An unexpected family affair – with survey graduate, Myra Mojigoh

Myra Mojigoh didn’t plan on following in her dad’s footsteps by being a surveyor. But because she loved maths and geography at school, it felt like she should try it!

‘’Dad has his own surveying business in Malaysia, and he’d always seemed to love what he does,’’ says Myra, a recent surveying graduate with HG from Otago School of Surveying.

Studying as an international student from Malaysia, Myra had to overcome a few hurdles to starting her career including finding the funding to pay the fees given she was an international student as well as being in COVID lockdown her first year.

‘’It was hard learning online; I’m not going to lie.

‘’The lecturers would show the equipment to the camera and we all sort of had to strain our eyes to see it all’’.

A tough challenge given a lot of surveying is very hands-on and the technology is so advanced requiring you to touch and play with the tools.

Myra fell in love with New Zealand at the age of 10 when she visited with her family for a wedding.

‘’I always wanted to come back. And the surveying here is much more high-tech than Malaysia. And because New Zealand is so small, the size of its cadastre plays a role in its accuracy hence why the surveyors here are stricter in procedure and have higher accuracy rates than back home.

‘’The surveying degree is also recognised in Malaysia – not that I am planning on going home any time soon – I am just living in the moment!’’

Although she misses the food from home, Myra has enjoyed living, studying and now working in New Zealand.

‘’The weather here is amazing – not as hot and humid’’.

The best bit about her job?

‘’I love the scanning element to surveying. It’s modern, new and exciting and I love seeing how future technology is shaping surveying. At HG, we have access to a variety of scanning equipment, and I get to explore and experiment with it all day! It’s one of the reasons why I love working here, and the people, of course!’’

Advice for new graduates?

‘’At first it was challenging stepping away from university and into the workforce.

‘’At university you learn one way. The first year as a grad, I was like a sponge learning different skills – both traditional and modern.

‘’Just remember, studying is completely different from the reality. At uni, you just learn the theory. But when you go out there, there’s more to it. It’s always different when you go out and do a job. And that’s what I love about surveying. Always different and always problems to solve. I guess that’s why they call it a professional degree. There’s always a special case / no two jobs are really the same’’.

Ultimate project?

‘’Recently I have been enjoying a project we’re looking at a retaining wall on a house which shifted due to the Auckland Anniversary flooding. It caused the whole house to shift too meaning it looks like it could break in half! We had to scan the house and see how it had deviated.

‘’And ask questions. It’s so crazy, you ask questions from your friends / maybe you might be shy to ask at the lecturer – but here, it’s better to ask anyone questions – doesn’t matter who it is. Ask questions and write it down! OneNote will be your friend’’.