The cartographer provides information about the earth in the easily understandable and usable form of a map. 

The cartographer works closely with surveyors, geologists and similar professionals and is involved in planning and development.

 

What am I going to do in this occupation?

The maps a cartographer produces, are compiled from various sources, such as aerial photographs, field records, historical manuscripts, other maps and statistical reports.

 

The cartographer undertakes the following functions: the processing of source material for map production, the compilation of maps and final drawing thereof, the application of photolithography and photographic processing techniques in map production and the application of computer technology to map production.

 

The cartographer is also trained in basic surveying and in photogrammetry (the science of accurately compiling maps and plans from photographs taken with aerial survey cameras from the air).

 

 

 

                                                            

The types of maps produced by the cartographer depend on the employer and the purpose for which the map is required. These kinds of maps include, amongst others: topographical maps, maritime charts, aeronautical charts, climatic maps, road maps and street plans, tourist maps, geological maps and town and regional structure plans.

 

In conventional map production the cartographer is concerned with different but related map production techniques, including scribing, colour separation, type layout and printing procedures. The application of computer technology to the cartographer’s work is becoming more important. The introduction of computer assisted mapping and geographic information systems have added new and exciting dimensions to cartographic techniques and usage of spatial information

 

Requirements 

 

What kind of personality do I need? 

The prospective cartographer should have an aptitude for drawing, good spatial perception and he/she must be able to work with detail. An interest in Geography is strongly recommended.

 

What kind of school training do I need? 

Candidates should be in possession of a Senior Certificate or equivalent qualification.

Compulsory school subjects: Mathematics

 

Recommended school subjects:

Physical Science and Geography.

 

What further training do I need?

Technikon: The N.Dip: Cartography is a three-year course offered at Cape Technikon and Pretoria Technikon. The student receives two years theoretical training at the technikon and one year practical training at his/her employer.

 

Where can I possibly work?

Opportunities for employment exist mostly in government departments and at provincial administrations. Larger municipalities and some private undertakings also employ cartographers.

 

Can I work for myself in this occupation?

Self-employed cartographers can work on a contract basis for persons or institutions in need of their services.

 

Can I, as a person with a disability, do this work?  

The work takes place indoors. Good eyesight and hand-eye co-ordination are essential. A degree of mobility is required so as to work with maps and large sheets of draughting material. These are used on light tables, draughting tables or photogrammetric stereoplotters. However, draughting and map compilation are increasingly taking place at computer workstations.

 

Where can I get further information?  

• Chief Directorate: Surveys and Mapping, Private Bag X10, Mowbray, 7705, Tel: (021) 658 4300

• The Head of Cape Peninsula University of Technology  

• The Registrar, SA Council of Professional and Technical Surveyors,PO Box 83018, South Hills, 2136,  Tel (011) 626 1040

• South African Geomatics Institute (SAGI), www.sagi.co.za       

The topographical and engineering surveyor measures and records natural and built features on the earth’s surface in order to make maps. They also perform the surveys necessary to control, set out and monitor the construction of roads, bridges, dams, etc.

 

What am I going to do in this occupation?

The topographical surveyor prepares data and maps necessary for all physical planning and development. Before any work can begin, the sites for dams, bridges, canals, roads, airports, agricultural projects and other projects must be surveyed.

 

The engineering surveyor compiles a topographical map before an engineering project is started. He/she sets out the proposed site and monitors progress of the project to ensure that it goes according to plan.

 

Topographical and engineering surveyors use the trigonometrical beacons, which were erected by the Chief Directorate of Surveys and Mapping throughout the country, as points of reference. They make use of angular and distance measurements when recording, making calculations and setting out construction sites. The topographical surveyor also collects information on the names of places. This and other important physical features are marked on aerial photographs. Detailed topographical maps are made are made from aerial photographs with the use of modern photogrammetrical equipment which allows one to extract information from photos.

 

Working conditions of topographical and engineering surveyors vary between fieldwork and office work. They sometimes camp out in the field for days to collect data for projects. In the office, surveyors do their calculations and draughting (mapping), examine survey records, diagrams and plans, and work with photogrammetrical equipment.

 

Requirements

What kind of personality do I need? 

Topographical and engineering surveyors need good intellectual ability and must be objective scientific observers. Mathematical aptitude, especially in Trigonometry is a necessity because of the spatial application in the work. Today’s modern surveyors need to feel comfortable on computers. They must be able to work on their own or with people.

 

 

What kind of school training do I need? 

A Senior Certificate is needed for technikon studies.

Compulsory school subjects: Mathematics

 

 

Recommended school subjects:  

 Physical science, Physics, Chemistry, Geography or Mechanics.

 

   What further training do I need?

Technikon: Training for the N. Dip: Surveying takes three years, consisting of theoretical instruction and practical experience with an employer. The N. Dip: Surveying is offered by the Cape, Durban Institute of Technology, Mangosuthu, Tswane University of Technology. Some Technikons offer a fourth year of education resulting in a B.Tech (Surveying) degree.

Graduates are encouraged to register as Technical Surveyors with the SA Council for Professional and Technical Surveyors.

 

 

Where can I work?  

Opportunities for employment exist at government departments such as the Departments of Land Affairs, Water Affairs and Forestry, and Transport, Provincial Governments, engineering and building contractors and overseas.

 

 

Can I work for myself in this occupation? 

Topographical and engineering surveyors can work as consultants for those in need of their services. A registered surveyor can run his/her own practice.

 

 

Can I, as a person with a disability, do this work?

The field work can be physically demanding therefore good health is essential. However, some large organisations do employ qualified technical surveyors to solely perform the office functions associated with survey work, such as calculating and draughting. Draughting and map compilation are increasingly taking place at computer workstations.

 

  Where can I get further information?  

• Chief  Directorate: Surveys and Mapping, Private Bag X10, Mowbray, 7705, Tel: (021) 658 4300

• The Registrars of Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Durban Institute of Technology, Mangosuthu Technikon and Tswane University of Technology

• The Registrar, SA Council of Professional and Technical Surveyors,PO Box 83018, South Hills, 2136,  Tel (011) 626 1040

• SAGI – South African Geomatics Institute, www.sagi.co.za

 

 

Geomatics and Land Surveying are professions that span a broad spectrum from engineering, computer programming, land management to law. It is the science of creation, representation, analysis, management, retrieval and modelling of spatial data. Geomatics has a rich and varied history dating back to the Babylonians and Egyptians having grown out of geometry, surveying, land ownership, conflict management, navigation and astronomy. Recent technological advances have opened up many new exciting career opportunities.

 

What am I going to do in this occupation?

On completion of their studies, various career options exist for graduates, depending on which stream they choose in the degree programme. There are opportunities in the fields of information technology, spatial information management, satellite positioning systems software development, land surveying, geographic information systems, environmental management, photogrammetry and remote sensing, cartography, geological analysis and town and regional planning. Graduates may be able to set themselves up in private practice, work for government or a large international corporation in any of the above disciplines.

Geodetic surveying:           Geodetic surveying ascertains the size and shape of our planet. The main function of this is to provide a framework of accurately coordinated and heighted beacons and benchmarks to which other surveys and maps can be connected.

Cartography:                      Map making is usually accomplished by means of photogrammetry after which the map undergoes cartographic processes for reproduction and distribution. The cartographer provides the map-user with information in an understandable and useful form. This requires creativity as well as logistical reasoning.

Cadastral surveying:         Cadastral surveying involves the survey of land (townships or farms) and buildings (sectional title) for the purpose of delimiting property boundaries and/or rights to that property. By law it is the exclusive function of a land surveyor to do cadastral surveying.

Engineering surveying:    The land surveyor is involved in taking measurements for the design, setting out and monitoring of roads, freeways, railways, bridges, tunnels and large structures.

Hydrographic and oceanographic surveying: Hydrographic and oceanographic surveying concern mapping the marine environment (under-sea topography) including inland bodies of water. He/she also does positioning at sea and updates charts to show danger zones.

 

Requirements

 

 

What kind of personality do I need?

A land surveyor works partly in the field so he/she must enjoy being outdoors. The land surveyor and geomatics professional must take interest in advancing technology and computers as technology in this field is advancing rapidly. He/she must also have a mathematical/logical aptitude. Professionals in this field often work alone or as project leader. For this reason they need to be confident and trust their own judgements and decisions. Professionals work with the public frequently and therefore require good people skills.

 

 

What kind of school training do I need? 

A Senior Certificate (matriculation exemption) is required.

Compulsory school subjects: Mathematics and Physical Science on the higher grade.

 

 

What further training do I need?  

Land surveyors:

University: A degree in land surveying is a requirement for registration as a land surveyor. The universities of Natal and Cape Town offer the courses B.Sc. Survey and B.Sc (Geomatics) respectively. The course duration is four years.

After completion of the formal education, land surveyors commence in-service training of 270 days. This entails 135 days of cadastral surveying and 135 days of non-cadastral surveying, under the supervision of a registered land surveyor who will be responsible for the practical training. The final 30 days of this practical training are spent at one of the regional Surveyor-General’s offices where they prepare for the examination in survey law and the surveying test. After the candidates have passed the exam and the survey-test, they can register as professional land surveyors with the SA Council for Professional and Technical Surveyors.

Geomatics Professionals:

University:  A university degree is required. These are offered by the Department of Geomatics at the University of Cape Town B.Sc (Geomatics).  To become a professional, it is necessary to register for one of the professional streams at PLATO (SA Council of Professional and Technical Surveyors) and complete 260 days of experiential training in geographic information systems, database design/maintenance, database capture, remote sensing and image processing.  Two further exams must be written and a project presented to qualify as a professional.

 

 

Where can I possibly work? 

Career opportunities for land surveyors exist at government departments, universities, provincial administrations, municipalities, Eskom and in private practice.  Geomatics professionals can find work at universities (research and support for geography, botany, climate, etc), government departments and private companies. The applications are vast and still growing.

 

 

Can I work for myself in this occupation?

Geomatics professionals and land surveyors can start private companies or be employed by others.

 

 

Can I, as a person with a disability, do this work?

Land surveying is physically demanding when doing fieldwork, therefore good health is essential. Some land surveyors do however specialise in the cartographic and geographic information systems, which take place in an office environment.

Geomatics professionals work mainly indoors with computers, so the only requirement is sight.

 

        Where can I get further information?  

• Director:  Business Information, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Private Bag X313, Pretoria 001

• Chief Directorate: Surveys and Mapping, Private Bag X10, Mowbray, 7705, Tel: (021) 658 4300

• The Registrar, SA Council of Professional and Technical Surveyors, PO Box 83018, South Hills, 2136, Tel (011) 6261040

• Universities of Cape Town  (http://www.geomatics.uct.ac.za/)  and  Natal  (http://www.geomatics.ukzn.ac.za/)

•  South Africa Geomatics Institute (http://www.sagi.org.za)

The Department of Land Affairs is offering bursaries towards obtaining a national diploma or degree in Surveying/Geomatics, or a national diploma in Cartography, at a recognized South African tertiary institution.  The diploma/degree of Surveying/Geomatics covers such fields of study as Surveying, Spatial Information Management [GIS], Photogrammetry and Cartography.  Applicants should either have matriculated; due to complete matriculation [or equivalent] this year; or currently be studying towards a diploma/degree in Surveying/Geomatics or Cartography at a South African tertiary institution.  Applicants must ensure that they meet the requirements of a tertiary institution for this course. Minimum requirements are Mathematics and Physical Science (University: Mathematics (HG) C, Physical Science (HG) C. Technikon: Mathematics (SG) D or (HG) E.)

It is the applicant’s responsibility to apply to the Technikon or University for acceptace. (Before September).

Bursaries will be subject to contractual obligations.  Applicants wishing to be employed as a Professional Surveyor must study for a four-year university degree.  Such applicants will be required, upon successful completion of tertiary studies, to complete a stipulated professional training programme and register with the South African Council for Professional and Technical Surveyors.

The Department is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.

Application forms are available on our Website: w3sli.wcape.gov.za OR write to the Bursary Officer, Chief Directorate: Surveys and Mapping, Department of Land Affairs, Private Bag X10, Mowbray, 7705.

Your application form together with the following should be sent to the above address before the under-mentioned closing date:

• Full personal details [Curriculum Vitae] including ID Document, 

• Certified copy of academic results [Matriculants must include certified September results],

• Statement [± 400 words] in the applicant’s own handwriting indicating why she/he is interested in a career in Surveying/Geomatics

Applicants are requested to indicate where they saw/heard about the bursary and at which institution they intend studying.

Short-listed applicants may be interviewed.

Closing Date: 

 

Download a copy of the Application form here and send it back to us.