Choosing a chainsaw trainer

[john k]

I'm planning to do my CS30 and 31 this year, and wondered whether there is much difference between training providers?

 

Is it simply a matter of choosing the most convenient or least expensive? Or are there other things I should be looking for?

 

Thanks!

[mrtree]

What would you suggest that people look for when hiring an arborist/tree surgeon? The cheapest price? The nearest?

 

Maybe you should try to determine who will provide the best training!

[Jonesie]

Give Richard a ring from Kingswood Training, very good set up.

 

Kingswood Training | Lantra & NPTC approved Tree Surgery Training - Home | Kingswood Training | Lantra & NPTC approved Tree Surgery Training

[Mick Stockbridge]

Or you could try Mark Kneller aka 'Gollum' in here.

 

 

Help With Trees, Chainsaw Training, Kent

[john k]

What would you suggest that people look for when hiring an arborist/tree surgeon? The cheapest price? The nearest?

I have no idea. I know roughly as much about choosing an arborist as I do about choosing a chainsaw trainer. I suspect that the majority of people would end up going by price.

 

Maybe you should try to determine who will provide the best training!

Precisely the reason for this thread of course. But if I don't know how providers differ, or even if there is much difference, it's difficult to evaluate who will be the best. Or even if the "best" is necessary provided I end up as a safe and competent chainsaw user.

 

Recommendations are always useful (thanks!), but apart from that how do I identify a good trainer? Are they likely to be a lot better than an average trainer? Are there any bad trainers and how do I avoid them?

[Arbocop]

I'm planning to do my CS30 and 31 this year, and wondered whether there is much difference between training providers?

 

Is it simply a matter of choosing the most convenient or least expensive? Or are there other things I should be looking for?

 

Thanks!

 

Ummm

 

few of the answeres have clearly helped....... what to look for, i would suggest that closeness is not everything but in thes days of costly travel would be a consideration.

 

facilities, dont be afraid to phone up, as questions about the site they use (the quality of a site can make or break a course) an excellent instructor on a bad site will struggle!!), there work shops, other facilities, dont even be afraid to ask if you can come round and have a look.

 

when it comes to cost again to some extent cost is important but does not always reflect everything, only pay a little attention to this.

 

dont only consider the colleges, ask who your instructor will be, ask if they are on the lantra professional register for instructing the skills you seek, being on the regester does not mean they are super men but does mean they have to do cpd and keep up to date with current changes.

 

ask others there opinions (you have had two suggestions already on here) both very reputable.

 

and i would say being in sussex you are in a good spot, we are based in suffolk so prehaps a bit of a treck for you, but you are quite spoilt besides the two you have herd already you may try land skills training, nice set up bought in instructors os cant know who you will get, or head a little further over to dorset and you are getting close to joe and john both good instructors.

 

also dont be afraid to ask about availibility of kit/ppe to use /try out.

 

then think about all the info you get and make a choise, if it does not work out for you vote with your feet and change.

 

hope thats the sort of thing you are after

 

kev

[Treegeek]

Arbocop makes some good points i have had experiance with several forms setups of trainning provider from small independant trainer to larger out fits.

I have had the pleasure of the following nptc trainners and asesor's Joe Hedger and John Trenchard at Arboventure, Tony Darbyshire and Rowland at Darbyshire trainning, John Townsend Steve Horsfeild plus others at Land based trainning, Lenny and Steve (cant remeber second names) Newlands Trainning.

All of these out fits have high standards IMO and i past all my courses with varying feed back.

My advice would be to bear in mind the cost of the course and traveling its that old chestnut "if its to cheap to be true" ask around guys localy to you who thay have used.

 

From my experiance the following things have caused issues where's the course held ( travelling to venue) will thay supply suitable site for practical element, is there classroom/workshop toilets etc, do thay provide litreture for you to keep if so who there own or lantra, is the course run consectutivly from start to finish with out days away between training and assesment

( this has mixed veiws one of time to brush up or time to gain bad habbits )

 

What ever you choose best of luck

[felixthelogchopper]

Or you could try Mark Kneller aka 'Gollum' in here.

 

 

Help With Trees, Chainsaw Training, Kent

 

Did my 30 with Mark, very good trainer and fair assessor on other course too.

[john k]

Just to follow up for anyone who's interested:

 

I ended up doing my training with Scott Fraser at his site in Lamberhurst. He wasn't someone who was mentioned here, but was reasonably near by and had availability on the week that I had managed to keep clear.

 

The price was good, and Scott is an assessor as well as a trainer and also does arb and forestry work. The site had plenty of variety, predominantly hemlock but a fair bit of chestnut, beech, hazel too. All thngs that people have said to look out for in a trainer.

 

I hevent really got anything to compare the course with, but I had a great week and passed my CS30 and 31 assessments today so it worked for me!