Help with career development?

[Hal James]

Hi there,

 

I am new to the forum and ultimately not sure where to start or where to get my foot in the door... I am from Norfolk and have been doing a bit of research. I like and don't like the sound of the 10 week fast track tree sugary course at Easton and Otley college the reason being is that I want some grounded experience whether it be paid on tuppence and hour or not paid at all as I feel experience far out weighs someone doing a fast track course from being a novice.

 

Cut a long story short I am currently on a 6 month internship with Suffolk wildlife trust at Redgrave and lopham fen and am learning a tremendous amount and have on my second attempt ( not feeling confident on my first test and asking for the test to be stopped as I didn't feel confident enough to fell trees) passed my NPTC in maintence and cross cutting and felling up to 380mm. I am due to finish my internship in a couple of months and have realised ( even after being scared of the chainsaw as a first time user) that I love woodland work and even though not being too knowledgable with arbiculture work, I would like to persue the my career direction on gaining a solid base and foundation in this particular area.

The reason I took up the internship with the trust is because I wanted a career change, working within a hospital for the past two years and my dad dying I realised that I have always wanted to be outdoors and more importantly work outdoors, I feel at 28 that it's maybe a little too late for change but I went ahead and did it l. I'm in a position now where I want to move forward and be guided and supported by professionals of the trade and I'm kind of in a scary position where I feel I have no skills to move forward or don't know where I could gain experience as I'm new to the industry. It has been a massive step for me in my life to pass the chainsaw course and make the step in a career change as I doubted myself and didn't think I was capable of passing, but I did.

 

I wanted to post on here you as there seems to be a great deal of very knowledgeable people and was hoping that maybe someone could point me in the right direction or give some advice on what kind of options I have or should be looking at as I've don't lots of research but quite honsestly it's like finding a needle in a haystack if you don't know where to look. I've been looking seriously at grounds man work so I can get more experience with the chainsaw and then work my way up but there seems to be nothing in the way of that in terms of jobs or even work experience.

 

I'm also in a position where I already have a degree in a completely unrelated field and cannot get funding to further my studies in this area.

 

If anyone could help it would be much appreciated

 

Many thanks

[stihlmadasever]

I cant offer any help unfortunatly but just to commend you on taking a big step in changing careers.

I did the same thing and i look at it as the day my life changed for the better and improved my outlook in life.

You will gain more confidence in using the chainsaw as you use it daily.Passing the course was a big thing for you but remember its only a certificate of competancey,its not till your using these types of tools everyday that you learn how to use them properly.

Qualifications are not the end all be all,what i mean by that is myself,and many other deem certain traits in a co worker too be more important.Personally id rather have someone who is keen,punctual and has a great work ethic than someone straight out of college who thinks theyre Reg Coates cause they have qualifications and climbed 3 trees.

If possible get your trailer licence and chipper ticket as these will make you more employable as a groundie.

Im sure you will be presented with an opertunity and you'll excell.

Good luck mate

[Hal James]

Thank you so much for your kind words mate means a lot .

 

Exactly what I thought too- qualifications don't mean you are competent and I by all means don't feel completely competent it has taken me a while to make the saw feel part of me( if that makes any sense). And I'm the type of person where I learn by mistakes and experience and do best with constant helpful input to tell me where I could do better etc. I have by no means passed this basic course and fee I'm ready to take on the Arb world I just want to get a good grounding with extensive experience and everyday practical hands on work so I can get better and better and feel more confident.

I will definitely look at getting the trailer license and chipper.

 

Thanks again

 

Much appreciated

[Hal James]

I cant offer any help unfortunatly but just to commend you on taking a big step in changing careers.

I did the same thing and i look at it as the day my life changed for the better and improved my outlook in life.

You will gain more confidence in using the chainsaw as you use it daily.Passing the course was a big thing for you but remember its only a certificate of competancey,its not till your using these types of tools everyday that you learn how to use them properly.

Qualifications are not the end all be all,what i mean by that is myself,and many other deem certain traits in a co worker too be more important.Personally id rather have someone who is keen,punctual and has a great work ethic than someone straight out of college who thinks theyre Reg Coates cause they have qualifications and climbed 3 trees.

If possible get your trailer licence and chipper ticket as these will make you more employable as a groundie.

Im sure you will be presented with an opertunity and you'll excell.

Good luck mate

 

Thank you so much for your kind words mate means a lot .

 

Exactly what I thought too- qualifications don't mean you are competent and I by all means don't feel completely competent it has taken me a while to make the saw feel part of me( if that makes any sense). And I'm the type of person where I learn by mistakes and experience and do best with constant helpful input to tell me where I could do better etc. I have by no means passed this basic course and fee I'm ready to take on the Arb world I just want to get a good grounding with extensive experience and everyday practical hands on work so I can get better and better and feel more confident.

I will definitely look at getting the trailer license and chipper.

 

Thanks again

 

Much appreciated

[stevelucocq]

hello,

 

thanks for posting and being honest regarding your weaknesses is commendable.

 

28 years old is young in my eyes and i have friends who were older getting into arb and now enjoying working as arborists.

 

my story may be of interst to you as i tried a number of jobs after uni but always kept coming back to working outdoors with nature. during uni summers i worked as a green keeper at a local golf course and loved working outdoors in all weathers and looking back at what i had achieved at the end of the day with a great sence of satisfaction. aftoer uni i got a job in london as thats what i thought i should do, lasted 5 months and came bsck to south wales. soon after that got a job as a groundie for a private tree surgeon and enjoyed it but was very hard work with that particular business. soon after that i put myself through a lantra chainsaw course and did some volunteering work and picked people brains in the arb world. then a job with the local council came up for trainee arborist and i was lucky enough to be taken on. those early years of learning the ropes were amazing and i would have turned up to work even if they did not pay me! i was always willing to do the dragging etc which gained me respect and then opportunities to climb with experienced arborists. i would say that nearly 20 years ago there was less competition in getting arb jobs and that these days it may be harder to get a job in arb but if your are truly keen then no doubt it will happen. from what you have written in your first post struck a cord with me and being brutally honest and open regarding your weaknessess and working to improve them will gain you far more respect than trying to run before you can crawl.

 

hope this post is of interest and makes sence as in a rush to get my boy to school..

 

 

all the very best with your exciting future!!

[Haironyourchest]

If you live in a rural area, offer to help farmers and other landowners with firewood harvesting for a share in the wood.

[Marula]

Hi there,

 

 

 

I am new to the forum and ultimately not sure where to start or where to get my foot in the door... I am from Norfolk and have been doing a bit of research. I like and don't like the sound of the 10 week fast track tree sugary course at Easton and Otley college the reason being is that I want some grounded experience whether it be paid on tuppence and hour or not paid at all as I feel experience far out weighs someone doing a fast track course from being a novice.

 

 

 

Cut a long story short I am currently on a 6 month internship with Suffolk wildlife trust at Redgrave and lopham fen and am learning a tremendous amount and have on my second attempt ( not feeling confident on my first test and asking for the test to be stopped as I didn't feel confident enough to fell trees) passed my NPTC in maintence and cross cutting and felling up to 380mm. I am due to finish my internship in a couple of months and have realised ( even after being scared of the chainsaw as a first time user) that I love woodland work and even though not being too knowledgable with arbiculture work, I would like to persue the my career direction on gaining a solid base and foundation in this particular area.

 

The reason I took up the internship with the trust is because I wanted a career change, working within a hospital for the past two years and my dad dying I realised that I have always wanted to be outdoors and more importantly work outdoors, I feel at 28 that it's maybe a little too late for change but I went ahead and did it l. I'm in a position now where I want to move forward and be guided and supported by professionals of the trade and I'm kind of in a scary position where I feel I have no skills to move forward or don't know where I could gain experience as I'm new to the industry. It has been a massive step for me in my life to pass the chainsaw course and make the step in a career change as I doubted myself and didn't think I was capable of passing, but I did.

 

 

 

I wanted to post on here you as there seems to be a great deal of very knowledgeable people and was hoping that maybe someone could point me in the right direction or give some advice on what kind of options I have or should be looking at as I've don't lots of research but quite honsestly it's like finding a needle in a haystack if you don't know where to look. I've been looking seriously at grounds man work so I can get more experience with the chainsaw and then work my way up but there seems to be nothing in the way of that in terms of jobs or even work experience.

 

 

 

I'm also in a position where I already have a degree in a completely unrelated field and cannot get funding to further my studies in this area.

 

 

 

If anyone could help it would be much appreciated

 

 

 

Many thanks

 

 

I was forced to changed careers from the forces, which was supposed to be until retirement, to an office job. It was terrible, one minute I was rapid deploying from the back of a chinook the next calling people and trying to sell something that was as useful as dog ****!

I did the 10 week course through merrist wood many a moon ago and I can safely say it was a decision I don't look back on in regret, not ever.

From there I've studied further which obviously is what needs to be done as climbing is for the young or the young at heart, depending on what you enjoy. Don't worry about the saws, that'll become second nature and you'll know what to do and what not to do fairly quickly.

If you have an opportunity I'd say study an Arb qualification, if you aren't in your early 20's then I'd get the backup plan in place now, by mid 30's climbing isn't as fun anymore and you'll need something where your practical knowledge can be translated into another form of money making expertise.

👍🏼good luck, outside is always better than inside.

[Stoatally]

Im 42. Was in an office career for the last 15 years, with a little bit of general agricultural contracting and so on in my spare time with family.

 

Decided 18 months ago that I wanted to get into arb, have done basic tickets, trying to study online but failing miserably to keep on with it.

 

Just finished two month short term with a local council and been offered a month with a local guy.

 

It's never too late