Underground, above the ground, and under the sea - Hong Kong's Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) surveyors play a vital role in shaping, preserving and making the best use of the city's landscape.
'For those looking for a combination of indoor and outdoor work, joining the CEDD surveying division provides a challenging and varied environment, and offers excellent career opportunities,' says Li Siu-wai, CEDD senior survey officer for engineering.
'Qualified surveyors conduct feasibility studies, investigations, as well as design and construction supervision work across a variety of projects,' says Li.
Much of this work, he explains, is carried out as part of the advisory services the CEDD provides to other government departments, including drainage services, highways, and water supplies.
CEDD surveyors evaluate survey methods, carry out survey planning and design, and prepare survey specifications and method statements. The survey division also offers professional advice and technical support for engineering and marine surveys, such as those conducted after a shipwreck or in response to an emergency.
'When necessary, our surveyors carry out investigations during natural disasters arising from major landslides and flooding,' Li adds. 'Land is one of Hong Kong's most valuable assets and touches every aspect of our daily life, so surveyors need to have a strong sense of responsibility,' he says.
Owing to retirements, and an increase in large-scale government projects, there is a rising number of vacancies for surveyors these days, notes Li. When recruiting, the division looks for enthusiastic candidates who are preferably geomatics and survey engineer degree holders. Graduates from the long-running Master's of Science in Geomatics programme at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University are frequently recruited.