Working for the Forestry Commission? Arb student needs help please!

[Arghshh]

Doug, thanks for the follow up. I have been looking at the National Trust, Wildlife trust, Natural England and have give thought to TilHill. Our lecturer says not to worry as the collage has lots of contacts and they will always find placements for people no matter what but it's obviously advisable to pursue your preferred 'employeer' under ones own steam - which I am trying to do.

 

Scuff - thanks as well.

 

I was looking for pointers and tips to help me be more successful or at least set me up better for future employment with aforementioned businesses. The point you make about building a rapport is a good one, I was keeping an eye out for voluntary work with the FC but even that is a rare opportunity!

 

No need to apologise for your first response, it's difficult to gauge someones tone in writing anyway so I never jump to conclusions.

 

I'll let you know how I get on.

[Andrew Reed]

I would agree, large estates provide good opportunities, if you can get in. Suggest just get on the phone to them, and be prepared for a large phone bill to mobiles during the day. I noticed the FC are keener on training and apprentices in Scotland at present.

 

I think Health and safety issues are probably quite a constriant, because it will take up an awful lot of the area managers time to do the job as is required. In my area the FC sometimes end up with Work Experience students who are not interested and it does not work out at all. I guess that is what "work experence" is about, to find out if it is for right for you, so always that risk. Whereas what you are after might be something more than what is often called Work Experience. I suggest a very personalised approach to the prospective employers (FC/Estates managers), and make sure you have your own PPE. If you have a chipper ticket first, then you are immediately useful to some arborist companies to help with clearing up. Also, if acceptable try thinking about work experience is a related work area such as, some aspects of horticulture (tree nursery), landscape gardening, forestry research. Remember, if you do work experience with the FC in the forests in populated areas, you will probably be fly tipping removal on at least one of the days, and boundary fencing on another.

 

Good luck