Soldier to Tree Surgeon

[grumpydavesmith]

Hi all,

 

My name is dave smith, i'm 34 and currently a Soldier in British Army, been doing it for 13 years and have decided enough is enough. i have decided to pursue a career in Arb / Tree Surgery . i am a complete novice with no experience at all.

Have always been an outdoors person and i think this career would suit me down to the ground. i'm an extremely hard grafter, and used to working in extreme, dangerous and high pressure conditions, not to mention extremes of weather.

 

I'm not naive in the thinking that i can just breeze into the industry and get a job!! i know i'm going to have a steep learning curve and work my ass off. i'm not afraid of this quite the opposite in fact, i cant wait to get out there and face new challenges.

 

i leave the Army officially in Sept but should be free from July, it is my intention in the meantime to get my quals and then do some work experience/work to put it into practice in the " real world "

 

i'm about to book some training with Kingswood Training Services which will give me following quals : cs30,cs31,cs38,cs39 stumpgrinders & chippers. anyone any experience of this company???

 

it is then my intention to get some work experience / work and hopefully a job. would prefer in my area but would be willing to travel. i'm currently based in Bovington nr Wareham in Dorset and this is where i will live after.

 

anyway any feedback positive or negative, suggestions etc would be greatly appreciated.

 

many thanks in advance

 

Dave Smith:BoomSmilie_anim:

[Spikey]

I would sugest that you try and get a climb in with someone befour spending your money on tickets, I worked for a comany who took on an ex marine he had done 22 years with the forces several tours to Iraq and Afganistan built like the outhouse and should have had no fear but after spending his repatriation money on courses couldn't hack it in the real world of Arb and quit after just 4-5 weeks it was just out of his comfort zone but by heck could he drag brash hope this is of help and best of luck with whatever you do

[Bolt]

I have done training for Kingswood in the past. A big chunk of their work is resettlement work.

They are well set up for this type of training, and if you go with them, you will be on a course with a bunch of lads in the same boat.

Last time I was with them, not only did they do training, but also a bit of work experiance as well.

I would go for it and give it your best shot, you may like this kind of work, you may turn out to not be so keen.

Either way you wont know until you have been doing it for a few weeks. One or two little climbs wont tell you if its your cup of tea.

I can think of loads of lads who have been hopeless and ready to quit for the first few days of climbing, then suddenly they get the bug and their away.

 

All the best

[Yorkshireman]

good luck .. its not easy leaving the forces life for civvy street , there are a few guys on here that have recently done kingswood type resettlement , however speaking from ourside of the fence its not all peaches & cream jobs are HARD to get lots & lots of people around the numbers of people entering arb over the last 3 years has risen dramatically this coupled with an economic down turn makes it yet more difficult & wages wont be on par with the forces even with tickets youll be A NEWBIE .. all the best tho'

[Rob Hornett]

The best thing I could say is have a look through your local yellow pages for tree firms drop them a line and your future intent, and try and get a "days look at life" with them, your not quald to use the machines or saws so it will be the donkey work.

 

The day will be interesting and like you've said a steep learning curve. but It is imho worth while and enjoyable, good banter etc...Hopefully with the option of employment once qualified.

 

Kingswood provide a very good service for resettlement, having done 13+ years Im not sure what help you'd get. All PPE is provided so you don't need any kit, but as has been already mentioned try and get some practise climbing in, and the throw bag.

 

I wouldn't buy any kit or equipment until you know what you need.

 

But all the best, it is hard times at the moment, but hopefully someone will give you a chance

[Mac McLennan]

I'm an Ex Royal Marine who left in 1998. Got the corps to pay for my ten week course at Merrist Wood (re-settlement course).

 

Someone suggested climbing for someone else......your call, but you'll not get much dosh with little experience.....that's if they let you climb without commercial speed.

 

Now 51 years old and still climbing having both hips replaced.

 

Wouldn't want to do anything else.

[richy_B]

I think its well worth doing some climbing prior to spending a lot of money on courses. I also don't think there is any harm in taking it slow either. Lots of people rush to do 39 straight after 38 but I think there is some benefit to just concentrating on getting your climbing upto a professional standard. 30,31,38 are simple but from there on it you need to be competent and confident in your own abilities. I don't know about your driving entitlements (probably pre 1997) but its well worth having c1+e. A lot of companies want this as a minimum and C+E would be a real advantage. Good luck.

[Rupe]

One advantage that army guys have over the rest of us is HGV licenses. Have you got yours, or could you get the army to put you through it before you leave?

 

I had a guy work for me form the army with more certificates than me but no experience. I couldn't really have him climbing for me but another large company took him straight away because they drive 7.5t and pull big chippers etc. They got him climbing too and that has set him off on a career.

 

HGv would be your best bet, along with some chainsaw tickets. That will get you work over someone else who can't even pull a trailer, and the climbing can come along after you have some ground experience, and if the army have paid for climbing tickets too then all the better.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

First; I'd like to thank you for what you've sacrificed for your country and thus for me. Passed 42 Commando on their morning jog today and have no end of respect for you people.

 

Second; of all people I've had work for me, ex-forces would be my first choice for reasons of work ethic, fitness etc.

 

Third; If this is what you know you want to do, then absolutely go for it. Sounds simple but buy a book on trees; "The Trees of Britain & Northern Europe" by Alan Mitchell and illustrated by John Wilkinson would be a good start; if this book doesn't whet your appetite nowt will imo!

 

Then as others have said, seek out the best experience possible. Ask questions - old hats tend to communicate in code what their doing - terminologies etc; don't let it phase you.

 

Good luck.

[cerneARB]

Hi Dave,welcome to the site.

 

All good advice here mate.Did some time at Bovey with the Tankies..good times.

 

Go for it..what you got to lose..good luck.