Partner Article

North East Secures Critical Geospatial Training Capacity as Zenith Training Receives DfE Approval

Zenith Training has been formally approved by the Department for Education to deliver the Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician Apprenticeship in the North of England, establishing the region's first accessible pathway into a sector experiencing significant growth and demand.

The approval follows sustained advocacy from regional employers and professional bodies who have long highlighted the shortage of geospatial training provision across the North. This gap has previously forced aspiring professionals to relocate or abandon career plans entirely, whilst simultaneously constraining business expansion and delaying infrastructure projects.

The programme's establishment is driven by Academy Geomatics, a North East-based geospatial consultancy that recognised the detrimental impact of limited local training options. The company initiated discussions with Zenith Training, facilitated professional body engagement, and has prepared an initial cohort of nine apprentices ready to begin training.

"This approval represents years of work by employers who refused to accept the status quo," said representatives from the partnership. "We've created a practical solution that allows local talent to build technical careers without leaving the region."

The approval has received formal endorsement from three leading industry organisations. The Survey Association cited the significant provision gap and urgent need for expanded training capacity. The Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors emphasised alignment with professional standards, whilst the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' Geospatial Advisory Forum characterised geospatial capabilities as a sector of national importance and a key sovereign skillset.

Zenith Training will work alongside The Survey Association to expand access across the North East, focusing on building a sustainable talent pipeline for TSA member companies and the broader regional sector. The partnership will support employers ranging from specialist survey firms to construction companies and infrastructure developers.

The 24-month apprenticeship combines workplace learning with structured training, developing competencies in equipment operation, survey processing software, client specification interpretation, and technical principles including geodesy, GIS, trigonometry and remote sensing. Apprentices will contribute to real-world projects spanning residential developments, healthcare facilities, renewable energy schemes and transport infrastructure.

For young people and career-changers, the programme eliminates the previous choice between relocation and professional advancement. Participants can now commence high-value technical careers whilst remaining in their communities, earning as they develop expertise through employment with regional organisations.

For employers, it delivers a levy-funded mechanism for cultivating the next generation of survey technicians through training aligned with national professional standards, supporting a more robust talent pipeline for projects critical to regional economic development.

Organisations within geospatial surveying, civil engineering, infrastructure development, construction, utilities or environmental services interested in developing technicians capable of managing spatial data are invited to explore participation in future cohorts.

Employers can register interest or discuss participation by contacting Zenith Training directly.

The programme represents collaboration between Zenith Training, Academy Geomatics, The Survey Association, and leading professional bodies including the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' Geospatial Advisory Forum.

For employer enquiries regarding the Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician Apprenticeship, contact Zenith Training.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Zenith Training .