New year - New Horizons

[knight6m]

Gents,

As a soon to be ex-serviceman I am off to Merrist Wood in February to do the now 9 week course, any advice, recommended pre-reading will be gratefully received. Already working on improving my tree recogniton any thing else I need to get on top off early?

 

Thanks in advance,

[combined tree services]

to be honest you will be learning from a man called Jack Kenyon - he is probably one of the most highly respected Arborists in the country and probably Europe , he tought me back in 2003 and to be honest what he did not know was not really worth knowing about , as for the practical side of things i have heard that lots has changed so cant really help . Probably the best advice i could give you is to get some chainsaw trousers that are comfortable for you , a decent hat and some chainsaw gloves and maybe some pairs of normall work gloves for chainsaw maintainance , a first aid kit and whistle . oh and a decent pruning saw , I would highly reccomend F.R jones and Son as the place to get all of your kit . any way good luck and hope all goes well . Keep us posted !!!

[Tree Man Tom]

Ex service men always seem to do well in this industry

 

Best of luck!

[Rupe]

HAve you got HGV tickets? If not try and get them before you leave, they will be worth as much to you as any chainsaw tickets!

[Andy Clark]

As an ex lecturer that has taught this course (albeit at a different college), the best advice I could give you is........ Don't do it!

 

I'm guessing that the course you're talking of, is the C&G Phase II? If so, the course isn't really geared up for "newbies" (no offence meant). It was developed yeeeeeeeeers ago, for people that had shed loads of experience but no academic Arb qual.

 

If you really want to get the best out of the course, do a year or so on the tools first, THEN go to college and do the course.

 

 

Sorry if that goes against the grain, but honesty's always the better policy.

[knight6m]

HAve you got HGV tickets? If not try and get them before you leave, they will be worth as much to you as any chainsaw tickets!

 

Not got HGV1, got an old licence with the C1 C+E (3500 - 7500kg)+trailers etc.

Probably left it too late to get HGV1 now.

[combined tree services]

As an ex lecturer that has taught this course (albeit at a different college), the best advice I could give you is........ Don't do it!

 

I'm guessing that the course you're talking of, is the C&G Phase II? If so, the course isn't really geared up for "newbies" (no offence meant). It was developed yeeeeeeeeers ago, for people that had shed loads of experience but no academic Arb qual.

 

If you really want to get the best out of the course, do a year or so on the tools first, THEN go to college and do the course.

 

 

Sorry if that goes against the grain, but honesty's always the better policy.

 

at last someone who is on the same lines as me , when a was interviewed for the place on the course it was made clear to me that i had to have experience within the industry of which i had to prove that i did ! once on the course it became clear that there was only 3 of us that did have any experience and to be honest i felt cheated that somewhere along the lines the goal post had been moved allowing newbies onto the course thus reducing what was being tought .

[knight6m]

As an ex lecturer that has taught this course (albeit at a different college), the best advice I could give you is........ Don't do it!

 

I'm guessing that the course you're talking of, is the C&G Phase II? If so, the course isn't really geared up for "newbies" (no offence meant). It was developed yeeeeeeeeers ago, for people that had shed loads of experience but no academic Arb qual.

 

If you really want to get the best out of the course, do a year or so on the tools first, THEN go to college and do the course.

 

 

Sorry if that goes against the grain, but honesty's always the better policy.

 

Andy,

Thanks for the frank response, as far as I can tell this is OCN in Arboriculture, and the basic NPTC tickets

(Tree Surgery for Craftsmen)

 

At 40+ time is not on my side so I need to make like a vacuum cleaner and suck up as much knowledge as possible, as fast as possible. I will be canvassing you guys for some work experience later in the year IOT start the consolidation of learning process, I then intend to continue part time study whilst in employment to build skills, knowledge etc.

I know that this is not the easiest way to do this especially in the current climate but who is going to take on a 40+groundie with no prior knowledge/experience?

[combined tree services]

Andy,

Thanks for the frank response, as far as I can tell this is OCN in Arboriculture, and the basic NPTC tickets

(Tree Surgery for Craftsmen)

 

At 40+ time is not on my side so I need to make like a vacuum cleaner and suck up as much knowledge as possible, as fast as possible. I will be canvassing you guys for some work experience later in the year IOT start the consolidation of learning process, I then intend to continue part time study whilst in employment to build skills, knowledge etc.

I know that this is not the easiest way to do this especially in the current climate but who is going to take on a 40+groundie with no prior knowledge/experience?

 

enjoy the course at merrist wood , i really did . i think the structure of the course is verry different to when i was there and the need for experience is no longer required , the handouts and info that jack kenyon will give you is over and above whats needed , i ended up with a big folder full of handouts that we did not need for the course but that were intersting to some of us .

[knight6m]

enjoy the course at merrist wood , i really did . i think the structure of the course is verry different to when i was there and the need for experience is no longer required , the handouts and info that jack kenyon will give you is over and above whats needed , i ended up with a big folder full of handouts that we did not need for the course but that were intersting to some of us .

 

Thanks CTS, Merrist Wood was recommended to me by a mate of a mate who runs a business out Eastbourne way in Sussex, he said I would learn a lot more than I might need but as I see it all knowledge is good.