Kyle Gatlin was looking for a new career after he lost his job as an assistant sound editor in the wake of the 2007 film and television screenwriters’ strike. He found an even more successful line of work when he turned to the Land Surveying Program at College of the Canyons. Today, Gatlin is thriving as a project manager for Hahn and Associates in Santa Clarita in addition to teaching at College of the Canyons where he guides a new generation of students into rewarding careers as surveyors, a profession that can pay a six-figure salary in the greater Los Angeles area.
“The program is extraordinary,” Gatlin said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better. The instructors care and the college puts a tremendous amount of effort and talent into making sure their students succeed.”
The College of the Canyons Land Surveying Program focuses on providing students with a thorough background in surveying and mapping as well as an understanding of the intricacies in collecting, manipulating, formatting, and mapping geospatial data. It underscores College of the Canyons’ commitment to the statewide Strong Workforce Program that equips students and mid-career professionals with the training needed for in-demand jobs. Courses run the gamut and include Advanced Land Surveying, Boundary Control and Legal Principles, and Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, and those completing the program graduate with the technical expertise needed for an entry-level position in land surveying or related fields.
“We’re creating the future of the industry,” Gatlin said.
The Land Surveying Program is just one of several dozen College of the Canyons career education programs that range from Administration of Justice to Website Development. Brandon Hahn is the principal surveyor at Hahn and Associates who approached College of the Canyons in 2006 to pitch the Land Surveying Program. The nearest similar program at the time was in Orange County.
“A program like this is important not only to get the training needed for a career in an increasingly complex field, but it’s also important to continue growing as a professional. This program offers many of our employees the opportunity to sharpen their skills and gain the classroom know-how,” Hahn said. “The challenges and opportunities that surveyors encounter today are much different than those of years past, mostly due to the rapid changes in technology. This program is adding a tremendous amount of value to our industry.”
Gatlin secured an entry-level surveyor job immediately after graduating with the first cohort of Land Surveying Program students. “I didn’t really know much about surveying, but my wife told me about the program and suggested I look into it, and it seemed interesting,” Gatlin said. “I took one course, did really well, and then just went from there.”
Shortly before Gatlin completed the 30-unit certificate program, Hahn advertised a position for an entry-level surveyor. Gatlin has been working at Hahn and Associates since.
“It’s been a wonderful journey,” Gatlin said.
