Starting out

[kylenichol96]

Hello hello hello, 

 

Looking for some information/advice. 

 

I am currently 29 and a lorry driver. However I am looking to go down a different career path ideally in the arbourist/tree surgery sector.

 

I'm looking for a few questions answered to help me.

 

What is the best route to take to become fully qualified? 

 

How long does it take to become qualified? 

 

What are the average wages? 

 

What advice would you give to anyone planning on starting out? 

 

Thanks

[woody paul]

Your best option maybe to get with a big company running large lorries, which you already know about. Then get plant tickets and groundy ones. And see how it works out. 

[rapalaman]

Try offering to do a couple of trial days for free to see how you like it first. We all started off dragging brash and I’ll still muck in to clear up as will my main climber. 
As woody says above too 👍

[krummholz]

In terms of being "fully qualified", there's not really a standard recognized qualification for Arborists in the UK (unlike ISA certified in the USA, or the European Tree Worker qualification).

 

You have your certificates of competence from NPTC/LANTRA for using various bits of equipment, felling, tree climbing etc. You'll need these to do the practical day-to-day work - employers need you to have them to meet legal requirements and for insurance, so the tickets make you more employable. Having said that, having the ticket only demonstrates a base level of competence and there's a lot to learn, so I'd stagger getting your tickets over the first 3 or 4 years as you progress.

 

You might also consider a technical qualification like a level 2 Certificate - it'll give you a good foundation for progression if you want to be a team lead/run your own show/move off the tools further down the line.

 

Your HGV license will definitely improve your immediate employability, as others have said find a decent local firm running any trucks over 3.5t and it's a foot in the door.

 

I won't attempt to open the wages can of worms, but it varies greatly depending on the area you're in, and the pay isn't great for the risk and skill involved, but if you click with the work and the right team it's enough, and it's challenging, fulfilling work.

 

Level 2 Certificate Arboriculture On-line | Myerscough College

WWW.MYERSCOUGH.AC.UK

---

Level 2 Certificate Arboriculture On-line

 

[Ledburyjosh]

On 25/03/2025 at 20:37, krummholz said:

In terms of being "fully qualified", there's not really a standard recognized qualification for Arborists in the UK (unlike ISA certified in the USA, or the European Tree Worker qualification).

 

You have your certificates of competence from NPTC/LANTRA for using various bits of equipment, felling, tree climbing etc. You'll need these to do the practical day-to-day work - employers need you to have them to meet legal requirements and for insurance, so the tickets make you more employable. Having said that, having the ticket only demonstrates a base level of competence and there's a lot to learn, so I'd stagger getting your tickets over the first 3 or 4 years as you progress.

 

You might also consider a technical qualification like a level 2 Certificate - it'll give you a good foundation for progression if you want to be a team lead/run your own show/move off the tools further down the line.

 

Your HGV license will definitely improve your immediate employability, as others have said find a decent local firm running any trucks over 3.5t and it's a foot in the door.

 

I won't attempt to open the wages can of worms, but it varies greatly depending on the area you're in, and the pay isn't great for the risk and skill involved, but if you click with the work and the right team it's enough, and it's challenging, fulfilling work.

 

Level 2 Certificate Arboriculture On-line | Myerscough College

WWW.MYERSCOUGH.AC.UK

---

Level 2 Certificate Arboriculture On-line

 

A good answer.

 

'Fully qualified' is a marketing thing people put on websites, flyers etc mostly BS as its based on very little and often equates to no or minimal theoretical knowledge of trees as living organisms.

It generally means people have got the 4 basic tickets:

-Cross cutting & maintenance 

-Felling small trees

-Tree climbing/rescue

-Using a saw in a tree

 

It does not mean anything within the industry tbh given that there are many more certificates of competence and you could go on to get a masters/doctorate in Arboriculture.

I doubt anyone is a Dr with all competency certificates... perhaps that is the only true fully qualified 🤔.

 

Otherwise the first two on that list would be starting point for yourself. Without them your more of a hindrance to an employer than a benefit, subjective to what work they have. You can either self fund them to get going or hope to find an employer who will invest in you.

 

In terms of how long to be 'fully qualified' their are companies that get you through it in a month. After which you'll have bits of paper to say you can do something, which in reality you won't be able to do to a useful level. 3-5 years seems a realistic time to become OK at the job, assuming you have good mentoring and opportunity to practise.

 

As to the best route, hard to say..

1. Get a job, hope they invest in you financially with training and time to bring you on. Employer should pay for this.

2. Do a crash course over a month, then get a job where you can be mentored and given opportunity to practise. You'll need to pay for this.

 

Advice to someone starting out.. Trial it for a bit without spending your own money. You may not like it. 

 

Leveraging your HGV experience would be beneficial.

[AHPP]

41 minutes ago, Ledburyjosh said:

 the 4 basic tickets:

-Cross cutting & maintenance 

-Felling small trees

-Tree climbing/rescue

-Using a saw in a tree

I always find the omission of rigging from this list hilarious. There are zero climbers in the country who when confronted with the need to rig say, “Sorry. I am only qualified to carry out free fall cutting techniques.”

 

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by AHPP