The Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors Certification Panel certification scheme was the first of its kind to be globally recognised.
By Rebecca Cusack
In June 2024, alongside World Hydrography Day celebrations in Wollongong, the Australian Hydrographic Office celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors Certification Panel (AHSCP), the professional certification scheme for hydrographic surveyors in Australia and New Zealand. The AHSCP was the first internationally recognised certification scheme for hydrographic surveyors.
AHSCP background
Specialist certification in hydrographic surveying is the official recognition of competence in that field, signifying that an individual possesses the necessary knowledge to perform hydrographic surveying tasks along with the demonstrated ability to apply that knowledge across various hydrographic disciplines.
The AHSCP is recognised by the International Board on Standards of Competence for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers (IBSC), and through this recognition is endorsed by the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the International Cartographic Association (ICA).
Professional certification as a hydrographic surveyor underpins the quality framework for the conduct of hydrographic survey in Australia’s waters, with AHSCP-certified Level 1 and level 2 surveyors required for the conduct of hydrographic surveys in major ports, some offshore activities as well as being increasingly required for commercial hydrographic survey projects.
As just one example of the importance placed on professional hydrographic certification, all surveying activity undertaken through the HydroScheme Industry Partnership Program (HIPP) — the Australian Government partnership with industry for the conduct of hydrographic surveying in Australia waters — is conducted under the supervision of AHSCP-certified Level 1 hydrographic surveyors, ensuring that the surveys are conducted to the highest professional standards.
According to Declan Stubbing, Chair of the Survey and Spatial New Zealand (S+SNZ) Hydrographic Professional Stream, “The AHSCP and hydrographic certification established a benchmark for professional competence, and a pathway for young hydrographic surveyors which the New Zealand industry has benefited greatly from. We face some unique challenges in New Zealand and our association with the AHSCP helps ensure the supply of quality hydrographic data to support safe navigation, environmental management and economic development in New Zealand waters.”
The AHSCP Certification is a rigorous assessment process, combining both academic achievement with practical experience recorded through a logbook, reports of survey and referee reports. All AHSCP-certified hydrographic professionals can be justifiably proud of having met the stringent standards of this panel.
AHSCP composition
The incumbent Hydrographer of Australia chairs the AHSCP as an ex-officio member, and the expert Panel is composed of five members, each representing a different facet of the discipline. Each Panel member must be a current Level 1-certified hydrographic surveyor, and is elected to this position by their peers — namely, current certified Level 1 or 2 hydrographic surveyors who are members of the Geospatial Council of Australia (GCA) or S+SNZ.
The current members are:
- Ex-officio Chair — Robyn Phillips, CDRE RAN
- Representative for Private Practice — Neil Hewitt
- Representative for Hydrography for Coastal Zone Management — Barry Smith
- Representative for Nautical Charting Hydrography — Ian Phillips
- Representative for Education — Dean Battilana
- Representative for Industrial Offshore Surveying — Katherine Butcher
Jasbir Randhawa was the AHSCP Secretary throughout its 30-year history until mid-this year and played a key role in the development of the AHSCP Guidelines. The AHSCP Guidelines have been used by other international certification schemes to develop their programs in seeking IBSC recognition, demonstrating the lasting influence that Mr Randhawa has had on hydrographic professionalism worldwide.
“For 30 years the AHSCP has led the world in providing a certification framework for hydrographic surveyors that adds value to both individuals and employers,” said CDRE (Retired) Rod Nairn, former Hydrographer of Australia. “AHSCP certification ensures that professional hydrographic surveyors have appropriate education, practical consolidation and sufficient real world experience to be competent to carry out their roles.”
How the Panel works
Four AHSCP meetings are held every year, with the meetings dates and the closing dates for submission of applications advertised on the GCA website. Certification applications are submitted to the AHSCP Secretariat, where an initial check is undertaken to ensure that all required documentation has been provided and in the correct formats.
Applicant packs are then separately provided to each AHSCP panellist for their independent assessment against the AHSCP Guidelines. Completed assessments are sent back to the AHSCP Secretariat where a combined panel assessment is produced. The AHSCP panellists are not aware of their fellow panellist’s assessments until this point.
The AHSCP meeting is conducted to review the independent assessments and to arrive at a consensus position regarding each candidate. Each of the panellists represents a specific area of hydrographic specialism, which informs the panel determination of the outcome for the candidate.
For candidates who are required to provide additional information, the AHSCP panellists spend considerable time developing a response intended to provide the candidate with as much guidance as possible for their certification journey. Detailed guidance may also be provided to candidates awarded a Certified Professional Hydrographic Surveyor (CPHS) Level 2 to inform their potential journey towards an AHSCP Level 1 certification in the future.
The ex-officio Chair approves the decisions, and the AHSCP Secretariat then completes the administration processes through drafting letters and preparing Certificates and certification pins.
AHSCP history
Hydrographic surveyor competency certification has long been an objective of the Australasian hydrographic community. At a Hydrographic Society Symposium held in Sydney in 1991, some 100 hydrographic surveyors voted unanimously to explore a means of industry regulation and accreditation (certification), recognising that certification would lift hydrographic surveying standards, thereby ensuring the delivery of quality surveying services to government and the private sector and providing a career path for aspiring hydrographic surveyors.
In 1992, the then Institution of Surveyors Australia (ISA) established a series of commissions for surveying specialities including hydrography, modelled on the FIG commissions. The 1993 meeting of the Council of Reciprocating Surveyors Boards of Australia and New Zealand (CRSBANZ), comprising all Surveyors-General of the Australian states and territories and the New Zealand Surveyor-General, was briefed on the accreditation proposal and supported the idea.
The ISA Hydrographic Commission was subsequently formed and charged with the task of establishing a means of accreditation. This resulted in the creation of the Australian Hydrographic Surveyors Accreditation Panel (AHSAP), which held its inaugural meeting on 4 August 1994.
In 2001 the AHSAP became the Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors Accreditation Panel with the ratification of the Trans-Tasman agreement between the ISA and NZIS. The AHSAP had by then accredited a number of applicants from New Zealand and other countries and its work was becoming recognised internationally.
In 2004, the ISA and four related associations founded the Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI). The AHSAP became the AHSCP, in line with SSI conventions that recognised accreditation of courses of study and certification of individuals.
In 2009, members of ISA and SSI voted to dissolve their respective organisations and move the assets and memberships into the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI), with the AHSCP continuing its work within the SSSI Hydrography Commission.
In 2023, the new peak geospatial body GCA was formed from the merger of the SSSI and the Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA|GITA). All the Commissions within SSSI were disbanded and regrouped to an ‘Area of Practice (AoP)’ structure, i.e. discipline-based groups based on shared interest and expertise in geospatial related topics. Accordingly, the AHSCP is now under the purview of Hydrography AoP.
AHSCP challenges and future
By far the greatest challenge facing the AHSCP and the three other internationally recognised hydrographic surveyor certification schemes, is ensuring that the certification continues to meet the needs of the contemporary hydrographic surveyor.
To this end, the IBSC for Hydrographic Surveyors and Nautical Cartographers has commenced a review of the standards framework for hydrographic surveyors (IHO Standards S5-A and S5-B).
The AHSCP is also undertaking a review of the AHSCP Guidelines as the it prepares its six-yearly submission to the IBSC for international recognition. All hydrographic surveyors and other interested professionals are encouraged to contribute to the AHSCP Guidelines review by emailing their thoughts to ahs.cp@defence.gov.au with ‘AHSCP Guidelines Review’ in the subject line.
Rebecca Cusack is Secretary of the Australasian Hydrographic Surveyors Certification Panel.
