A passionate woman in surveying – Q&A with Kaltoum Momayiz

Passion, knowledge, persistence, training, disruptive technology – and diversity

These are the elements needed to make a business thrive. Often overlooked, a diversified workforce is a necessary element to transform industries and the business that form them.

Land surveying, still a male-dominated industry, is seeing a slow but steady increase in the number of women joining this noble profession.

With an appetite for innovation, love for her profession and a motivation to have a positive impact with every project, Kaltoum Momayiz is an inspiration for women considering a career in surveying or owning their own surveying business.

Kaltoum graduated as an Engineer Surveyor from the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute, in Rabat in 1996 and has a doctorate in Civil Engineering of the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Settat. She is the head and founder of BET Globétudes in Morroco, a surveying and engineering company established in 2000.

Endowed with qualified and experienced staff and equipped with high-precision and innovative Leica Geosystems surveying solutions, such as 3D laser scanners, GNSS, total stations and levels, Globétudes efficiently meets with outstanding quality the needs of its customers. The company offers services in surveying, photogrammetry, bathymetry, laser scanning, BIM, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and roads and utility studies.

In this Q&A, Kaltoum recalls the joys of the profession and provides advice for those who want to get stared into surveying or start their own surveying business.

How did you get started in surveying?

I chose it out of passion and love. It is a dynamic profession that touches all disciplines and contributes to the evolvement of the world.

Why did you choose this profession?

Surveying is a profession of very diverse disciplines. It is based on precise measurements that allow me to contribute to varied fields, such as construction, agriculture, hydraulics, and real estate. As a surveyor, I can assist any project, from the simplest to the most complex one. This diversity of my work helps me broaden my skills, learn new things and push my capacities to the limit. This gives me a feeling of pride and fulfilment.

With this profession, I can not only contribute to the realisation of new projects that advance humanity but also preserve civilisations through the restoration of heritage, using technologies such as 3D laser scanners and digital models.

Could you share with us an exciting project you have worked on?

One of the exciting projects I’ve worked on is the subject of my doctorate were I used the Leica ScanStation C10 laser scanner to monitor for four years a vaulted dam with a complex geometry in a site with rough conditions. I monitored this dam and recorded the appearance of cracks that couldn’t be picked up using the conventional method (triangulation).  With traditional methods, this would have been difficult to implement and may have provided dubious results.

What obstacles or challenges do women in surveying face?

In my opinion, the obstacles and challenges faced in this profession differ from one person to another, regardless of gender. Although it is true this profession needs physical efforts and sometimes requires trips to the site for long periods, it should not be forgotten this profession also requires intellectual skills that can come from any human being, woman or man. In addition, the organisational skills and the sense of commitment a woman has by nature are essential for a surveyor. The holistic character of a woman allows her to conduct just as excellent of work as men if not better.

What advice would you give to women who would like to get into surveying?

I advise women in surveying to:

• Love this job and be faithful;
• Have persistence;
• Set objectives intelligently and precisely, then arm yourself with the tools necessary to achieve them;
• Monitor progress and always upgrade with additional training.

What advice would you give to women who want to start their own surveying business?

I advise women who want to start their own businesses to:

• 

  Kaltoum doing a 3D laser scan for auscultation of hydraulic stations

  Have a strong determination and sense of perseverance to acquire the necessary education and know-how as these are the elements that lead to success;

• Accept change and have a skill-development plan;
• Acquire and master communication and management skills;
• Choose talented staff.

Anything else you would like to add?

“What you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.”

― Paul J. Meyer

 

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Are you a woman in surveying? Visit the Pure Surveying website to get inspired to grow your business or improve your skills.