Partner Article

Building Geospatial Capability in the North East

With endorsement from Alison Watson MBE, Immediate Past President, CICES

The North East has a strong engineering heritage and an ambitious infrastructure future. Delivering that future requires skilled geospatial professionals.

Zenith Training has launched the Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician apprenticeship to serve employers across the region and to create a structured, specialist pathway into the surveying profession.

A strengthened technical standard

The Geospatial Survey Technician apprenticeship has evolved significantly. It now embeds the TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Geospatial Surveying within the standard.

Apprentices completing the programme achieve:

• A nationally recognised geospatial qualification
• Two years of employed industry experience
• Structured technical training aligned to employer need
• A defined progression route
• UCAS points for further study
• This is specialist education for a specialist discipline.

Surveying underpins infrastructure delivery, asset management, environmental monitoring and digital construction.

Precision, data integrity and professional judgement are central to project success and entry routes into the profession must reflect that responsibility.

Regional provision with regional impact

Until now, access to specialist geospatial training within the North East has been limited. Distance, travel and release patterns influence employer participation and apprentice recruitment.

By delivering locally, Zenith reduces those barriers. Employers can recruit within their communities, apprentices can build careers without leaving the region and skills remain within the regional economy.

Employer commitment

The success of any apprenticeship programme rests on employer engagement. Zenith is proud to be working with committed regional employers who recognise the importance of building a structured pipeline of talent.

Paul Smissen, Director, Zenith

“We’re thrilled to launch this apprenticeship in the North East. The region urgently needs more skilled geospatial professionals, and local access to specialist training has been missing for too long. This programme gives employers exactly what they’ve been asking for, a high‑quality, structured route that keeps talent in the region and strengthens the future workforce.”

 

Anthony Lawton FCInstCES, Director, Academy Geomatics Ltd

“For our industry, competence isn’t optional — it’s fundamental. Every dataset we issue carries risk, liability and real-world consequence. That’s why structured training matters.

The North East has always produced practical, technically minded people with a strong work ethic. The talent is here — what’s been missing is a clear, specialist pathway into geospatial surveying. The launch of the Level 3 Geospatial Survey Technician apprenticeship changes that.

It gives employers like us a credible, professionally aligned route to develop capable surveyors who understand precision, data integrity and responsibility from day one. Keeping that talent within the region strengthens not only individual businesses, but the wider infrastructure capability of the North East.

We’re fully committed to supporting apprentices and investing in the next generation of geospatial professionals.”

A clear business case

The apprenticeship model provides clarity and structure for employers.

• Employers contribute 5 percent of the training cost, approximately £650
• Government funds the remaining 95 percent
• Employer National Insurance is not payable for apprentices under 25 earning below £50,270
• Apprentices are employed from day one

Beyond funding, the model supports continuity. Planned annual recruitment creates internal capability. Structured off the job training ensures consistent standards. Early investment strengthens loyalty and professional identity.

Recognition within the skills landscape

Geospatial surveying sits at the foundation of infrastructure delivery. Yet specialist disciplines do not always receive proportional attention within wider construction skills policy.

Accurate measurement, spatial data integrity and digital modelling are essential to infrastructure ambition. Curriculum development and specialist teacher investment must reflect that central role.

There is opportunity for strategic bodies to consider how targeted investment in specialist geospatial education could unlock long term economic and infrastructure benefit. This is something Alison Watson MBE, Immediate Past President of CICES, has challenged at local and national level to support the expansion of specialist geospatial training in the region:

Alison Watson, Immediate Past President, CICES
“Zenith’s decision to launch the Geospatial Survey Technician apprenticeship in the North East is a strong signal of belief in the profession and in regional employers. Structured entry routes strengthen technical standards, professional identity and long term workforce stability. The education of next generation professionals is a top priority and I’m so pleased that local and national employers are getting behind Paul and his team to ensure this critical provision thrives.”

A shared responsibility

Launching the apprenticeship is the first step. Sustained regional impact depends on continued employer engagement and sector support.

Zenith has invested in tutors, facilities and curriculum aligned to industry need. The next phase depends on partnership.

Surveying is integral to infrastructure, environmental resilience and digital transformation. Building that capability begins at entry level.

For information about enrolling an apprentice in the North East, contact Zenith Training:
https://zenithtraining.org.uk/level-3-geospatial-survey-technician/

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