The Connecticut Associates of Land Surveyors is professional organization “dedicated to
enhancing the development and professionalism of surveyors throughout Connecticut.” What
are some of the benefits of joining such an organization? And why is it important for surveyors
to do so?
One of the benefits of joining any professional organization, regardless of your profession, is
establishing legitimacy for yourself. If you work for yourself or a small company, you might not
have the same professional reputation one gets from working for a large, well-known company.
Another important aspect of professional membership is professional networking. “Networking”
is not the first word that comes to mind to people who prefer to spend their days in the field, and
leave the business side of the operation to others. However, it is important to recognize that
these connections are beneficial to everyone, whether you spend all day in the field, in the
office, or a bit of both. You never know when you might end up working in a unfamiliar town, and
find yourself having to call a local surveyor to ask about maps or the quirks of that particular
town. Making that connection beforehand will likely yield better results for both sides
A third facet of professional organization membership is education. Learning is of course
important for professionals new to the field, but it is also important for more established
surveyors to keep ahead of new technology, new trends, and new laws that might affect their
work. Recently, GHH surveyors have begun working on incorporating 3-D scanning and
drone mapping into everyday survey work. CALS provides peer to peer consulting, professional
development, and legislative updates to meet these goals. CALS newsletters also provide these
updates, while also providing advice and sharing what projects surveyors are working on across
Connecticut.
CALS hosts membership meetings twice a year. These meetings feature a guest speaker on a
single topic, ranging from legislative updates to interpretations of state statutes, or any number
of topics. The CALS show in the fall provides opportunities for networking and education. These
include professional development seminars open to anyone working in this career field, a
vendor showcase, and educational seminars for students.
Professional organization membership is important to many career fields, not just surveying.
They provide an exciting opportunity to learn more about your career field, and get professional
advice. For a field that depends on technology as much as surveying, it is important to stay
ahead of current trends and to be able to incorporate new ideas and new technology into your
work.
