Introduction to Digital Surveying - Salford City College

I learnt new skills on the course and it’s going to help me in the future, excited to do more on my HTQ in quantity surveying

What we were trying to achieve

The project was an opportunity for Salford City College to expose staff and students to modern surveying techniques and how digital information can be captured and employed across multiple platforms to improve the flow of construction information.

The short course was developed to be a feeder to our current construction courses and as a means to upskill current industry professionals.

The short course project enabled the purchase of a state-of-the-art Laser scanner capable of 3d point cloud survey and related software.

Create a modern construction suite that is modern and integrates modern technologies and software.

What we achieved

The initial aims of the project were achieved:

Staff upskilled – training on Leica BLK 360 laser scanner
Equipment purchased – Leica BLK 360 laser scanner
Classroom / HE construction suite being developed to provide high-spec computers and industry-appropriate software – will be complete and ready for September 2023.
Taster session / short course successfully developed and delivered over February 2023 to 10 Level 3 students
Integration of 2D CAD software, 3D Modelling and collection of building asset information

The project has provided a useful opportunity to evaluate the link between Level 3 and the introduction of the Level 4 HTQ and how the introduction of an industry-focused short course can provide value to our Built Environment portfolio.

A positive and collaborative experience of sharing knowledge and joint application.

Who we worked with

The short course has been developed with industry partners such as Seddon Construction by considering the skills their workforce force requires. Stakeholder meetings confirmed that new recruits moving into the construction industry lacked basic digital skills.

The rationale for the short course was to focus on the capture of digital information and through a series of workshops demonstrate how the laser scanner is used to support the dissemination and sharing of digital information to support communication across a construction project

Following the evaluation from Neil Raven, student feedback from the cohort was very positive, all 10 students enjoyed the short course and found the instruction and learning how to use the laser scanner to be clear and surprised how quick the learning curve was.

The supporting digital workshops in CAD, 3D modelling and the use of spreadsheets to support an asset register were found to be a great benefit and how digital skills can be integrated into a workflow.

I’ve come away with a great understanding of CAD and the use of a Laser scanner in surveying, ready to learn more!

Materials and resources developed to aid the delivery of the short course

The short course was delivered over 5 days.

Laser scanner delivery consisted of face-to-face demonstration and practical instruction delivery supported with PowerPoints on underpinning theory.

Workshops are supported by a mixture of face-to-face demonstrations, and practical instruction videos to allow students to work at their own speed and remotely.

Promotion videos have also been produced.

Really enjoyed learning about new technologies in surveying, I found it interesting, fun and easier to understand than I had expected

What we have learnt and intend to take forward

The project has been well received across Salford City College, and has been a collaboration between senior leaders, HE leads, curriculum leads, delivery staff, existing level 3 students and employers.

The project has enabled the college to engage with key stakeholders and consider the skills required to support the digital application of construction information

The key challenge was the absorption of the project into a busy academic year.

A remission allowance was provided for additional support whilst key participants were engaged with the development of the project, however, most of the development was delivered by committed staff in their own time.