Career change

[Hereford]

Hello everyone. 

 

I'm considering a career change over the next couple of years, as I clear current commitments and hope some of you on here can offer me some advice. 

I'd quite like to get into tree work, I'd be more interested in forestry/felling type work and looking at the future and longevity as I'm not going to get younger, probably ground work rather than climbing. 

I'm already fairly handy with a chainsaw and regularly fell and clear trees. 

What would people suggest as a route in, qualifications, equipment and expected pay as experience was gained and whether I could do something on reduced days as I average about 3 days a week I could commit to around my current employment. 

[Dan Maynard]

I don't know how you'd get into forestry, most is mechanised and what hand cutting there is seems to involve a lot of travel and brutal hard work.

 

It's easier doing domestic climbing, the majority of which is conifer hedges and pruning apple trees to be honest.

 

Do the basic chainsaw tickets somewhere as local as possible and talk to everyone you can about your dream, you just need to bump into the right person at the right time. There is a general shortage of good people so it's difficult but not in impossible. Part time is also possible, you probably need to be self employed. The pay is rubbish especially when you're learning.

[Hereford]

43 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

I don't know how you'd get into forestry, most is mechanised and what hand cutting there is seems to involve a lot of travel and brutal hard work.

 

It's easier doing domestic climbing, the majority of which is conifer hedges and pruning apple trees to be honest.

 

Do the basic chainsaw tickets somewhere as local as possible and talk to everyone you can about your dream, you just need to bump into the right person at the right time. There is a general shortage of good people so it's difficult but not in impossible. Part time is also possible, you probably need to be self employed. The pay is rubbish especially when you're learning.

Thanks for the response, I enjoy the phisical work, which is part of the draw for me, probably more than the delicate pruning although I know with age it obviously has a shelf life. For basic courses would you say CS30 & 31 are a good place to start? 

[peds]

How old are you, Hereford? I'm currently 5 years in to the career change, I'm now 38.

[Dan Maynard]

CS30/31 exactly the place to start.

 

I'm making light of it, dragging conifer is not delicate. Hedges can be brutal, you can spend the whole day going 4 foot up and down a ladder over and over and over again. Tree removals can involve carrying a lot of wood around and wood is wet and heavy.

 

But forestry can involve carrying the saw, fuel, hammer, wedges and lunch a couple of miles across rough stumps before you even start work.

[Hereford]

Peds :- I'm 43, still fit as a fiddle but am realistic that climbing probably has a shelf life as the plan would be this as the last career jump. 

 

Dan :- thanks for all your input, I guess first thing to do is get a couple of courses under my belt and go from there.