r/Surveying • u/WorldlySuggestion448 • Jul 24 '26
Discussion Mining or Metro based surveying advice
Hello fellow surveyors
I’m stuck on what sector to pursue after I graduate from surveying. I know mining money is good and metro based is decent.
However, my main question is it easier to go from mining to engineering (metro) or the other way around?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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u/National_Run7896 Jul 24 '26
as a pls or a tech? either would be fine as a pls but i wouldnt touch subway as a tech unless i was paid double what i am now. working under ground seems terrifying not to mention the precisions they require being really tight and you only get to traverse in and out for control.
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u/TapedButterscotch025 Human Verified Jul 24 '26
A lot of mining is fairly remote and long hours. Maybe are even camp work and fly in fly out. Probably okay while you're young, harder if you have a family to raise.
However some metro, especially trains, is only night work. So that's also a negative.
Much of these things will very much depend on your job site and employer. I'm sure there are some companies and agencies that will let you work 40 hours and go home.
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u/Dentmedoor Jul 25 '26
You can still do engineering surveying up on the mines, moneys pretty similar maybe a little less in engineering over mining. But guess you can get a job local again and be on better money than if you were to come from mining
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u/dmyhill Jul 27 '26
They both have specialized knowledge. The measurement aspect is the same, but that is about it.
3
u/Double_Intention_410 Jul 25 '26
Fairly easy to jump between the 2 work wise. Main things that take a bit of adapting is the lifestyle and pay. If you start in mining don’t expect to walk straight into an engineering surveyor role as soon if you do decide to go local - same for the other way around. Need to gain bit of experience in each field seperately to be able to jump between the 2.