Since 1988, the CST (Certified Survey Technician) program has certified thousands of individuals like yourself.
During that time, the land surveying profession has evolved considerably as a result of technological innovation. In the midst of so much change, it has become harder and harder for employers to determine whether a survey technician is versed in the “old” ways or the “new”; those with experience on both sides are in short supply.
Thanks to an ongoing partnership between NSPS (National Society of Professional Surveyors) and Spatial Media (publisher of The American Surveyor Magazine), LearnCST was established to promote CST as a means to “bridge the technological gap” and offer a robust eLearning tool for those pondering certification. At the end of the day, certification is good for both employee and employer alike. It also creates an inbound path for those pondering a career in land surveying.
In a nutshell, we’ve built LearnCST around CST’s level-specific “Work Elements”. Each work element is addressed via chapters that complete with a quiz. As of October 2019, we transitioned our online class to a quarterly “Fast Track” format in which registered students set an examination target and work within the quarter to become certified by that date or as soon as possible thereafter.
CST is offered via four levels with specialty focuses upon arrival at level II:
- Level I technicians are required to demonstrate knowledge of basic skills
- Level II technicians are required to have 1.5 years experience or 65 semester hours
- Level III technicians are required to have 3.5 years experience or 65 semester hours
- Level IV technicians must complete a custom essay-based submission (no exam given)
A note from our lead instructor: “The open book CST exam tests your ability to search for and find information. It assumes some basic technical knowledge and mathematical ability (more as one advances through the levels) but you’re not expected to know all the answers by heart. Examinees must be flexible and adaptive.” – Glen Thurow, PS, CFedS
If you’d like to learn more about LearnCST, check out our registration options.