Problems and issues this industry faces and how to deal with them.

[NwalesDero]

20 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

What aspect of the work interests you the most? ie. What is it you want to do, climber, forestry, Tree officer etc?

 

Just looking to start at the bottom at the min, but I have worked for the special heights team in previous job in communication industry so would be keen to utilise these skills. 

[Mick Dempsey]

5 minutes ago, NwalesDero said:

Just looking to start at the bottom at the min, but I have worked for the special heights team in previous job in communication industry so would be keen to utilise these skills. 

Aim high!

 

If you want to be a climber (let’s face it, who doesn’t? The money, the adoring girls, the buff body) your best bet is to get yourself on a college course. They will teach you the basics as a kind of foundation to really learn the job on the job so to speak.

 

Most of those courses will also give you your chainsaw certifications so you can get a job working for a tree work company as a groundsman/second climber/brash slag.
 

From there you watch and ask and push to be allowed to do stuff, get your own gear, till you’re where you want to be.

 

I did a 10 week course at Merrist Wood near Guildford in ‘95 but there is probably a college near you. If you don’t have the money maybe try grants from the government.

 

Like you, I had to take a very low wage while I was learning the work, £50 a day on a self employed basis, but you have to look down the line and play the long game.

 

ATB.

[Mr. Squirrel]

On 25/08/2022 at 07:06, NwalesDero said:

Hi, I find this topic of interest as a new entrant. I have just left my old job after 15 years to find a way into tree work or forestry. One thing I have found is although the talk is they struggle to find good people, most are also unwilling to support people who are new to the industry. I offered my service for free to a lot to gain experience but no one took me up on the offer. I have now started to pay for all my own training and have taken a job with a local grass cutting firm at the bottom of the ladder on minimum wage. I have approached tilhill and euroforest for any help but they don't offer any advice and what the best path is into the industry. Any one with a road map of what course I should be doing in what order would be great. 

 

It's a very good point that. I've spoken to people who have complained about how there aren't many decent climbers about, but have also turned their nose up at taking anyone inexperienced on. You can't have one without the other... Also, despite what some might think, we were all hopelessly useless at some point. 

[Retired Climber]

30 minutes ago, Mr. Squirrel said:

 

It's a very good point that. I've spoken to people who have complained about how there aren't many decent climbers about, but have also turned their nose up at taking anyone inexperienced on. You can't have one without the other... Also, despite what some might think, we were all hopelessly useless at some point. 

I completely agree with your first point about training, but disagree that we were all useless at some point. Nodoby wants to pay someone useless, so make sure you aren't that guy. Anyone can grab a rake and tidy up a bit, run a blower round, cut up stuff ready for the chipper (even with a silky if no tickets), keep brash out of the way and off of ropes, keep tools tidy, etc, etc. 

Basically, always look busy, and make the bosses day a bit easier. 

[Mick Dempsey]

2 hours ago, Retired Climber said:

I completely agree with your first point about training, but disagree that we were all useless at some point. Nodoby wants to pay someone useless, so make sure you aren't that guy. Anyone can grab a rake and tidy up a bit, run a blower round, cut up stuff ready for the chipper (even with a silky if no tickets), keep brash out of the way and off of ropes, keep tools tidy, etc, etc. 

Basically, always look busy, and make the bosses day a bit easier. 

I think he’s talking about climbers specifically. 

[Retired Climber]

23 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I think he’s talking about climbers specifically. 

I think you are right. However, in my experience, everyone does a bit of everything. Just because you are employed as a trainee climber doesn't mean you should stand around doing nothing when you aren't climbing. Making yourself useful at all times is the key to getting a chance at doing what you want, imo. 

[openspaceman]

6 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Like you, I had to take a very low wage while I was learning the work, £50 a day on a self employed basis

If that £50 day rate was also from 1995 he would need to be asking £115 now and that is likely to rise steeply here on in.

[Mick Dempsey]

12 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

If that £50 day rate was also from 1995 he would need to be asking £115 now and that is likely to rise steeply here on in.

£107 according to my research, but I take your point.

Self employed paying your own stamp, tax, no sick or holidays, ‘twas buttons.

After a year I asked for a pay rise on a Friday after work as I was climbing a lot more etc. he gave me a lot of old flannel about how he couldn’t afford it, ok I said I won’t be back Monday, I’ll be starting on my own (I was never going to stay but I wanted to ask just to see what he said)

I wasn’t employed so I owed him no notice, cuts both ways.

27 years later still makes me happy thinking about it.

 

[openspaceman]

2 hours ago, Mick Dempsey said:

he gave me a lot of old flannel about how he couldn’t afford it,

I wonder if that was the bloke that sacked me, I was similarly "self employed" and that was typical of small firms and what HMRC has sought to stop.

[Mick Dempsey]

15 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

I wonder if that was the bloke that sacked me, I was similarly "self employed" and that was typical of small firms and what HMRC has sought to stop.

Unlikely. Very small outfit.Though in fairness I learnt the job there. It was very 1950s but all the basics were the same as today.