For the first time, geospatial professionals will be able to accurately identify their job type on the Census form.

Geospatial professionals are being urged to take advantage of new job classifications in order to accurately reflect the work they do when filling in the Census form on 11 August.

The Census was last held in 2021, but since then, the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA) has replaced the old Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) system.

Under the new scheme, geospatial practitioners have more specific job classifications:

• Surveyor’s Assistant (821936)
• Surveying Technician (312135)
• Engineering Surveyor (241232)
• Land Surveyor (241234)
• Mine Surveyor (241235)
• Geospatial Information Professionals and Surveyors (2412)
• Cartographer (241231)
• Geodetic and hydrographic specialists (241299)
• Surveying Manager (131931)

Under the previous system of coarser job classifications, almost half of the geospatial workforce ended up being assigned to the general professional services category.

Specific answers for specific questions

With the whole industry facing a dire shortage of trained and skilled practitioners, it is vital that official numbers tell the true story of how many people are currently employed in the sector, and which roles they have.

According to Michelle Blicavs, CEO of Surveyors Australia, “The fix costs nothing”.

“When the Census asks your occupation, be specific: Engineering Surveyor, not Surveyor. Surveying Manager, not Manager… When it asks your main tasks, write two or three real ones… The word ‘surveying’ on its own tells the coder nothing.”

“The same applies across the modern breadth of the profession,” adds Blicavs.

“GIS analysts and spatial data specialists belong at Geospatial Specialist. Mine surveyors, hydrographic surveyors and cartographers all have their own codes.

“Technicians and assistants, the pipeline of our future workforce, are counted for the first time as part of the surveying family rather than scattered among generic labourers and drafting roles.”

Surveyors Australia has produced a guide that sets out suggested wordings for the answers to be given on the Census form.