NAIT Surveying and Geospatial Engineering Technology Students Join the Expo
Working with the next generation of Canada’s geomatics professionals has always been at the core of what GoGeomatics is all about. The concept of the National Geomatics Expo in Canada has always included collaborating with local, regional, and national geospatial education programs. This can be seen in our strong ties with the University of Calgary and SAIT geomatics programs.
The NAIT Surveying and Geospatial Engineering Technology program is one of the programs with which we continue to strengthen ties and include.
What follows is an interview with Patrick Whitehead, Chair of Surveying and Geospatial Engineering Technology.
GoGeomatics: Why did the NAIT program decide to bus all your students from Edmonton to Calgary to attend the National Geomatics Expo?
Patrick: I attended the Expo last year and learned about emerging and existing geospatial technologies from the seminars and exhibitors. NAIT had an opportunity to go for the day, and I said, “Let’s make this work and take the students.” I know our students will appreciate the experience to see what the future of our industry can be.
What are the key benefits you hope your students will gain by attending the Expo?
Patrick: Students will gain experience in interacting with the industry, learning from the seminars provided, and also looking at some of the technologies that are in the industry. I also hope seeing these will inspire some students to look at unconventional survey paths once they graduate.
GoGeomatics: How does attending industry events like the GoGeomatics Expo align with the curriculum and learning objectives of your program?
Patrick: Our program is moving toward more data analysis, remote sensing, and GIS. NAIT students are the ones who collect the data, and we want to make sure they are collecting it properly, and that includes using the data afterward. Seeing actual results and the end users of the data will tie into the students’ syllabuses.
GoGeomatics: How important is it for students to network with professionals and companies in the geomatics field at events like these?
Patrick: A big part of our program and NAIT is connecting with industry. NAIT wants to make sure that our students need to learn what our industry needs once they graduate. Meeting the industry in person goes so much further than a Team meeting. The students can ask honest questions and converse with area experts.
GoGeomatics: In what ways do you think the Expo can inspire or motivate students as they transition from education to the professional world?
Patrick: I know our students will see and hear a wide variety of subject areas at the Expo, and, seeing those, the students can look to the future of graduating and getting into the industry. By bringing the skills they learn at NAIT and in the Surveying Program, they can make a difference in using technology to collect geospatial data and how it is used.
GoGeomatics: Thank you Patrick for taking the time to share about the NAIT program. We look forward to hosting you and your students at the expo this year and the years to come.
The NAIT Surveying and Geospatial Engineering Technology program is one of the programs with which we continue to strengthen ties and include in our expo programming. The Expo invites all educational programs in Canada—whether in geography, environmental science, engineering, geomatics, GIS, geosciences, or other programs that include a component of location technology—to do the same in the coming years.
See you at the expo!
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