For years, the geospatial sector, along with many other professional disciplines, has been quietly feeling the strain of a growing skills gap. It is not just a challenge for the future; it is here now, affecting recruitment, training, and the long-term sustainability of our industry.
One of the biggest contributors to this gap has been the decline of specialist higher education courses in the UK. Over the past two decades, postgraduate and undergraduate geomatics degrees have gradually disappeared. The most recent blow came with the closure of the long-running Surveying and Mapping degree course at the University of Newcastle. This programme had produced highly skilled graduates for decades.
Today, the only dedicated postgraduate course in the UK is run by the University of East London. For businesses in the North East, that is a long way to send potential recruits, and a big ask for those who want to study while staying close to home.
Our region’s smaller population means fewer alternative degree courses are available locally, making it even harder to build the next generation of surveyors without relocation. This problem ripples through the industry, making it more difficult to fill skilled positions and increasing competition for the few qualified candidates available.
We decided that if the courses were not coming to us, we would try to bring them back. Academy Geomatics reached out to local training provider Zenith Training to discuss the feasibility of delivering the Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician Apprenticeship in our region.
To ensure it met industry standards, we put Zenith in touch with The Survey Association (TSA) and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES). With their guidance, Zenith has been able to move towards offering this apprenticeship locally. This gives young people in the North East a direct pathway into our sector without having to move hundreds of miles away.
We have committed to supporting the Level 3 apprenticeship from the outset and will continue working with our partners to ensure it is a success. But our ambitions do not stop there.
Our longer-term goal is to see a Level 6 apprenticeship reinstated in the North East. This is the degree-level equivalent and would restore a vital link in the skills chain. It would give talented local students the chance to progress from entry-level training to advanced qualifications without leaving the region.
The geospatial industry relies on a steady influx of new talent, not only to replace retiring professionals but also to meet the growing demand for advanced surveying, mapping, and spatial data services. Without strong local training routes, we risk stalling innovation and slowing delivery at a time when our work is more critical than ever.
The skills gap in the geospatial sector is not someone else’s problem; it is ours. We are taking steps to address it in the North East, but it will take collaboration between industry, education providers, and professional bodies to secure the future of our profession.
At Academy Geomatics, we are committed to being part of that solution. We want to ensure that the next generation of surveyors has the training, opportunities, and support they need to thrive. Get in touch to learn more.
For more information about our geospatial services, or to commission a survey or discuss a project, please get in touch.
