New to the Forum! Moving from USA to UK.

[xdarkknight]

Heyya!

as I listed this as I'm new and moving, I won't say it again.

I'm coming from the Pacific Northwest US, near Seattle, Washington (state). It's a place known for the tall trees and green wilderness and mountains. The state's 'nick-name' is 'The Evergreen State", thanks to the conifers! I've been in the outdoor industry here for a while. almost entirely in teaching bushcraft and working with Wilderness and BackCountry trail systems with local and federal government. Though, I've been working with a devoted Arborist company for about 6 months now and am immersing myself with information and training.

 

NOW, My lovely English wife and I have decided to relocate (back) to the UK in June. I'm going to be working in an Arb capacity or outdoor industry realm. My few issues and questions/quandries I'll list here.

 

I'm competent and capable with a chainsaw, chipper, truck w/ trailer (on US roads), Pruning, working from height (somewhat), and Brush-cutters, and Limbing, bucking and Felling. As good as this may be, I have been made aware of the NPTC or Lantra Certs that I'll have to get, as well as needing to re-kit myself for work with a private arborist.

1. What's the going rate for a groundie/trainee climber/arborist?
   
2. Where is there work and where is there no work?
   
3. Do employers sponsor employees to get there certs? who are those employers?
   
4. Do employers usually have PPE (protective equipment) available for employees? If not, what am I required to provide myself?
   
5. Are there (quality) employers out there who are interested in taking a trained groundie to help them get going in a new area?
   
6. What are the "apprenticeship" schemes about? how do they work? Where do I find them? Are they the right track to follow?
   

 

So, I realise that some of those questions overlap and ask the same questions... I guess it opens up the other possibilities of different or more quality answers.

 

We'll be landing in the East Midlands, but I think we want to move to somewhere along the M4 (between Swindon and Bristol). I want to move North, closer to Cirencester/Gloucs. my wife wants to move south, closer to Bath. I've got a link to Bartlett Tree Svc. in the US. Are they as good a company in the UK as they are here in the US?

 

Thanks heaps! I look forward to hearing back!

Adios!

Bryce

[scotspine1]

[*]What's the going rate for a groundie/trainee climber/arborist?

 

Somewhere between £40 and £80 per day

 

[*]Where is there work and where is there no work?

 

There's 10s of thousands of small arb companies all over the UK, a few thousand medium/big companies and 100s of companies who do utility/line clearance work/large contracts. As in the US, the general quality and levels of professionalism with companies varies hugely. As a starting point someone coming from abroad may want to consider working for an Arboricultural Assocation Approved Contractor or an employer holding the ISA Certified Arborist qualification or similar.

 

 

[*]Do employers sponsor employees to get there certs? who are those employers?

 

Yes, some employers pay for their workers to gain NPTCs certs mainly because they have to, not necessarily because they want to, there are a few generous folk out there who will put their staff through expensive courses only for the employees to switch to another company or start their own company soon after, but then...thats life. There are many treeworkers in the UK who have paid for all their own training.

 

[*]Do employers usually have PPE (protective equipment) available for employees? If not, what am I required to provide myself?

 

 

Professional employers will provide basic PPE for treework, but they'd probably be happy for you to bring your own if it met all the relevant safety standards.

 

 

[*]Are there (quality) employers out there who are interested in taking a trained groundie to help them get going in a new area?

 

Most employers in the UK will ask for the basic NPTCs at the very least before they employ you as a groundie, mainly for insurance reasons. There are a few decent folk who will take you on without the NPTCs but pay you less and give you some onsite training.

 

 

[*]What are the "apprenticeship" schemes about? how do they work? Where do I find them? Are they the right track to follow?

 

 

Apprenticeship schemes are basically on the job training over a period of a few years, there will be some companies/organisations in the UK running arb apprenticeships, someone else may know of them. Most decent employers will give you time to train you as you work.

 

my wife wants to move south, closer to Bath.

 

good choice, very expensive place to live though

 

 

.

Edited April 25, 2010 by scotspine1

[Grizzly]

Welcome to the forum.

 

My advice to you regards finding work would be to do what I'm doing at the minute. Obviously deciding where you want to live will make this easier but just open the Yellow Pages and look for 'Tree Services', Forestry Services', etc. and give local companies a call.

 

You could actually go online to Yell.com the UK's local business search engine - search for United Kingdom businesses and search on there.

 

Hope it helps a little

[Rupe]

BArtletts have a base just north of Cirencester. Generally a good area for work, but so is bristol and bath areas.

[Gnarlyoak]

Hi Xdarkknight,

 

Welcome to the forum. This is probably the best place to get your finger on the pulse of the UK Arb industry, ha, and boy o boy are you in for culture shock when you get here.

 

Just remember that when someone starts taking the piss ( or bustin ya balls) its normal it does'nt mean they don't like you. So you don't have to reach for your "piece", everyone takes the P over here mate. And remember you call people "mate" not buddy or bud or pal or mo-fo! OK.

 

Bartletts could be a good call, Bartletts UK is an extension of Bartletts USA, and the Bartlett family have taken regular hands-on visits to Bartlett UK in the past. There is also a Bartlett office in the Bristol (UK) area.

 

As mentioned before though, most companys (Bartletts included) do usually expect you to have NPTC certs before they consider you. Try contacting Bartletts UK offices direct or maybe a US office to see if you can get a referral. Alternatively maybe contact jewillo or Ian Haynes on this site for more info Bartletts UK.

 

Oh and of course don't forget to pimp yourself on this website's Employment Forum, its what its there for afterall.

 

And best of British bloody luck to you mate, hope you get something sorted.

[ad15]

i'd steer clear of swindon,,, too many roundabouts..

 

yeh i know what you're thinking.. "what's a roundabout?"

 

my point exactly...

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

welcome, bath is a lovely place, bristol not so much!

 

hope you find some work, maybe you should also consider your "other skills" too, bushcraft and backcountry ways are becoming big business over here now, you should do some research into that if your open to both ocupations?

[Grizzly]

i'd steer clear of swindon,,, too many roundabouts..

 

yeh i know what you're thinking.. "what's a roundabout?"

 

my point exactly...

 

Isn't a roundabout just a way you get to it?? In a roundabout sort of way:001_huh:

 

Might be easier to call it a circle road thingy........oh hang on, do they have circles in the US? Then again his wife's English so she'll keep him on track:thumbup1:

[xdarkknight]

Hah! Thanks guys!

Roundabout?? OHH you mean the MAGIC roundabout!! Good friggin Lord... I thought I was going to die goin around that one... one of the scariest intersections in Britain, if I recall! Swindon... not the place to move to... check.

We're arriving about a week and a half before the Arb Assoc's Trade Show in Cirencester in June. so I'm hoping to head down there and camp at places we're interested in along the M4 in the week following the Arb Show.

I've lived in the UK for about a year & have a steady stream of UK Tele, so I know a little of what to expect when I arrive... just a little intimidated by crazy things like the dreaded Magic Roundabout.

 

I'm getting some great answers here! Keep em coming!

 

A question I have on PPE... CE/European safety standards are strict, but slightly different from US ANSI UL safety standards. I want to buy some good CS Boots (Haix extreme protector) & some badass CS trousers (Stihl/Pfanner Stretch-air) that I've seen in the UK. I've got some contacts with the US distributor "Wesspur" (a thoroughly authentic badarse Arb supplier) and asked them why they don't sell some European CS Boots or Trousers. Apparently EU standards state that the Protective gear is meant to keep the user from being injured. The US standard requires the Chainsaw to be completely stopped if they make contact with the Protective gear. So the EU standard is slightly less effective than the US standard... which sucks cause the chainsaw "chaps"(over-trousers) are damn hot.

 

Any thoughts on this or other similar differences in practices or safety standards?

 

Thanks

xDK

[Rupe]

I took my driving test in Swindon, and wen tover the magic roundabout. No worries! Its scary/confusing, so that slows the traffic down and it works quite well.