surveyor

géomètre topographe

Midwest Surveys Inc.

Was a great place to start my Survey career. Good safety culture and good bunch of guys to learn and work with. Work sometimes felt like play, with the kind of surveying they do. 
Out in in bush, quading/snowmobiling, accessing locations, and snow shoeing around.
Great exposure and good atmosphere. However, there were some negatives in finding growth opportunities. Easy to get stuck in a grind. You can get a lot of great field experience, depending where you start from. 

Management for me at the time told me that wanted to set me up for success. But in hindsight it limited opportunities to move up to a chief and the process was not clear. I also was not contacted in a timely manner when I applied for a Crew Chief position which was mentioned in internal hiring guidelines would be discussed with current employees and if not considered why. I got no follow up, and when I called the office manager to give notice he said he saw my application but I was not contacted to discuss it even though it was in the internal hiring guidelines. Although I was told training was ongoing from others it was a very long slow process. On part it could of been my issue and I should of been in contact with more management.  Training ended up sometimes me working for free in the hotel room. I was somewhat patient. and performance reviews are something you have to deliberately request.

Felt a plateau, but was grateful for the opportunity to work with experienced guys who were willing to share their experience. I felt there was that effort to set me up with experienced guys.

That to which I am grateful.
Can be a lot a fun, some decent work life balance, they kept me away from camps and out of town shifts tended to not get much longer then 2 weeks. However wage growth was stagnant, benefits got worse and a better opportunity presented itself as inflation kept rising. Also, there was a slight issue on scheduling. At least in my office / region I felt they were flying by the seat of their pants and you would find out your schedule the night before. It made it hard to plan around work, also the odd time you were told you were off tomorrow and get a call in the morning expecting you to be ready to go within the hour.

I would of loved to stay loyal and grow with the company but it was slow going. They keep from over hiring and keep their guys working. Good job security, steady hours, good clients, and a good team. 

Other thing left a sour taste in my mouth was an aspiring land surveyor with a Certificate of Completion left the company under the issue of not being able to get any hours in the office to article. 

Great place to work though, enjoyed a lot of the people and varied experience. They set up their field crews well. Just didn't like the limits on growth I felt from the top down. The company didn't really empower you except when scouting some access or pipelines with clients. But I think it all depends on the projects you end up on.
The access to software was also an issue, chiefs I know were doing notes on PDF editors without much access to other software. Where you'd see guys getting creative when doing their sketches for field notes. Hence, there was what I noticed limit on growth. I understand as a business licenses are expensive. But not providing field staff with a few Cad shared keys or Survey software was something I noticed after working elsewhere. They might be able to provide more software if you ask.

In terms of field experience it can be a great place to work and get exposure. Good oilfield clients and some old school attitudes to surveying. It's employee owned but you gotta be there maybe 5 years or so to get some stock. Grinding at a somewhat stagnant wage with limited growth will inevitably mean better opportunities will be out there. But it does offer solid job security for the guys already there. That MidWest does very well, if it slows down in your area the Calgary office will find work to keep guys working.

Poor work/life balance, at least among field crews. Out of town/away from home for the maximum amount of time they could keep you out, home for 2-3 days, and then back out again. The trips away from home aren't so much the issue (it's the nature of the work) but the lack of a schedule makes pursuing other things in your life very difficult. I can remember many times where field ops managers would phone at the end of each day off to tell me if I had the next one off. Expect to hear about it if you have anything scheduled when they inform you that you are working the next day.

Mediocre wages with little room to move up despite putting in good work and time in. Mid/end-year bonuses are nice. Expect many excuses from managers as to why you will not get a pay raise.

Job security seemed reasonable, but being tied so tightly to oil and gas, expect to take a pay cut or get laid off if oil prices drop significantly. As for advancement, if you are more valuable in your current role, you will not be moving up - even if you've made your desire for a particular position known, are qualified, and have put your time in.

In terms of the type of experience you can gain at Midwest, many of the field crews do one type of job and don't move beyond that. There are simple things that you may learn with other firms such as using a level or total station that many crews generally don't touch at Midwest. I was honestly surprised at the lack of depth many crew chiefs at Midwest show. I don't think that is so much the fault of the crew chiefs necessarily, but more a reality of the limited scope of work.

The culture could use improvement. Having worked at another survey firm that I still retain very good relations with I was surprised at the level of resentment from SOME managers upon leaving. On the other hand, some people like the equipment manager at a certain office were extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. Some project managers were very good to deal with - providing guidance and insight into how they wanted field work completed. Some, however, were very poor at their jobs relying much too heavily on field staff for guidance and some were both condescending/incompetent.

In the beginning of the interview, I was very clear to the hiring manager/coordinator at the time that I did not have the drafting experience in a industry setting, but the engineering design and drafting diploma from an accredited institution. They got back to me a few days later and accepted the job offer.

Months in, it was lots of job shadowing, asking questions, taking notes and some “training” on the side. 3 months completed, everything good from the manager, no complaints. “Keep up the good work.” 6 months later, not approached or anything. I must be doing something right then…right?

One morning walking in, I get asked into the managers office and unexpectedly, I am being let go. I was very surprised and shocked. The reason was very vague and the manager only had to say to me, “theres lots to learn.”

I am very positive they both forgot I am new to drafting and instead rushed me leading to my dismissal. And on top of that, I am also sure it is because of the lack of workflow in the “busy” months which usually is. They also both hired another new drafter out of the blue 2 months after I started. Not sure if they practice favouritism, but was leaning that way leaving this company. 

If you want true training from a company that values yourself for what you have to bring to the table, not just a number, possibility for advancement (talked to many ex-employees and said good luck with getting a pay raise on top of that), apply elsewhere.

“Be a name, not a number.” That is comedy. You are a number to them. Old school company stuck in their old ways of doing things.

Besides that, staff was very friendly, and respectful (some not unfortunately, would rather not elaborate on here) and wish they could invest more time/resources into training new people like myself.

Disappointing to say the least as I really did see potential there.



My time spent at MS I. was fairly unproductive. I never went anywhere with in the company as far as advancement.  I put my time in and went above my job description. 99.6% of the work is oil and gas which should scare any new applicant thinking it's a life long career. Morale was at an all time low and most likely still is.  MSI avoids the truth when people voice their concerns and experiences. HR department is very cleaver when it comes to laws and rights, be careful.  Wage was not good at all compared to their competition. Very much an old boys club. Worked with alot of great people who were let go to protect company sponsored vehicle allowances, great decision. Bonuses were not exactly helpful compared to the money being generated when it was busy. Attitudes and egos are very large. Experienced some very awful things while working there.  Glad I'm done.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Edmonton PMs are thorough and great to work with 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Calgary office only cares about them. All other offices don’t matter

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Stressful and Calgary office staff will lie to you. It’s not employee owned, unless you’re an ALS. They advertise on all positions applied for as employee owned. And say shares are available at 5 years. But not if you’re in the field. 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
On site waiting for job info if working for the Calgary office. They throw you to the wolves

This company will provide you with lots of work. If into the major projects you will have a somewhat fixed 21/7 schedule. Pay is okay but their top notch staying current with latest technologies. Pick the branch you work out of with caution as they are not all run the same. One in particular has made ppl work 24/4 (max allowed by OHS with min days off by OHS ), but this could come as 7 with a random day off, then possible 17 with 3 days. It resets without your input or knowledge. It will ruin any semblance of social or family life with the chaotic schedule. There wont be any semblance of fixed schedule. When it is all over you will feel like a used up tool being discarded or replaced.

Its a job. Hours were not consistent, expected you to always work 24/4, even when working from home. It felt like a bunch of small companies, all in competition with each other, under the same name. 

Company is cheap, and doesn't invest in current technology. Expect to use 40 year old equipment. They also do not believe in using tools to reduce injury risk. Quite often, paired up with inexperienced crew chiefs, that think they know it all. One particular PM is absolutely incompetent, and management refuses to take corrective action/fire this person. 

Don't show any knowledge, as it will be used against you to get rid of you. Benefits are a joke. If you need work, its a pay cheque. 

Midwest is a very good company to work for. They are privately owned and have been in business for over 75 years. They have modern equipment that is well maintained. They work for all the major midstream players and have a very active pipeline integrity group. They provide 150hr/month guarantee for all field staff, which is great, but the downside is it’s only reconciled at month end.

Midwest Surveys is a company that encourages growth, supports employee development and mentors its staff. This company is committed to providing its staff with the best resources, with educational and financial assistance, creating meaningful experience and an opportunity to work on challenging projects. 

There is lots of fun to be had at Midwest. From Social Club breakfasts, ski trips,  Wine-O-Survivor, potlucks, holiday parties and retirement parties. The staff at Midwest knows how to bring play into their workplaces.

Love the people I work with, both inside and out of my direct team.  Folks are supportive, willing to coach and lead, providing autonomy to get your job done effectively.  Benefits are excellent with several perks including financial assistance for related educational programs.  There's often engagement activities that provide a nice break and opportunities to get to know my colleagues.  Midwest is generous to their employees and giving towards various local communities.  I enjoy my job and the opportunities I have to grow my career.

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