If you came in entry-level and actually learned the work, year five is usually a good time to move. New place, next level. If you can run smaller projects too, companies come looking for you. So why, at five years in BIM, did I pick a survey company instead of a solid BIM firm or a big GC?
Short answer: curiosity. I wanted to know how 3D scanning actually works, how the data gets made, and how you hook that into BIM. At the time it looked weird. Nine years later, it's one of the better calls I made.
Nine years ago, 3D scanners were crazy expensive. We had a RIEGL VZ-400. With software, I remember it being around 150 million won — roughly $110,000. Almost no survey shops ran a scanner that pricey. That's where I learned the scanner and the basics of surveying. Holding millimeter tolerance takes a lot of knowledge and reps. (Using 3D scanners in tunnels)
Nine years later, scanners are a lot cheaper. The one we use now is around 30 million won — roughly $22,000 — and both price and capability have come a long way. Because I learned the workflow back then, I pushed to bring scanners into my current company, and we still use them all the time.
And now I'm getting ready for another jump. I want to try being a digital engineer. That role owns the digital data on a job and uses newer tools to make the project run better. 3D scanner experience is one of the must-haves.
Who knew a call made out of plain curiosity would land me here? If I were in the same spot today, a lot of people would still tell me to go big-company. BIM to a survey shop looks weird on a resume. A big company would've been more stable, more structured. What I have now is more freedom and more room to try things. I'm more in the driver's seat.
In an AI era, the "average path" is fading. What would you pick? Drop a comment.
#3D scanner #digital engineer