The Geomatics Extension program is part of the UF/IFAS School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences.
Our mission is to provide surveying education and workforce development programs to both the Florida surveying industry and the general public.
As part of the Cooperative Extension Service, we work statewide to extend the reach of the Geomatics Department; providing resources and education in a non-formal setting (outside the classroom) to the surveying industry and the general public.
With the overall goal of workforce development, we provide educational resources to licensed surveyors and professionals, to surveying technicians already in the industry, to job-seekers who are interested in pursuing a career change into the surveying industry, and to students looking for a rewarding career directly out of high school. A further goal is to increase the visibility of the profession to the general public, which we accomplish by working with county Extension offices, 4-H programs, and other youth education organizations.
Contact us at geo-extension@ifas.ufl.edu.
Locations
Our Geomatics Extension program has four offices located across Florida:
- University of Florida main campus (UF) - Gainesville
- Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) - Apopka
- Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) - Plant City
- Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (FLREC) - Fort Lauderdale
- West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) - Milton
Workforce Development
The UF Geomatics Extension program is addressing the need for workforce development in the surveying industry, particularly toward education programs to increase employment opportunities for surveying technicians. A two-pronged approach is being used to fill the gap: upskilling existing technicians and developing a recruitment pipeline of new employees.
To upskill existing technicians, the UF Geomatics Extension program is creating training resources and courses aligned with nationally recognized certifications. This includes supporting current employees in preparing for the Certified Survey Technician programand offering CST proctoring statewide. Curriculum development is also underway to create a program to recruit and train entry level technicians through high school Career and Technical Education programs and other career centers.
To create a recruitment pipeline for new employees, the program targets three areas with varying levels of urgency: 1) immediate recruitment of entry level technicians through the new training and recruitment program, 2) introducing K-12 youth to surveying careers, and 3) increasing visibility of the profession to the general public.
Read more about how our team is addressing workplace challenges in the surveying industry: Geomatics Extension One-Pager
