Education & Professional Development
Education and Professional Development are central to the CLSA San Diego Chapter’s mission of advancing the land surveying profession. We provide resources, programs, and learning opportunities designed to support surveyors at every stage of their career—from students and LSITs to licensed professionals. Through continuing education, technical presentations, mentoring, and access to industry knowledge, the chapter helps members stay current, sharpen their skills, and grow as leaders within the surveying community.
Education Committee & Foundation
The Education Committee within the California Land Surveyors Association (CLSA) supports the association’s mission to promote quality education and professional development within the land surveying profession. At the state level, CLSA committees help guide educational programs, scholarship initiatives, outreach, and continuing education opportunities for members and students. The Education Committee works alongside the CLSA Education Foundation and other CLSA committees to help shape educational policy, coordinate resources, and support training programs.
The CLSA San Diego Education Committee supports educational outreach and professional development for both students and surveying professionals. It helps coordinate training, workshops, licensure preparation, and student engagement activities through the local chapter and the statewide CLSA Education Foundation.
Scholarships are available at both the state level (through the CLSA Education Foundation) and locally through the San Diego Chapter. These awards support students pursuing careers in land surveying and related geomatics fields. Applications are typically based on academic achievement, career interest, and professional involvement.
Chapter Scholarship Information coming soon.
Caltrans District 11 LS Exam Review Course
The Executive Board and Caltrans District 11 were excited to announce the 2026–2027 edition of a long-lasting tradition that aimed to prepare the next generation of surveyors for licensure.
That year’s edition of the LS Exam Review course was available in a hybrid format, allowing future surveyors from across California and beyond to learn from a collection of experts. For those in the San Diego area, attendance in person at the Caltrans District 11 office (4050 Taylor Street, San Diego, CA 92110) was encouraged. The speakers always appreciated attendees’ presence.
NEW THIS YEAR: For those who registered, a link to the official Google Classroom will be provided. Here, all of the class information will be available, including homework assignments, practice problems & solutions, and lecture content.
ALSO: We will be recording our classes for students to review later in the course. We heard you—and we believe this resource is invaluable. We’re happy to announce that the Chapter passed a motion to purchase the equipment that will ensure a high-quality product is ready for your studying.
Meetings for the course ran every Thursday between 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM from November 19, 2026 to March 25, 2027. There was a break for the two holiday seasons, so your holiday travel won’t be impacted by study sessions. The April exam is on April 7, 2027.
We’re adding an additional topic and an extra week! The topics covered over the course of 16 days include: Introduction to BPELSG, legal descriptions, the CA Subdivision Map Act & PLS Act, public lands, boundary, riparian, photogrammetry & map standards, error analysis, GNSS, GPS, geodesy, California coordinates, construction, and business practices, and the new LS Exam Preparation module, culminating in a mock exam. The schedule is still being finalized and will be published in the coming weeks.
We’re moving away from a member/non-member fee schedule for this year. All attendees must be Chapter members to gain access to this program. The good news? That’s easy! Chapter memberships for the remainder of the 2026 year start at $7.50 for students and $10 for all other non-licensed individuals. You will be asked to confirm your membership before gaining access to the course.
If you pass your PLS exam in April, your corporate dues for the State and Chapter will be paid for in full by the Chapter! We want to welcome you all into the professional space!
FEE SCHEDULE FOR 2026-2027
$125.00 for 16 classes. That amounts to less than $8.00 a class for members! This is the best value we’ve offered yet. Ensure you have a seat in class today!
A huge thank you to Rafi Hanna and Michael Hank at Caltrans, all of our educators, and the rest of CLSA San Diego for making this program the best it can be in full support of the next generation of surveyors.
Reach out to info@sd-surveyors.org with any questions.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY ORDERS MADE AFTER 4:30PM PACIFIC TIME WILL NOT BE FULFILLED UNTIL THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY DURING REGULAR OPERATING BUSINESS HOURS.
The Executive Board and Caltrans District 11 were excited to announce the 2026–2027 edition of a long-lasting tradition that aimed to prepare the next generation of surveyors for licensure.
That year’s edition of the LS Exam Review course was available in a hybrid format, allowing future surveyors from across California and beyond to learn from a collection of experts. For those in the San Diego area, attendance in person at the Caltrans District 11 office (4050 Taylor Street, San Diego, CA 92110) was encouraged. The speakers always appreciated attendees’ presence.
NEW THIS YEAR: For those who registered, a link to the official Google Classroom will be provided. Here, all of the class information will be available, including homework assignments, practice problems & solutions, and lecture content.
ALSO: We will be recording our classes for students to review later in the course. We heard you—and we believe this resource is invaluable. We’re happy to announce that the Chapter passed a motion to purchase the equipment that will ensure a high-quality product is ready for your studying.
Meetings for the course ran every Thursday between 6:30 PM and 9:00 PM from November 19, 2026 to March 25, 2027. There was a break for the two holiday seasons, so your holiday travel won’t be impacted by study sessions. The April exam is on April 7, 2027.
We’re adding an additional topic and an extra week! The topics covered over the course of 16 days include: Introduction to BPELSG, legal descriptions, the CA Subdivision Map Act & PLS Act, public lands, boundary, riparian, photogrammetry & map standards, error analysis, GNSS, GPS, geodesy, California coordinates, construction, and business practices, and the new LS Exam Preparation module, culminating in a mock exam. The schedule is still being finalized and will be published in the coming weeks.
We’re moving away from a member/non-member fee schedule for this year. All attendees must be Chapter members to gain access to this program. The good news? That’s easy! Chapter memberships for the remainder of the 2026 year start at $7.50 for students and $10 for all other non-licensed individuals. You will be asked to confirm your membership before gaining access to the course.
If you pass your PLS exam in April, your corporate dues for the State and Chapter will be paid for in full by the Chapter! We want to welcome you all into the professional space!
FEE SCHEDULE FOR 2026-2027
$125.00 for 16 classes. That amounts to less than $8.00 a class for members! This is the best value we’ve offered yet. Ensure you have a seat in class today!
A huge thank you to Rafi Hanna and Michael Hank at Caltrans, all of our educators, and the rest of CLSA San Diego for making this program the best it can be in full support of the next generation of surveyors.
Reach out to info@sd-surveyors.org for any questions.
California Young Surveyors Network
California Young Surveyors Network (CA YSN) is a statewide initiative dedicated to supporting and engaging the next generation of land surveyors. Through professional development, mentorship, and leadership opportunities, CA YSN helps bridge the gap between students, LSITs, and early-career professionals and the broader surveying community. Within the CLSA San Diego Chapter, CA YSN serves as a platform for connection, growth, and involvement—encouraging young surveyors to build relationships, expand their skills, and play an active role in shaping the future of the profession in San Diego and across California.
Unwritten Records Podcast is a show for land surveyors, by land surveyors—exploring the stories, insights, and challenges that shape the profession beyond the technical manuals. Each episode dives into real conversations with experienced practitioners, emerging professionals, and industry thought-leaders to highlight the human side of surveying: career paths, lessons learned, innovation, leadership, work-life balance, and the evolving role of surveyors in a changing world. The podcast aims to inform, inspire, and connect members of the surveying community by sharing authentic experiences and practical perspectives that don’t always make it into textbooks or classrooms.
Have a story worth telling? Unwritten Records is always looking to hear from surveyors at every stage of their career. Whether it’s a lesson learned in the field, a unique project, a career-defining moment, or insights gained along the way, your experiences help capture the real, human side of our profession. By sharing your story, you can educate, inspire, and connect with others in the surveying community—preserving the unwritten records that shape who we are and where we’re headed.
Educational Programs
Cuyamaca College
Location: Rancho San Diego, CA
Program Focus: Land Surveying & Surveying Technology
Programs Offered
Associate of Science (A.S.) in Surveying
Certificate of Achievement in Surveying
Program Description
Cuyamaca College is the only college in San Diego County with a dedicated land surveying program. The program provides hands-on training in field and office surveying practices and prepares students for entry-level surveying positions and continued professional advancement.
Online Professional Development Resources
Trent Keenan’s Mentoring Mondays is a free, weekly virtual mentoring program created for the land surveying profession to help connect, educate, and support surveyors at all stages of their career. Hosted on Zoom and moderated by Trent Keenan, PLS, WRS, CFedS, each session features rotating guest speakers from across the industry who present on practical topics—from field techniques and software workflows to career development and professional issues—and engage in live Q&A with attendees.
Wisdom Wednesdays is a companion initiative to Mentoring Mondays created for the land surveying profession that takes a more reflective, discussion-based approach to learning. Instead of a traditional lecture format, Wisdom Wednesdays brings surveyors together (typically bi-weekly) to read and discuss chapters from classic and influential surveying books—what many refer to as the “surveying bibles”—in an open roundtable setting. Participants read a chapter ahead of time and then join the conversation to share insights, interpretations, and practical perspectives that deepen understanding of surveying principles, law, history, and practice. Sessions are welcoming to all levels of experience and are designed to foster thoughtful dialogue, collective learning, and community connection around the craft and context of surveying.
Keith W. Spencer’s Library
The LS Review Topics Library, created by Keith W. Spencer, PLS, CFedS, is a free, online reference and study resource for land surveyors. It provides an organized collection of topic-based materials covering core surveying principles, boundary law, geodesy, GPS, construction surveying, legal descriptions, and California-specific statutes and practices. Commonly used for exam preparation and professional reference, the library offers concise explanations, study notes, and curated links that support both students and practicing surveyors in strengthening their technical and professional knowledge.
In addition to his LS Review topics, Keith W. Spencer’s Library is one of the most expansive free online collections for land surveyors. It includes links to county and city recorded map and survey records, plus hundreds of digitized books and historical documents that date back centuries and cover surveying, geometry, boundary law, and related subjects. The library also contains a substantial selection of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) publications and manuals — such as historical Manuals of Instructions, case books, standards, and corner restoration guides — that are widely used for PLSS study and practice. With thousands of individual files and references, this resource is valuable for research, exam prep, and deeper study of cadastral practice, old maps, and public land survey history.
Do you have something you want to add to our Learning page? Email info@sd-surveyors.org