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Morning all!


SimpleSimon
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Hi all,

Just thought I'd introduce myself with a first post, I've been browsing the forums gleaning information for a while. 

Basically, I'm 31 this year and it's occurred to me that although I enjoy my job (support work for children with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour) very much, I actually ended up doing it quite accidentally and it's not what I see myself doing for the rest of my working life. I suppose I'm fortunate to be doing a job I like whilst I look for other options, rather than desperately trying to escape! Since I was a kid I've always imagined myself working outdoors, doing something physical and "close to nature". I do have a second job, with the same employer as a handyman maintaining the building and about 1/2 an acre of garden (basic domestic stuff - tap washers, squeaky hinges, chipped paint, lawnmowing, assembling flatpacks, etc...)

Anyway, I've scraped together some money and booked myself onto a CS30/31 course in July with the intention of looking at changing career before it's too late. I'd like to do tree work (obviously) or forestry. Can anybody offer any advice on how to "get into" the industry? Obviously I'm not naive enough to think that having one ticket will suddenly make me Mr Employable, so I'll need to try and get in at the bottom somewhere. What should I expect, is there much work out there and is it a competitive market? Any other skills I ought to work on or desirable certificates, etc for employers? Will lack of experience go against me? 

Honest and frank advice is always appreciated!

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I'd say get your cs30/31, basic PPE (boots, trousers, helmet) and contact all local companies to you seeing if they have any work as a groundy going.

 

Don't worry too much about other tickets until you've had a chance to do a few days and decide if it's really for you or not!

 

Your own saw would be a bonus but not essential to start with, as you'll mostly be dragging brash and feeding a wood chipper, in arb anyway. If you're looking to go into forestry, a saw then becomes a priority. Look for a decent secondhand 50/60cc pro saw, rather than a new homeowner obe.(assuming you don't want to drop £600 on a new pro saw.) Stihl ms261 or ms362, or husqvarna 550xp/560xp are the most commonly used.

 

In terms of the next ticket to make yourself more employable, what a lot of companies seem to struggle with more and more is people who can tow (legally!). I would spend the money on the towing licence before any more NPTC, as everyone has cs38/39 but it gives you something in some ways more desirable.

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3 minutes ago, jrose said:

I'd say get your cs30/31, basic PPE (boots, trousers, helmet) and contact all local companies to you seeing if they have any work as a groundy going.

 

Don't worry too much about other tickets until you've had a chance to do a few days and decide if it's really for you or not!

 

Your own saw would be a bonus but not essential to start with, as you'll mostly be dragging brash and feeding a wood chipper, in arb anyway. If you're looking to go into forestry, a saw then becomes a priority. Look for a decent secondhand 50/60cc pro saw, rather than a new homeowner obe.(assuming you don't want to drop £600 on a new pro saw.) Stihl ms261 or ms362, or husqvarna 550xp/560xp are the most commonly used.

 

In terms of the next ticket to make yourself more employable, what a lot of companies seem to struggle with more and more is people who can tow (legally!). I would spend the money on the towing licence before any more NPTC, as everyone has cs38/39 but it gives you something in some ways more desirable.

This.

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9 minutes ago, jrose said:

I'd say get your cs30/31, basic PPE (boots, trousers, helmet) and contact all local companies to you seeing if they have any work as a groundy going.

 

Don't worry too much about other tickets until you've had a chance to do a few days and decide if it's really for you or not!

 

Your own saw would be a bonus but not essential to start with, as you'll mostly be dragging brash and feeding a wood chipper, in arb anyway. If you're looking to go into forestry, a saw then becomes a priority. Look for a decent secondhand 50/60cc pro saw, rather than a new homeowner obe.(assuming you don't want to drop £600 on a new pro saw.) Stihl ms261 or ms362, or husqvarna 550xp/560xp are the most commonly used.

 

In terms of the next ticket to make yourself more employable, what a lot of companies seem to struggle with more and more is people who can tow (legally!). I would spend the money on the towing licence before any more NPTC, as everyone has cs38/39 but it gives you something in some ways more desirable.

Thanks for that, it's helpful...

I did consider towing so I'll look into that. Probably a fair bit cheaper short-term than CS38/39 as well and it's also something I'd use outside work settings. There's a couple of firms nearby offering it so I'll make enquiries. 

Is there any merit in doing a chipper course? They seem expensive!

Forgot to say I've got innumerable other somewhat relevant courses from my current job. COSHH, H+S, FAW, Fire Safety... Always better to have than not have when somebody else is paying!

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The official line is you should do a chipper course before even looking at one.

 

In the real world, I have never met a small firm that insists upon chipper ticket for domestic work, and the big firms will put you through it anyway. So I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless you're asked for it specifically.

 

Basically, you put wood in one end and it comes out smaller. Don't put bit of you in! Chipper training complete...

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I really dont know anyone who 'needed' a chipper ticket to understand them Jrose ! Bit self evident how much damage they do! But it can be good to get the learning of how to maintain them - which oddly dont seem to get much coverage in a NPTC Lantra course K

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1 hour ago, jrose said:

 

 

Basically, you put wood in one end and it comes out smaller. Don't put bit of you in! Chipper training complete...

Well I didn't want to sound like one of those "anybody could do that!" types, but it did strike me as fairly self-explanatory...

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3 hours ago, Khriss said:

I really dont know anyone who 'needed' a chipper ticket to understand them Jrose ! Bit self evident how much damage they do! But it can be good to get the learning of how to maintain them - which oddly dont seem to get much coverage in a NPTC Lantra course K

I agree it would be good if more maintenance was covered, but in reality the owners manual is worth far more than a chipper course to cover this.

 

IME the course is a box ticking excercise, and until you need to tick that box I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

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