Retraining to work as a tree surgeon

[tlk]

Hi guys,

 

I am new to this forum and am looking for advice/opinions on how to go about getting into working as a tree surgeon. 

 

To give a bit of background I am 36 with a wife and two children and have recently reduced my hours to part time with a view to getting experience working with a tree surgery company. I am hoping that having one day a week free might give me an opportunity to get my foot in door with someone even on a trial basis to start with. I understand that exploring this type of work will take time at the very least amongst other things but I am keen to try something else after doing online advertising for 9 years and feel that going about it in this way of reducing my current hours is a safe approach.  

 

I would consider myself physically fit and also have some garden maintenance experience which I did as part of a previous job I held for just under a year which may help in getting into working with trees. I have some savings together and I have looked at various training courses and tickets but am not sure what route might be best to start with. 

 

1 - What would your opinion be on me going down this route of trying to work with trees at my age and experience? 

 

2 - Would you say it is worth getting a few essential tickets first perhaps or maybe contacting companies to try and get a trial shift or weekend working with them instead to see how it goes?    

 

3 - Do you know if the market is particularly saturated or unsteady in Norfolk at the moment?  

 

Any thoughts and advice would be much appreciated. 

 

Cheers

Edited July 10, 2019 by tlk

[Khriss]

 

[Khriss]

May not be helpful that ! However, get a few jobs in with another tree surgeon n see how it feels, if yr loving the hard work, it can be good, k

[pie eater pete]

Jesus Christ!!! Think again!! Unless you fancy dropping yourself into a pit of debt for training...kit...etc then every customer asks how cheap can you do the work for?! This industry is MASSIVELY under-valued and over saturated with every Charlie chainsaw...?

[Steve Bullman]

Have you done your research into what you'd be likely to earn? Its probably safe to say a tree surgeons wage is going to be a massive drop from online advertising

[stihlmadasever]

If your were 25 and single with no kids id say jump in big man.

But you arent and you have, so dont!

Sorry but the industry is hellish to start later in life.

Did it myself

Wouldnt if i could go back.

Sorry to be a bummer...realist...whatever

[Mike Hill]

Volunteer a few days with a few local outfits.

Some days are good,some are bad.

Physically its not that demanding,its just that other than starting your own thing (like most end up doing) there are few ways off the tools in most situations.That can lead to guys being on the tools longer than they should and being worn down over time.

 

Good luck either way.

[Conor Wright]

My main climber is in his 40s now, climbed his first tree in his mid thirties. He's doing ok. Has kids and commitments but has managed. Not gonna be a millionaire but he enjoys his work and works to a very high standard very safely which makes him more valuable to clients and employers alike.
Don't expect it to pay well until you are at the top end and be realistic that you may not get there for some time. Took me years of investing everything I made back into kit and working regular 14 hour days to get to a level where I can hopefully make some actual money now.

[agrimog]

from someone whos been at it a long time...........dont even consider a change ........underpaid, over subscribed, treated like unwanted, and to get your qualifications these days, shouldering a huge debt, not the cheery happy devil may care business people think it is

[Stubby]

1 hour ago, pie eater pete said:

Jesus Christ!!! Think again!! Unless you fancy dropping yourself into a pit of debt for training...kit...etc then every customer asks how cheap can you do the work for?! This industry is MASSIVELY under-valued and over saturated with every Charlie chainsaw...?

Always aspired to become a chainsaw charlie ,  ho hum , bit late in life now ....