Matt Hutchison has been awarded the RMIT University AIMS Mine Surveying Prize for 2023.
The award, including $1500 cash, was announced recently by Grace Mulcahy, the AIMS Secretary, at RMIT University in Melbourne.
"On behalf of the AIMS Board I extended my sincere congratulations to Matt for his achievements," Grace said.
"AIMS are thrilled to be able to support up-and-coming mine surveyors, especially those with such high technical and professional potential," she added.
"It will be exciting to see where Matt goes next and we hope AIMS can continue to support him in his career."
Matt stated that it was an honour to be selected to receive the AIMS Prize for 2023.
"A big thank you to AIMS for sponsoring this award. It is great to see them getting behind up-and-coming mine surveyors and highlighting the world of mine surveying to the broader surveying community," said Matt.
Congratulations Matt !!
Grace decided to find out more about Matt's story, his pathway to surveying and current achievements so far:
Tell us a bit about yourself! Where are you from, what are your hobbies, favourite sports team etc.?
I am Matt Hutchinson, and I am the recipient of the AIMS Mine Surveying Prize for 2023. I was born and bred in southeast suburbs of Melbourne, which is where I am currently living. After pursuing a career in Accounting within the Mining and Resources sector and various other industries which saw me work all over Australia, I made the decision in 2018 to make a career change and move into Surveying.
Outside of work my main hobby is tennis which I try to play 2-3 times per week. I also enjoying going on hikes, exploring nature, travelling and catching up with friends and family.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Surveying?
During my time within the Mining and Resources sector I was exposed to the work that the surveyors undertook and was extremely interested in their work. When deciding to make a career change surveying was a natural first choice due to the great mix of field and office work which surveying offers, the problem solving, and critical thinking required along with being able to be actively involved in projects and being able to make a positive contribution to their outcomes.
Did you have a favourite unit during your studies? Or a favourite project?
My favourite unit during my surveying studies was Engineering Surveying. This was due to the wide range of topics explored which went deep beyond Cadastral Surveying and was a great exposure to how surveying is applied in various other industries and sectors. The Engineering Surveying unit also perfectly aligned with the work I was completing at the time as a Surveyor on a major road project in Victoria.
How will the AIMS Mine Surveying Prize help your studies and/or career?
The AIMS Mine Surveying Prize will help my career as it will allow me to keep up to date with the latest news, technology and developments within the surveying industry through being able to complete professional development courses and workshops. Additionally, the prize will allow me to expand and strengthen my professional network within the surveying industry due to the exposure and expertise that I will be able to gain with the assistance of AIMS.
What has your Surveying career looked like so far?
Upon making my career change into surveying my first surveying role involved the data collection of drainage assets for a local council in Victoria. I then completed a three-month vacation program role with Thiess at an open cut coal mine in the Hunter Valley where I was fully exposed to the tasks and responsibilities of a Mine Surveyor. During my penultimate year of my surveying studies I joined Auspat Land Survey as a Surveyor working on a large road project within Victoria. I am still working for Auspat having just completed works on a large level crossing removal project and about to commence works on a separate level crossing removal project.
Do you have any career goals?
In my career I hope to continue to learn and develop my skills and continue to be exposed to a variety of different projects and experiences. I would like to work my way up to a Senior Surveyor position, and then ultimately to a Survey Manager position in the years to come.
Lastly, do you have any advice for current or future surveying students?
My advice to both current and future surveying students is to be inquisitive, ask questions and challenge yourself. Surveying is a great career where you can make a real difference to the world so take pride in the work that you do.
