From Farm Fields to Field Notes: The Journey of Camara Froese in Geomatics

At Caltech, we’re quick to recognize that our success is due to our people. No matter what the task, we pride ourselves on having passion for the work, and a commitment to geomatics.  As a prominent figure at career fairs and recruitment events across Canada, Caltech is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of geomatics professionals. Team members like Travis Wolfe and Camara Froese are a great example of how a shared love of surveying can help put young people on the path to geomatics excellence.

Travis launched his career as a professional surveyor more than 25 years ago. Most recently, he’s helped guide Caltech’s operations as Vice President of Operations, in addition to his former role as President of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association that he completed this year. And while Camara doesn’t have the decades-long history with surveying that Travis does, she certainly shares his passion for the industry and optimism for its future.

 

Travis and Camara first met when Camara was considering her long-term career prospects at a job fair in Saskatchewan. He was attending the event to represent the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association.

“The first time I met Camara was when she was in grade 11. She mentioned she was interested in surveying, and I told her if you already like doing this kind of thing, you could get paid to do it,” Travis says.

“At the time I had next to no idea what surveying even was,” Camara recalls. The career fair had included presentations from different industries, and she was intrigued by Travis’ slide show on surveying. “I remember Travis talking about getting to work outside, and I was definitely attracted to the opportunity to work off the quads. I grew up on a farm and spent many hours quadding in our pasture hills, and chasing cows,” Camara says. She soon learned that Saskatchewan Polytechnic was offering a geomatics course at the Moose Jaw Campus, which would allow her to study close to home.

“As soon as I got home, I remember telling my mom that’s what I was going to do,” she says. “I immediately started planning my high school courses around having the proper math and other classes to apply to the program. Somehow, I just knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

 

 

Camara wasn’t the only one having important realizations at the career fair. Travis knew immediately that Camara would be an asset to any geomatics firm. “I recognized her the next year when she was back at the career fair,” he recalls. “Camara had already applied to the geomatics program at Sask Polytech, so I encouraged her to stay in touch as my company hired a lot of people from the geomatics program during their work terms.”

Camara went on to work for Travis’ company at that time and was even able to complete a few jobs for him before he left the company to join Caltech. “I think that year our company hired almost the whole class from Saskatchewan Polytechnic,” Travis recalls. “It was one of the best classes of geomatics students I’ve ever seen.”

After Camara graduated with her Diploma in Surveying and Geomatics Engineering Technology in 2015, she spent most of the next decade working in the field in Saskatchewan. “I don’t think there was one specific reason for going into surveying but that it suited my interests,” she says.

 

 

Her work has given Camara a new appreciation for the hardworking men and women she sees on the job every day. “I’ve found I can learn something from each person I have had the pleasure of working with. I think this has made me adaptable in my career and opened me up to asking questions. Each crew chief does things differently and sometimes what works for you doesn’t work for them. It’s crazy how there are many different solutions to the same problem, but yet we all get the job done at the end of the day.”

When Camara was looking for a change after spending eight years at the same company, an old classmate convinced her to apply to Caltech. “It was an easy decision to join the team,” Camara says. “Caltech has given me the opportunity to continue doing what I love doing, while also staying close to my growing family. They see what work-life balance means to me, and I appreciate that.”

And while she doesn’t get to work with Travis as often as she’d like, she knows that he’s there if she needs advice or encouragement.

What does the future hold for Camara? “I guess long term, I would like to be the one sharing my knowledge and experience with the younger generation of surveyors. I’ve always been interested in the new technology and processes in which we collect data. I would like to be able to share those interests with others,” she says.

When Travis reflects on Camara’s career and contributions, he’s not surprised at all that she’s accomplished. “Camara was operating like a seasoned party chief at 20-years-old, and has always operated at a level significantly higher than her years of experience!” he confirms.

As Camara envisions her future in geomatics, she approaches it with optimism and excitement for what’s to come. Looking ahead, Camara is committed to pushing the boundaries of her field, confident that her dedication and pioneering spirit will lead to remarkable opportunities and advancements. With a forward-thinking mindset, she anticipates a future where her work in geomatics not only contributes to industry breakthroughs but also inspires others to pursue their own chance journeys.