employment How to get into Tree Surgery - Glasgow

[Scout00]

Hi all, only recently started to look into Tree Surgery/Arboriculture after plan A didn't plan out. I'm from the Glasgow area and do a lot of outdoor work already. 

 

Would anyone be able to explain the best way into Tree Surgery and how I should go about getting into it? 

 

Would I be best reaching out to a company asking if they are looking for anyone or would should I go out and get the qualifications/tickets? 

 

Any help would be appreciated. 

Cheers

[Will C]

Try and get a little experience before jumping in, a lot of people like the idea but don’t cut it once they get in the industry and don’t expect to earn big money to start but avoid working for free to gain some experience.

 

How old are you? If your young enough and got no ties look at the college courses, a couple of years and you will have a basic grounding of most parts of the job. be cautious of the 10 week (ish) fast track courses I’ve seen guys leave with a load of tickets but no clue. There prob great for someone that has done 6 months at the bottom learning what it’s all about.

Edited July 25, 2021 by Will C

[Stephen Blair]

Just apply to every tree company you can get yourself to and back on a daily basis and ask for a job and give your CV.

  Apply for 4x as many jobs 4x as fast as your opposition who is out there looking to do the same,  work harder, faster, longer hours for less and acrue 10,000hrs of hard graft and then you'll be a lean mean tree cutting machine!

  You can be a crap Tree Surgeon or an amazing Tree Surgeon, it's your choice!

  Either way you'll make a living and get a sore back, so go for it and enjoy!

 

 

[green horn]

have a look at ayrshire college in kilmarnock they used to run a course for tree climbing and small felling. But i believe its all ground based tickets they provide now

[krummholz]

I'd get in contact with a few local companies and see if you can get a shift dragging brash as a labourer, just to see if you like the work. It won't show you everything about tree work but might give you a taste.

The Barony college in Dumfries do several courses that are broad and will give you a good grounding in various aspects of the industry, they're pretty heavily foresty based if that's a direction you'd be interested in going in.

If that's not an option or doesn't appeal then the quicker but more expensive route in is to just pay for short courses to get your chainsaw tickets. Get some PPE and then see if you can pick up shifts here and there. With tickets and your own kit you can expect to be paid pittance for the first bit, just seems to be the way things are in the central belt ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯ . Not suggesting it's any better anywhere else...