Ambridge, PA; March 2020, Spectra Geospatial and Precision Laser & Instrument (PLI), a Spectra Geospatial dealer in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio are helping the survey industry to meet the growing demand for survey technicians and future professional surveyors. The two companies recently teamed to donate Nikon total stations to two area schools, Penn State Greater Allegheny and Marion County Technical Center, both of which have just begun survey education programs.

The program at Greater Allegheny is an extension of the Penn State program that has been offered on the eastern part of the state at the Wilkes Barre campus. According to Dr. Eric Lipsky, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering: “Starting up a new program like this is very expensive and is difficult for a small branch campus such as Greater Allegheny to support without having students. It is a chicken and egg situation. We would not have been able to afford all of the necessary equipment without the support of Spectra Geospatial and PLI, as our student numbers need to build up to support such investments.”