Training Advice For A Newcomer

[Grizzly]

After being made redundant with the Gardening/Grounds Maintenance company I worked for I'm wanting to get into tree work. I've had a long standing interest in this field but due to circumstances it was something I never really progressed to although I've had experience of felling (on a 72 acre fishing complex I used to look after) and bare root tree planting.

 

I've spoken to a couple of training companies and I'm able to secure 70% funding towards courses and training so I'm now wondering what courses I should do. I've a few listed but wondered if there was any others that would be relavent for setting up on my own (as I'm self employed) or working for a company.

 

The courses I've got in mind are:

 

CS30/31,

 

Wood Chipper,

 

PA1 & PA6

 

Are there any other courses that you'd recommend? I may as well try get them in with the initial funding programme if possible. I'm also looking into business start up grants and loans through various agencies.

 

Does anyone have experience of these sort of funding packages who could offer advice?

 

Cheers in advance.

[paradise]

very few companies will ask you to have the woodchipper course.

if you want to climb you will need CS38 and CS39 after 30/31

[Grizzly]

If I was to have the chipper licence it would be another string to my bow though and something else I could offer.

[scottythepinetree]

Think most companies over here who do commercial contracts would require a chipper cert so prob help somewhat to have it. That said if you managed to get a job with 30/31/38/39 reckon any employer big enough to have commercial contracts would be happy to put you through the course, providing of course you work hard for him.

[felixthelogchopper]

Bit off the wall maybe but, depending on what sort of work you want to do, it might be worth your while getting a CSCS card. It's cheap, very easy to pass and some big contractors will want you to have one before you can set foot on their sites.

[Grizzly]

I read something on the forums regards CSCS cards. Is there any specific one I should be going for? It seems people have different ones.