Level 4 Diploma

[Ben Y]

Hi all,

 

Has anyone completed the Level 4 Arb Diploma?Have been looking at it on Training Tree and by all accounts it can be done completely online now.

 

I believe it’s replaced the old Tech Cert?

 

Interested to see how people have found it, managed to fit around work etc?

 

Thanks

[Mark J]

25 minutes ago, Ben Y said:

 

Hi all,

 

Has anyone completed the Level 4 Arb Diploma?Have been looking at it on Training Tree and by all accounts it can be done completely online now.

 

I believe it’s replaced the old Tech Cert?

 

Interested to see how people have found it, managed to fit around work etc?

 

Thanks

 

If I was you I'd aim a bit higher and go for a level 5 or 6 qualification. The "Sc" or equivalent after your name opens doors.

Edited June 17, 2021 by Mark J

[Ben Y]

If I was you I'd aim a bit higher and go for a level 5 or 6 qualification. The "Sc" or equivalent after your name opens doors.

Thanks Mark, currently I’ve just finished ISA cert Arb which was a breeze, have been in the industry for a fair while now but think level 5 or 6 might be too much too soon?

[Mark J]

3 minutes ago, Ben Y said:

 

Thanks Mark, currently I’ve just finished ISA cert Arb which was a breeze, have been in the industry for a fair while now but think level 5 or 6 might be too much too soon?

 

Nope, go for it.
There may be modules that are a struggle but the people who run the courses are there to guide you through. 
If you put in the work you will get there. You'll probably find anything less than level 5 too easy. 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by Mark J

[Ben Y]

Will have a look, thanks. Trouble is I’d like to find something online, as I’d be doing alongside running a business and it’d be hard to commit to travelling regularly outside work hours.

[Treeation]

I did the level 4 with Treelife in a year....was great, got a massive amount from it....it was classroom based at westonbirt arboretum (15 classes or so) massive workload if you want to wrap it up in a year...I think it was 83 asignments in total...some being short multiple choice online quizzes, but most being essays -  on average each assignment took at least 5 hours...

 

Balanced it with work ok as I am self employed so the jobs I did the same amount of work as in a normal year but in less days as I ran 3-4 man day teams rather than 2-3 man dayers.....It defo helped to have at least 2 days a week doing college work or I wouldn't of got it done in a year.

 

Nearly every arb consultancy firm I have seen advertising looking for juinor/starter consultants/ surveyors only request a level 4  qual......having said that I would love todo level 6 at some stage but very glad I did level 4 first.

[whizzkid96]

I'm in my last 3 weeks of the the Level 4 with The Training Tree. Went into it with no academic qualifications, I've learned alot this year and I'm hopefully progressing into the online Fdsc with Myerscough in September with a view of achieving Bsc eventually. 

 

I've been working 4 days a week to do the course and it has been alot of work but as mentioned I have no prior qualifications. 

 

Just start reading as much as you can and it'll stand you in good stead. 

 

 

[averagearborist]

I did the level 4 with Treelife in a year....was great, got a massive amount from it....it was classroom based at westonbirt arboretum (15 classes or so) massive workload if you want to wrap it up in a year...I think it was 83 asignments in total...some being short multiple choice online quizzes, but most being essays -  on average each assignment took at least 5 hours...
 
Balanced it with work ok as I am self employed so the jobs I did the same amount of work as in a normal year but in less days as I ran 3-4 man day teams rather than 2-3 man dayers.....It defo helped to have at least 2 days a week doing college work or I wouldn't of got it done in a year.
 
Nearly every arb consultancy firm I have seen advertising looking for juinor/starter consultants/ surveyors only request a level 4  qual......having said that I would love todo level 6 at some stage but very glad I did level 4 first.

Yeah bro I did level 4 tree life at a Westonbirt! With Andy Summerly. Dude it was so hard! Before arb I been uni, did under grad in English, and did a masters in Educational Leadership and Management at Institute of Education - yknow proper learning. But the level 4 Dip. Arb. was definitely the hardest thing i have ever done in terms of education - way harder than the uni stuff. I think it was because it was getting it sone in a year and trying to balance it with work and family life. Still. It's done and it was well worth it... even if I have many reservations about the Tree Life course.

[averagearborist]

If I was you I'd aim a bit higher and go for a level 5 or 6 qualification. The "Sc" or equivalent after your name opens doors.

I don't know about the level 6 straight off the bat. I don't know if they'll let you on the course - although i suppose it will depend on your existing qualifications and academic history. Obviously, it's a higher grade of qualification, but it will take longer and the depth knowledge and research for each assignment will be deeper.

It depends what you want to achieve by doing it. If you need an undergrad level of qualification (L6), then do it, but i would imagine it would be like doing a part time degree. And then you have to consider whether you have the time, wherewithal and support to get this thing done without ruining your life. I mean Christ, that level 4 made my life pretty difficult and unpleasant, but it was only for about 9 months.

[Mark J]

On 19/06/2021 at 11:07, averagearborist said:

I don't know about the level 6 straight off the bat. I don't know if they'll let you on the course - although i suppose it will depend on your existing qualifications and academic history. Obviously, it's a higher grade of qualification, but it will take longer and the depth knowledge and research for each assignment will be deeper.

It depends what you want to achieve by doing it. If you need an undergrad level of qualification (L6), then do it, but i would imagine it would be like doing a part time degree. And then you have to consider whether you have the time, wherewithal and support to get this thing done without ruining your life. I mean Christ, that level 4 made my life pretty difficult and unpleasant, but it was only for about 9 months.

You need a good grounding in a subject plus a decent level of literacy and numeracy if you're going to go straight in at degree level. My mate did it though and ended up with a 1st. 

If you're prepared to put hard work in you can do whatever you want.
 

Edited June 20, 2021 by Mark J