A change of industry.

[Fredwardclarke]

Hi guys, my names Ed and I’m fairly new to he forums. 

I left school last year and started my search for a career. I had been working whilst at school as a landscape gardener and I thoroughly enjoyed the days I spent outside even when it was raining and I was soaking wet I was glad I wasn’t in a classroom so I knew I wanted to work outside. 

I always enjoyed the arb aspects of my summer job, trimming a few hedges and dragging brash around so I began a search for a apprenticeship in Tree Surgery, I wrote to 11 different local company’s and applied at dart training to see if they could find me an employer, no luck. 

Out of The 6 companies that replied to me 1 was willing to take me on as a labourer but was not willing to offer put me thru any training. The other 5 either didn’t have any vacancies or expressed concerns over the paperwork regarding taking on a apprentice. 

I also offered to work voluntarily on the off day for a few company’s purely to gain experience, however again these companies had concerns regarding paperwork and employing young people. 

So I ended up taking a offer of an appentiship in bricklaying and it’s going well. I’m 6 months in and have passed every practical exam with either a distinction or a merit. 

My employer is thrilled to have me and looks after me pretty well financially. 

However when I was on the scaffolding today I found my mind drifiting to awful condition of the surrounding trees. There was inward growth everywhere and most of the trees had outgrown there environment. 

I wanted to be in doing tree work, having fun dragging brash around and learning a trade I’m genuinely interested in, not tied to a trowel on a dodgy scaffold laying brick after brick after brick. 

I’m just after a few opinions from people who have been in the arb trade for a few years about what I should do. 

I plan on sticking my appentiship out for the remaining six months and then evaluating me situation. 

However id like to be gaining experience now around my existing job.

[Mark Wileman]

If you want my advice, stick to trowels over saws, it'll pay twice as much  You can always go down the woods when it's raining and drag some brash around in the mud for your fix

 

I'd hasten to add I've been doing this less than a year, as much as I love it, I've come to realise just got under valued/paid it is compared to the building trades. You can always put yourself through your saw tickets in the future and do a bit of Arb work on the side of your regular bricky-ing.

[Will C]

But life is to long to do a job you don’t enjoy dispite how well it pays, the money means nowt if your not enjoying it.

[Alex O]

Good for you Fred, if you don’t mind all the elements you have mentioned then go for it. But it will take a few years to start making a few quid. Best of luck to you.

[Alex O]

If you want my advice, stick to trowels over saws, it'll pay twice as much [emoji14] You can always go down the woods when it's raining and drag some brash around in the mud for your fix [emoji4]
 
I'd hasten to add I've been doing this less than a year, as much as I love it, I've come to realise just got under valued/paid it is compared to the building trades. You can always put yourself through your saw tickets in the future and do a bit of Arb work on the side of your regular bricky-ing.

Not sure quite what you think you should be earning in your first year as an arborist, but this profession you need to be in long term and prove yourself to who ever you work for.unlike brick laying this job will get you into a different place most days, doing a different job most days, getting to sample tea and coffee , biscuits cakes all over your county, if not to different parts of the world. But it’s not for everyone, after all who wants to work hard for there money [emoji6]

[Treeation]

40 minutes ago, Chessa said:

 

Follow your dreams. Do not doubt them. You are young and have time and strength on your side. I started out in just about all of my career changes with following a dream and working voluntarily whilst training, whether chasing routes through rock climbing or environmental work; or forestry or horticultural dreams. Never give in. There are always routes in, around and through. Can you start by getting trained in rope access work through your current trade before you (forgive me) branch out to your big dream? I’m sure you’ll get even better advice than that, here on arbtalk. Don’t give up. Listen to your heart.

Wise words!!

 

[Mark Wileman]

9 hours ago, Alex O said:

Not sure quite what you think you should be earning in your first year as an arborist, but this profession you need to be in long term and prove yourself to who ever you work for.unlike brick laying this job will get you into a different place most days, doing a different job most days, getting to sample tea and coffee , biscuits cakes all over your county, if not to different parts of the world. But it’s not for everyone, after all who wants to work hard for there money

I was talking more generally, most trades in my area can charge upwards of £18-20 an hour self-employed, very few arborists will make that even in the cities. You don't even have to be in this industry to know that. 

I guess so long as there's people willing to work hard for little money, Arb will continue to be lucrative for the business owners. 

Edited April 22, 2018 by Mark Wileman

[Alex O]

There was no question , it’s a difficult industry to start in and get a good break and if it’s money you want to earn it will just take awhile, but like most things hard work and persistence will eventually pay off.

[Mark Wileman]

4 minutes ago, Alex O said:

There was no question , it’s a difficult industry to start in and get a good break and if it’s money you want to earn it will just take awhile, but like most things hard work and persistence will eventually pay off.

Yeah I thought you were the OP basically ignoring my post and calling me green, turns out you were just a passer by doing that.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Mark Wileman

[Mack]

5 minutes ago, Alex O said:

There was no question , it’s a difficult industry to start in and get a good break and if it’s money you want to earn it will just take awhile, but like most things hard work and persistence will eventually pay off.

This is spot on.  It takes time to get to the stage where you are making good money.  Many drop out long before they get there.  Some people stay in the job all their lives and never get there.