Leading Through a Construction Boom: Building a High-Performing Survey Team in a Skills Shortage

Session Overview

Inside South Australia’s Infrastructure Boom

Major civil projects — like the $16 billion Torrens to Darlington upgrade — are ramping up across the state. But while the scale is exciting, it’s also exposing some critical challenges beneath the surface.

Surveyors and civil teams are under pressure like never before:

• A surge in data complexity
• Tight deadlines,
• And a shortage of skilled professionals.

These issues aren’t just technical — they’re structural. And without a smarter approach to data and collaboration, the pipeline of upcoming projects could outpace the capacity to deliver them.

In this webinar, Chris Staak, State Manager from ESO Surveyors, shares how his team is tackling these challenges head-on and how technology, data workflows, and skills pipelines must evolve to meet the ever-evolving needs of the industry.

What You’ll Learn

• The real-world cost of poor underground service data—$4.6B annually
• How ESO grew its SA team from 1 to 40 during a construction surge
• Why reality capture, robotics, and data automation are redefining surveying
• How standardised project templates and naming conventions are boosting efficiency
• The looming talent gap—and how ESO is working with unis and TAFEs to solve it.