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.
About the Presenters
Chris Staak is the SA State Manager at ESO Surveyors, with over 18 years of experience across major infrastructure projects in South Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Geoinformatics and Surveying from the University of South Australia and an MBA from the University of Adelaide, and serves as Chair of the Future in Civil Committee at the Civil Contractors Federation SA.
Session Details
Duration:
40 minutes
Cost:
Free
