Career Change!

[Tom.]

Afternoon folks,

I’m debating a change of career path after 10 years with my current employer, I’m 26 and it’s just not hitting the right spot anymore and it can sometimes sink you into a right downer! Life is too short.

From looking in the past starting as a groundsman makes sense, I’ve no issues with starting on the bottom rung if you like with the aspiration to progress into climbing and more.

I’m keen approach a few local qualified arborists if not just for some advice, then maybe asking for potential work experience. Even if it’s just to observe as I know health and safety in my current industry can quite rightly be the limiting factor to those with little experience in new roles.

I’m hoping to save up to enrol on the Chainsaw Maintenance & Cross Cutting course, a required first aid course if needs be and any other courses that would be beneficial. 

I guess I’m just after some advice for where to start or to hear how you got into this industry?

I’m just keen to learn, gain experience and any qualifications to see where it could lead me! Or am I being naive and just following the old ticker and not my head.   
 

Everything about this job just seems to fascinate me, and i'd love to do a job that i think i'd enjoy. 

Thanks,
Tom.

[Jaarkeal]

Where are you based? I'm sure someone on hear would be happy to take you out for a day or too to see how you like it and then go from there.

[Marc Lewis]

Sorry, am i right in thinking you have been working for your current employer for 10 yrs and he has not even put you through maintenance and cross cutting??

[Tom.]

44 minutes ago, Jaarkeal said:

Where are you based? I'm sure someone on hear would be happy to take you out for a day or too to see how you like it and then go from there.

I'm based in the East Midlands but have had a full license for 9 years and luckily have a weekend 4x4 toy if any jobs were tricky to get too ?

 

 

23 minutes ago, Marc Lewis said:

Sorry, am i right in thinking you have been working for your current employer for 10 yrs and he has not even put you through maintenance and cross cutting??

Sorry should have made it clearer, my current career is as a electrician / draughtsman at a mechanical & electrical contractor haha! 

[Mark Bolam]

No Marc, they only do that if you work in the tree industry!

[Mark Bolam]

Beat me to it Tom!

[Joe Newton]

9 minutes ago, Tom. said:

I'm based in the East Midlands but have had a full license for 9 years and luckily have a weekend 4x4 toy if any jobs were tricky to get too ?

 

 

Sorry should have made it clearer, my current career is as a electrician / draughtsman at a mechanical & electrical contractor haha! 

Whereabouts in the east midlands mate and how far would you realistically mind travelling?

There's some great firms to work for and plenty to avoid. If you're planning on starting a career in tree work you should be just as discerning about who you work for as an employer would be about who they take on. 

[Steve Bullman]

14 minutes ago, Joe Newton said:

There's some great firms to work for and plenty to avoid

I'd put the ratio somewhere in the region of 10/1 ?

[Tom.]

1 hour ago, Joe Newton said:

Whereabouts in the east midlands mate and how far would you realistically mind travelling?

There's some great firms to work for and plenty to avoid. If you're planning on starting a career in tree work you should be just as discerning about who you work for as an employer would be about who they take on. 

Nottinghamshire Joe, 
Travel wise for having a day or two work experience i'm not too fused as I spent a good majority of my time working away on site for 5 years but if i was going into the career side maybe a little closer to home (but that's being picky) I do 25 miles each way to the office as it is although that's not masses.

Fully with you on that, I have seen a fair few what i'd call questionable looking 'contractors' hooning around my local area but also some that appear very professional, fully qualified, insured and most importantly proud of what they do. 

 

So that's kind of the aspiration really, to work with a team that care about their job and gain satisfaction from it if that makes any sense?   

Edited November 12, 2018 by Tom.

[Khriss]

Hi Tom, I certainly wouldn't underestimate the physical demand in this job. If yr office based fr ten years that will be hard. As yr technically minded I would certainly look at an ISA qualifications as this will let you get in on a wider spread of work. Bashing yr way up from the bottom will be hard though at 26 yr certainly at the right age. The exitement of using chainsaws wears off. The rain doesn't.  K