Lisa Shearer decided to study surveying after talking to her older brother and friends in the mountain bike club, who were all enjoying studying surveying at the University of Otago.
“The variety of the work and the chance to work outdoors were a big drawcard! The size of the school also appealed to me – it creates a great atmosphere to study in, as you know everyone in your year group and often work together on practical assignments.”
“ Lisa's favourite paper was SURV456, Land Tenure 3.
“This paper referred to existing land tenure systems in various countries around the world to illustrate the different ways of recording the relationships between people and land, and how solutions are found to the problems that arise in these systems.”
In her final year of study, Lisa was appointed as a graduate surveyor with RPS Group in Brisbane.
“University of Otago trained surveyors are very much in demand with Australian employers, as they recognise the high value of the degree” she explains
After two years in the heat of Brisbane, Lisa spent a year in Canada, where her surveying experience allowed her to work a variety of surveying jobs – “until the ground was too covered in ice to measure anything!”
“Studying surveying at the University of Otago has given me amazing opportunities around the world. I'm now employed in a private firm back in Dunedin, and working towards becoming a licensed cadastral surveyor.”
“If you want to study something challenging but always interesting, I would definitely recommend surveying at Otago!”