The Mentoring and Portfolio-Building Program

The Maryland Society of Surveyors (MSS) and the Maryland State Board for Professional Land Surveyors (the Board) have jointly developed two programs to aid and assist individuals working to achieve licensure as a surveyor.

MENTORS 

1. Must be licensed

Mentoring, therefore, in this case refers only to the licensing process.

Mentoring

2.  Must be trained

The licensing board has requested that MSS administer mentor training. MSS will schedule mentoring seminars around the state in order to allow everyone the opportunity to attend.  

3.  Must understand the criteria

In effect, Mentors will be acting more or less as a type of guidance counselor, attempting to steer candidates through the licensing process.  In order to be effective, it is absolutely necessary that the mentor completely understand not just the process, but the different tracks and requirements for experience and education. 

4.  Must meet with the applicant

At the initial meeting the mentor must advise the applicant about documenting prior experience. Once the prior experience has been considered, the mentor must help the applicant determine which track to pursue toward licensure. Together the mentor and the applicant will then form and carry out a plan to fulfill the remaining requirements of the licensure track. 

5.  Must continue to meet with the applicant

Regular meetings with the applicant must be held to determine progress along the experience and education track. How often meetings are held is up to the discretion of the participants. Some mentors and applicants may wish to meet four times a year while others may only wish to meet twice a year. Some may even feel that once a year is sufficient. Meet as often as necessary to keep the applicant on track.

6.  Must direct and guide the mentee

It is the mentor's responsibility to advise the mentee regarding the type and quantity of experience and education necessary to complete the appropriate licensure track. 

7.  Must certify the MPR form

The mentor will certify by signature on the MPR form that the experience of the applicant conforms to the board requirements, but the mentor does not certify the actual experience itself.

8.  Must keep track of communications with the candidate and the Board

The mentor will keep the completed MPR forms and keep copies as a record, and must ensure that the RPEs have been sent by the supervisors to the board. The Mentor will ask the Endorser to: Make a Second Original of the RPE; signed, sealed and dated; Write a dated and signed transmittal addressed to the Licensing Board from his/her company; Enclose and seal both the second original RPE and transmittal in an envelope; Put the sealed envelope into a second envelope and mail it to the Mentor, marked: “Personal & Confidential - Do Not Open - Re: Mentoring – (Name of Applicant.)” The Mentor will retain this second original, unopened, in the Mentee’s file. These documents will serve as back-up or insurance to guard against loss or misplacement of the originals due to fire, flood, pestilence or human error.(This policy was developed with the full knowledge and agreement of the Licensing Board.)

APPLICANT 

1. Must find an approved mentor

2.  Must complete MPR and RPE forms

3.  Must meet regularly with the mentor

The applicant must meet with the mentor on a regular basis as discussed in number five under mentors above.

4.  Must supply information regarding experience

In the first submittal to the Board the applicant must supply certain personal information which will be used to generate the applicant's individual portfolio file. To build this portfolio, the applicant then must supply information regarding prior experience and education on MPR and RPE forms. The applicant must continue to submit information on experience gained or acquired between regular meetings by subsequent submittals. The MPR for each engagement or period must be verified as to accuracy and duration by the signature of the applicant's supervisor during that engagement or period, and will be kept by the Mentor, with a copy kept by the candidate.  The RPE for each engagement or period must be verified as to accuracy and duration by the signature of the applicant's supervisor during that engagement or period and sent directly from the supervisor to the Board.  

MARYLAND SOCIETY OF SURVEYORS

1. Will train mentors

MSS will conduct mentor training seminars around the state to begin the program and periodically afterwards. MSS will attempt to make this training easily accessible and relatively inexpensive.

2.  Will provide information and forms

MSS will provide information packets with the seminar training and will make that information and the MPR form available generally on the MSS website.

3.  Will promote the program

STATE BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYORS

1.  Build portfolios

Upon receipt of an initial submittal the board will establish and maintain a portfolio file for each applicant. Subsequent RPE submittals will be entered into this file. The Board will notify the candidate of receipt of each RPE. This process allows an applicant to build the documentation of experience throughout the time spent pursuing a license rather than attempting to gather it all up at the end. 

NOTE: The Board will not review any RPE forms for content, substance or suitability unless and until the candidate makes a legitimate application for licensure.