Published: 09 Feb 2022
If you are involved in the surveying profession, you might already know about The Survey Association, which is better known as TSA. If you’re not already familiar with it, TSA is the trade body for commercial surveying companies in the UK. Its guiding principle is to promote best practice amongst its members, which are from all sectors of the surveying world, from technicians and educators through to innovators and suppliers.
Originally formed in 1979 to provide a focus for private sector businesses in land and hydrographic surveying, TSA has developed to provide a forum for members to discuss, debate and undertake continuous professional development. Today, the association has over 200 member companies across the UK, as full, associate, supplier, affiliate or academic members – all of which are directly involved in the geospatial profession.
Valued members
Its members enjoy a range of benefits, which enhance their learning and keep them informed of industry developments. This can be through seminars but are also a range of events aimed at surveying professionals covering H&S, HR, insurance and more technical topics. TSA runs The Survey School in Worcester, which offers the prestigious TSA Surveying Course and short courses in land surveying, AutoCAD, setting out, and other disciplines.
The role of the TSA is twofold. Not only does it support and promote its surveying company members, but it is also keen to reach a wider audience, such as engineers and architects, to provide guidance on new methods and techniques. It also showcases a list of suitably qualified and experienced companies to prospective collaborators and clients.
Rachel Tyrrell, Secretary General of TSA, explains, “We are passionate about developing the professionalism of our sector. Our members go through a rigorous vetting process to become TSA members and we work closely with them to help with their continued development. In this way, we’re confident in their skill level, and can promote and recommend them to the wider construction sector.”
Working and learning together
She continued: “While we are not a regulatory body, we work closely with RICS and CICES meeting together regularly as the Survey Liaison Group (SLG) with regard to policies and events that are likely to affect or involve the survey profession.”
If you are interested in finding out more about TSA, please visit our website, or contact Rachel Tyrrell for more information. You can discover more about our types of membership or contact us directly for an appropriate application form.
