Arborist are we skilled or semi skilled

[Dean Lofthouse]

But why should those of lower ranking quals be less respected ?

 

If you have three brain cells and spend the time and effort studying to attain tech cert then the effort involved to that individual should just as respected as that attained by a braniac who found a degree easy ??

 

They are after all only a level of achievement badge and one shouldn't be less deserving of the other

[Rupe]

Maybe another way of looking at this skills issue is to look at what we skills are needed to start out in the industry?? MAybe that is what defines us as semi skilled?

 

To start as an architect or an engineer requires a degree. To start as a teacher requires a degree and/or the teaching qual thingy.

 

To start as a doctor requires a degree and medical school stuff on top.

 

To start as a tree worker requires nothing! So thats un skilled work. As you progress you get training and experience and quals and can be classed as semi skilled (even though we all accept that it is a skillled trade) in the scheme of things that is all that we are.

 

Theres lots of talk about plumbers having to be corgi etc and we should have something similar, but that is not how it is. Anybody can be employed by a plumber with no exams or much schooling. You don't need corgi to be a plumber! You only need a corgi reg. person or company to fit up the gas to the boiler, the rest can be done by trainee lad under supervison. He then get his quals and tickets at evening school and become skilled at plumbing but its still only a semi skilled job because all trades are semi skilled.

 

Does that help at all?

 

I don't knwo why folk are getting so upset by all this. Tree work is a great trade to be in, and for some who may not have got very far in other proffesions its a great way to be really skilled at something and to make a living from it. But its suitable for a wide range of abilities (achademically) from total thickie to degree capable drop outs, (I'm not saying which of those I am) Common sense and physical ability and determination are of course required but those aspects alone don't make it a skilled proffession.

 

Its a great sense of achievment to be good at something like tree work, and I remind myself how well I've done, and I remember how hard it was to start with. That makes me highly skilled at tree work, but I don't expect to be regarded as a skilled proffesion overall, I'm still just a tree cutter !

 

I stuffed my A' levels, got turned down by the Navy (I wasn't called Rupert for nothing) because of my laid back attitude, and I fell into tree work for the doss really. The only thing that has made me skilled is the time that has gone by, I had no actual skills at anything except climbing before I started tree work.

 

Making a decent livign out of it?? Well that is a skill in itself!!!!!!!!!

[Andy Collins]

I think its something to do with social etiquette, going back to the days when a doctor, professor, vet etc would be deemed a learned person. Heck even MFH could be after your name (Master of Fox Hounds) as it was deemed an esteemed position. Therefore to have letters after your name would put you up in a higher social class, above the riff-raff and the peasants.

[Stephen Blair]

remember we are surgeons and they are above Drs, thats why they are called Mr and Mrs just like us:thumbup1:

[Andy Collins]

remember we are surgeons and they are above Drs, thats why they are called Mr and Mrs just like us:thumbup1:

 

Good point Mrs Blair!!

[arbclimber]

But why should those of lower ranking quals be less respected ?

 

If you have three brain cells and spend the time and effort studying to attain tech cert then the effort involved to that individual should just as respected as that attained by a braniac who found a degree easy ??

 

They are after all only a level of achievement badge and one shouldn't be less deserving of the other

 

I dont really get your point mate, lower ranking qualifications are less respected because they are lower ranking.

 

The harder something is to achieve the more respect you get for achieving it. Also the less people who are capable of achieving what you have, the higher the achievement.

 

I'm not knocking those who are less academic getting qualifications through sheer hard work. My point is just that Cert level qualifications are designed to be fairly easy so shouldn't be given as much credit as higher qualifications.

[Stephen Blair]

oh and its not the profession thats under fire here, its the human beings that are causing a fuss, we all fit into diferent categories. Some peolpe are blunt and dont care, some peolpe like smiles and pats on the back, some peolpe cant decide and dont want to hurt anyones feelings and some folk are just critical.

[Stephen Blair]

I dont really get your point mate, lower ranking qualifications are less respected because they are lower ranking.

 

The harder something is to achieve the more respect you get for achieving it. Also the less people who are capable of achieving what you have, the higher the achievement.

 

I'm not knocking those who are less academic getting qualifications through sheer hard work. My point is just that Cert level qualifications are designed to be fairly easy so shouldn't be given as much credit as higher qualifications.

 

Dean might be blunt but is very fair, thats why he thinks this way. You want more bells and whistles because thats just you, no one is wrong, we are all just diferent. There is always middle ground, but we all have to take some steps towards it:001_smile:

[Andy Collins]

I do think some people like to use the letters after their names as a badge to show they've achieved something in life, however meaningless it may be to others. I'm not really in a position to pass judgement unless my "rescuing a brick in pyjamas" counts??? Seeing as I have naff all else to crow about:001_rolleyes:

[Stephen Blair]

i think big john has a similar badge for his jumper:sneaky2: