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Lecturer, Department of Geoinformatics & Surveying University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Ivan_m12@hotmail.com Padington Hodza Research Scientist, Scientific Industrial Development Centre Harare, Zimbabwe p_hodza@hotmail.com Abstract A profession is built on a policy of admitting educated gentlemen to small, self-governing bodies of their social equals, to whom they will personally be known and by whom their fitness would be judged. It derives from the phenomenon of division of labour, but having special power, prestige and knowledge specially importance to society. However, the impact of the new technology has been rapid, effective and forceful providing changes in most operations within professions. The greatest of this has been technology and communication developments. As a result, the proper definition of most professionals has seen a shift towards incorporate changing requirements in technology and procedures. The greatest impact has been on spatial information systems profession due to easy of acquisition and processing of spatial referenced data, query and analysis today. This paper analyses the changing role of professionals within the Surveying and Geomatics fraternity. The Professional roles in the 1980’s have drifted tremendously from data acquisitions to this new millennium of total information management with the rapid development of computer, communication systems and GIS technology. The resultant duty of the professional worker is changing to suit the changing times but this has impacted further changes to related professions. Introduction In order to evaluate development options spatially, across sectors and through time, administrators require consistent, reliable and up-to-date information about the land and water. Surveyors as professionals, traditionally, have been involved in the acquisition of relevant spatial data, sectored within specialities in Photogrammetry, theodolite Surveys, Geodesy and Cartography for presentation. Although surveyor’s services appear to be used less today, they have only been used differently in scientific, technological, economic and social tasks to skilfully manoeuvre or direct global, national or community outcomes. Their strength is the ability to maintain a consistent accuracy and precision for the results to be trusted without question. The professions1 are generally considered as making a positive and in some cases, a vital contribution to the community [McLaughlin 1982]. To continue collecting more economic data, more historical information about the land, and to develop more and better maps will not provide substantial and sustainable improvement or strategic advantage to the community or nation [Petersohn 1997]. What is required is to meet present day challenges. As professionalism evolves from ethical pursuit of a learned art for the contributions to public good, and thus judged by the contribution, the groupings need to continually be redefined to meet new challenges to public service. The increased activity of more powerful and economically viable group of professionals that include engineers, geographers, geologist, environmentalist and soil scientist in traditionally surveyors’ duties while the traditional surveyor has retained their old ways (acquisition) is changing the geo-spatial world. Traditional Geo-spatial disciplines Surveying is one of the oldest professions, traced to the Babylonian times 2500BC. In 1400BC, Egyptians used surveying to accurately divide land. With the industrial revolution in 1800AD, surveying was brought into prominent position with demand for ‘accurate’ boundaries and for public improvements. The primary2 data was maintained as maps and had political, economic and religious value. Many references exist in the bible referring to land ownership, Deuteronomy 27:173 , Proverbs 22:284 . The existence of such teaching shows how significant the demarcation process was both spiritually and economically to this early community.  Fig 1: Conversion Surveyors Geo-spatial Profession in Colonisation Era In the late 18th Century, scramble for both Africa and the rest of the world resulted in partitioning and state boundaries. Surveyors then became instruments for the Civilised community to manage conquered territories. The emphasis of the surveys became to map the country rather than property boundaries. Vital information then included suitable farming land, waterways and route surveys to penetrate new frontiers. The profession was build out of people of various backgrounds, astronomers, mathematicians and army generals. They usually held high social positions that enabled them to advance financially. In the 19th Century, trigonometric practices served both to extend the base line through a frontier and scientifically consolidate information on interior locations [Barrow 1994]. Property boundaries became significant and cadastral surveys national priority. The practitioners’ professional body registered professionals, and ensures adherence to ‘service to society’ to which the system itself ultimately owed its existence [Teversham 1982].
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