ing 
- 191 - 
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING 
Commission VI 
Symposium held in Mainz, FR Germany, 22-25 September 1982 
P H,0 T0:G RAM ME TRIIC TE CHN TT C IAN TRAINING 
AT THE CiO'L'LE GE LEV EL 
Robert Burtch 
Center for Photogrammetric Training, Ferris State College, 
Big Rapids, Michigan 49307, USA 
ABSTRACT 
The role of technician training by colleges is not new but the training of photo- 
grammetric plotter operators is novel, at least to North America. Using the pro- 
gram developed at Ferris State College, a model for technician training is pre- 
sented. Keeping in mind the role of the college of general overall training, 
curriculum developed in a technician program should reflect the multitude of 
skills that may be necessary for an individual entering private practice. Hence, 
while photogrammetry is important, other mapping skills such as surveying, 
drafting, and photography, to mention a few, should be important in student 
development. The result is a well rounded individual who can step into a variety of 
positions as needed by the mapping organization. Finally, student projects are 
presented to show examples of the practical training that is necessary for 
technically competent photogrammetric operators. 
1. Introduction 
Most career fields employ two methods of training of personell: in-house or on- 
the-job training and formal education. Historically, the role of formal education 
has been to educate the professional. Yet, as new technology is developed and 
research becomes operational, the need exists to have technicians who can readily 
adapt to change while still remaining productive. This would imply that the em- 
ployee should have a diverse background. 
This diversity in background is very important in the area of Photogrammetry. 
The multi-purpose nature of the photograph is beginning to be exploited beyond 
classical mapping as the role of close-range photogrammetry, digital terrain 
modeling, analytical adjustment of data, multipurpose land data banks, and other 
aspects of photogrammetric data collection become important production tools 
to the industry. Also, differentiation between classical photogrammetry and 
remote sensing is not as clearly defined as in the past. Hence, the technician 
must be able to adapt to the needs of the client in such a fashion that productivity 
is not adversely affected. One ideal situation in which technical competancy 
can be developed along with the broadening of the background of the individual 
is in a college setting. 
2. Advantages of College Technical Training 
  
There are several advantages in offering technician training at the college 
level. Very often, in-house training becomes a very narrow approach to providing 
technical competency in that the trainee is prepared to perform in a specific 
job function, for example a stereoplotter operator. This is especially true in 
those organizations that do not have established training facilities. Because 
of this narrow training method, the trainee may not find his/her most productive 
area in the total mapping process. This stems from the varied background that 
brings the individual into the photogrammetry field initially. A varied training 
program, on the other hand, provides the base from which the individual can per- 
form in a variety of tasks thus, making that person aware of all of the different job 
Bibliographic quotation : 
Burtch, R. ¢ Photogrammetric Technician training at the college level. In: Int. Archive 
of photogrammetry, 24 - VI, pp 191 = 199, Mainz 1982