In conversation with Mark Hockaday, Land Surveyor and Mentor at Kemp Chartered Land & Engineering Surveyors.
How did your interest in surveying as a career develop?
I had an interest in maps and mapping after completing a geological mapping project as part of my university degree. I wanted a career that was both outdoors but also technical and, after some research, I discovered surveying, which seemed like an obvious choice. Although, I didn’t know a huge amount about the profession until I began working at Kemp.
What is a key memory from your time spent studying at The Survey School?
My key memory from The Survey School was the time spent coding Excel spreadsheets to help me solve the maths problems quickly for the assignments and classwork. They were so helpful throughout the course to identify calculation errors and therefore speed up my results.
What was the most valuable lesson you learned from your time at The Survey School?
The most valuable lesson I learned was understanding the calculations that the total station and surveying software use on a day-to-day basis. Understanding how problems can arise in the data collection process and the impact it has on accuracy computations has allowed me to become a more accurate surveyor in the field by minimising errors as much as possible.
What is it about your current role at Kemp that you enjoy and value most?
My current role is a land surveyor, which covers the role of topographical surveying, measured building surveying, deformation monitoring and aerial surveys. I enjoy working with friendly and supportive colleagues, who have all played a part in developing my career. I enjoy visiting areas of the South-West I wouldn’t normally go to, or going behind the scenes of places the public would not get the opportunity to see. The expectation of working on large scale infrastructure projects and the prospect of making a positive impact on the local community has great appeal to me.
How would you describe your career in three words?
Technical, challenging, rewarding.
How do you encourage others to get involved in the surveying profession?
I have visited local schools in the county to discuss surveying as a career and my own journey into the profession. This has included giving practical demonstrations of the equipment involved as well as offering work experience to some students. This has encouraged students to apply and join Kemp.
If you could give your younger self career advice now, what would it be?
When I was younger, I struggled to decide what career I wanted to do, simply because most of my experience came from a classroom environment. I think it’s important to apply for work experience in different fields, because even finding out what you don’t enjoy is an important step to finding a rewarding career. I didn’t know that much about surveying until I started working in the profession, but knowing what I did and didn’t enjoy from other jobs, helped me make an informed decision – and I haven’t looked back!
Do you have any exciting projects you’re working on at Kemp that you’re able to share?
We have recently undertaken a large scale topographical and measured building survey in South Devon for the redevelopment of a shopping centre. We are currently processing the data to produce floor plans and elevations alongside our 3D modelling within Revit.
What has been your most memorable project to work on?
One of them was the St Austell to A30 link road when I had not long joined Kemp. I had just completed the surveying of borehole locations on site when the area was hit by a snowstorm. Within an hour there were at least four to five inches of snow on the ground and my vehicle was stranded. Fortunately, I was working with the client who had a 4×4 and generously drove me most of the way home. I still had to walk the last mile to my house carrying the GPS though! It just shows how quickly the weather can change in Cornwall and being prepared for whatever it throws at you.
What has been your proudest career moment?
My proudest career moment would be achieving my full membership with CICES in 2024. After all the years of work and experience, to go beyond the technical membership and to keep pushing myself to achieve member status was very satisfying.