The Talent Challenge in Modern Surveying
Insights from Terrain Surveys’ Operations Director, Nick Metivier
Recruitment is a hot topic across the construction and geospatial industries right now, but few areas are feeling the pressure quite like surveying.
Over the past few months, Terrain Surveys’ Operations Director, Nick Metivier, has been heavily involved in recruiting for a range of positions — from apprentices and trainees through to experienced surveyors across the Midlands and the South of England.
We sat down with Nick for a relaxed conversation about what the current talent market really looks like, why underground utility surveying presents such a unique challenge, and how technology is changing both the industry and the people entering it.
One thing became clear very quickly: demand for skilled surveyors is growing fast — but the talent pool isn’t growing at the same pace.
“It’s like a shark tank”
When asked how he would describe the current market for experienced underground utility surveyors, Nick didn’t hesitate.
“As soon as someone becomes available, it’s like a shark tank basically. Everyone’s after them.”
According to Nick, underground utility surveying is currently facing a significant skills shortage, driven by increasing client demand and a lack of long-term investment in training across the wider industry.
Terrain Surveys has continued investing in trainees and apprentices, regularly bringing new people into the business to develop internally. But many companies, Nick believes, are still relying heavily on hiring already-experienced surveyors rather than helping create the next generation.
“A lot of businesses aren’t investing in people to train them up.”
The result? A small pool of experienced utility surveyors being circulated around the industry.
Why underground utility surveying is different
One of the most interesting parts of the discussion was around why underground utility surveying seems particularly affected.
Nick explained that, compared to traditional geomatics and topographical surveying, the underground side of the industry lacks formalised training pathways and wider collaboration.
“There’s no apprenticeship for the underground side of things.”
While geospatial surveying benefits from recognised apprenticeship schemes and strong industry engagement, underground utility surveying has historically been more fragmented.
At the same time, demand has increased dramatically.
“Maybe 10 years ago… we’d just do topos. Now probably 70% of the topos we do, they want underground with it as well.”
As projects become more complex and clients place greater emphasis on reducing risk, underground utility data has become an essential part of the planning and design process.
That growing importance is one reason Terrain Surveys continues investing heavily in developing in-house capability.
Training takes time — but it matters
One of the recurring themes throughout the conversation was the importance of patience and long-term thinking when developing surveyors.
Nick explained that while technology has made surveying more accessible, experience remains irreplaceable.
“To get someone fully fledged and out doing their own jobs, you’re probably looking at 12 to 18 months really.”
And becoming truly experienced takes much longer.
“To develop them to work on the bigger projects, you’re looking at sort of two-and-a-half to three years before they’ve got the right experience.”
Terrain’s approach of working in two-person teams allows trainees to learn continuously on live projects — something Nick feels is becoming increasingly rare elsewhere in the industry.
The candidates who stand out
So what makes a strong candidate in today’s market?
For Nick, attitude and preparation matter just as much as technical skill.
“I always look for someone that’s actually researched us as a company.”
Candidates who ask thoughtful questions and engage properly during interviews immediately separate themselves from the crowd.
“Questions show that they’re actually engaged and interested in what we have to offer.”
Surprisingly, Nick estimates that almost half of interviewees still arrive underprepared.
“You can tell someone who’s prepared and underprepared within two or three minutes.”
For a business like Terrain Surveys, where quality, detail and communication are critical, that enthusiasm and willingness to learn can make all the difference.
Have younger candidates changed?
One particularly interesting discussion centred around whether younger candidates today are different from those entering the industry 10 or 20 years ago.
Nick believes they are — although not always in the ways people might expect.
The internet and modern technology mean candidates today can research companies far more easily than ever before.
“When I came for an interview 20 years ago, you couldn’t really find that much stuff about it.”
That accessibility has improved awareness of the industry and made surveying more approachable for new entrants.
At the same time, expectations have changed.
“People expect a lot more from a company than they would have 10 or 15 years ago.”
Nick describes it less as a negative and more as a shift that businesses need to adapt to.
Technology has also accelerated learning curves. Modern survey equipment, GNSS systems, tablets and software platforms are far more user-friendly than the kit surveyors were using 20 years ago.
But Nick was keen to stress that technology alone doesn’t make someone a great surveyor.
“They’re not magic boxes… you still have to understand the principles behind it all.”
Experience still matters
As surveying technology continues evolving — from drones and laser scanning to increasingly automated workflows — Nick believes there’s still no substitute for experience and critical thinking.
A recurring theme throughout the interview was the importance of verification, checking data properly, and maintaining professional standards.
“You want to deliver the most accurate survey you can.”
According to Nick, one of the risks of modern technology is that some people can become over-reliant on software simply because it tells them everything looks correct.
Experienced surveyors know it’s rarely that simple.
“You can’t just accept that.”
That mindset — combining modern technology with genuine surveying knowledge and attention to detail — remains one of the biggest differentiators in the industry today.
Looking ahead
Despite the challenges, Nick remains optimistic about the future of the industry and the opportunities available to people entering it.
Demand for high-quality survey data continues to grow, projects are becoming more technically demanding, and technology is opening the door for a wider range of people to build careers in surveying.
But one message came through clearly from the conversation: developing great surveyors takes investment, patience and the right culture.
And in an increasingly competitive market, businesses willing to invest in people may ultimately have the biggest advantage of all.
