Noob Alert!!

[SteveGts]

Hi All (or just anyone really)

 

I'm seriously toying with a career change and just exploring options at the moment, it needs to be something outdoors and forestry really appeals. Looking at some chainsaw courses from a local company and guessing my prospects would be much better if I've self funded a couple of courses before I even apply, would "Lantra Chainsaw maintenance and cross cutting" or "Chainsaw Maintenance, Cross cutting and Felling Trees up to 380mm (201,2&3)" be the sort of thing to get me started on the right road? You can see them here, they do loads of others, but are these the right one(s) to start off with?

 

Cheers

[Blackbriarwoods]

https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/132405-how-do-you-become-a-forestry-timber-cutter/#comments

 

 

Have a read of this link, some info that might be of helpful for you, think it contains some other links to threads of use as well

[Whoppa Choppa]

Worst possible time to be trying to get into timber. The Big Corps in the trade - Euroforest, Tilhill et al and their agents are doing a good job of trying to kill off the small man. Everything's a battle. FISA idiots who expect trees to grow like they did in the textbook. Costs of parts. Cost on your body. Weather, breakdowns (unless you've got a million quid new machines and warranty), public perception thanks to cuntryfile. Knock yourself out but don't expect to earn more than £1/hour in reality.

[slack ma girdle]

2 hours ago, Whoppa Choppa said:

Worst possible time to be trying to get into timber. The Big Corps in the trade - Euroforest, Tilhill et al and their agents are doing a good job of trying to kill off the small man. Everything's a battle. FISA idiots who expect trees to grow like they did in the textbook. Costs of parts. Cost on your body. Weather, breakdowns (unless you've got a million quid new machines and warranty), public perception thanks to cuntryfile. Knock yourself out but don't expect to earn more than £1/hour in reality.

Have to disagree,  i generate all my own work, and at the point now as one finishes,  an new one replaces it. Standing sales are very buoyant at the moment.

I stay under the radar to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.

[Jackalope]

6 hours ago, SteveGts said:

Hi All (or just anyone really)

 

I'm seriously toying with a career change and just exploring options at the moment, it needs to be something outdoors and forestry really appeals. Looking at some chainsaw courses from a local company and guessing my prospects would be much better if I've self funded a couple of courses before I even apply, would "Lantra Chainsaw maintenance and cross cutting" or "Chainsaw Maintenance, Cross cutting and Felling Trees up to 380mm (201,2&3)" be the sort of thing to get me started on the right road? You can see them here, they do loads of others, but are these the right one(s) to start off with?

 

Cheers

In my experience there is a drastic shortage of labour in the forestry sector so you should find an opportunity to get time saw time. I'd advocate getting the basic tickets, Maintenance and cross cut and small fell (up to 380mm) as having them will allow you access to more site and the courses definitely teach you a few things which you won't necessarily learn 'on the job'. 

 

Check out the thread linked by Blackbriarwoods too. 

 

 

 

[JAG63]

The other qualification that get you in the door, certainly with arb don't know about forestry. is a clean driving license with +E, C1 or C will be sought after.

 

[timberonabike]

+F first aid qualification if you want to work for any big organisation signed up to FISA.

[SteveGts]

Thanks all, it's good to know I'm at least looking at the right kind of courses at this stage 🙂 Those guys do a 1 day first aid too, so will see if they'll let me do that for free if I buy a couple of others.

 

Cheers

[Blackbriarwoods]

1 hour ago, SteveGts said:

Thanks all, it's good to know I'm at least looking at the right kind of courses at this stage 🙂 Those guys do a 1 day first aid too, so will see if they'll let me do that for free if I buy a couple of others.

 

Cheers

Best of luck and hope you enjoy it as much as I did 😎