such as in technology or maths classes – are used in surveying careers and applied to everyday life.

Throughout the day we introduced pupils to some of our instruments and software including the LN-100 layout navigator and the GT-505 robotic total station, to show students how advanced technology in the field has become and how important it is for the industry.

Other activities saw pupils measure distances with their hands and feet, taking them back to the time of ancient roman surveyors to show the need for a good understanding of measurements and the importance of maths for surveying careers.

The event was a pilot for organisers and the hope is to take key learnings from the day to develop more workshops and have more manufacturers and solution providers get involved with supporting teachers in raising awareness of surveying careers in schools. The pilot will also be used to help identify ways in which teachers can make subjects like maths more accessible to children so that they develop the key skills needed for careers within the construction and surveying industry.

Plans are already in place to expand the program and roll out the workshop at various schools located across the UK – so keep your eyes peeled for more details of our next school visit!

To find out more about Get Kids into Survey click here

To find out more about Class of Your Own click here