Hello everyone

[Bald Monkey]

Hi There, thought it was about time I said hello as I've been checking out this forum for a few weeks and have decided to join. I'm totally hooked.

 

I've been working for 12 years in an office enviroment and am totally fed up with it and after much research have decided on a career change into the Arb industry. I'm due to start a National Award in Arb in September which includes CS30,31,38,39 and can't wait to get started.

 

Any tips you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated. I've got to buy some kit at some stage such as boots, trousers and gloves. Any recommendations?

 

Cheers for now!!

[Lee Winger]

 

Any tips you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated. I've got to buy some kit at some stage such as boots, trousers and gloves. Any recommendations?

 

Cheers for now!!

 

Welcome to the forum, as for tips give it a serious thought before you jump into this game, apart from the credit crunch, this job is saturated with so called arborists,so work is tight! I get two cvs per week through my letter box from college leavers wanting work, and one a month from experienced tree workers..

 

Don't let me put you off though, just take what lecturers say with a pinch of salt, this game is hard and comes with very little reward for the amount of work put in..

[Bald Monkey]

Thanks for the welcome. Not what I really wanted to hear for my first reply but appreciate your honesty.

 

I'm under no illusions that this is a tough game to get into. However I think I have the enthusiasm and commitment to give it a good go and this is something that I really want to do and I'm going to put 100% effort into it.

[David Humphries]

Welcome Bald Monkey.

 

Ime, if you stick around, you'll probably learn more at Arbtalk than you ever will on a course.

Not suggesting you don't enrol, two heads better than one, mind you you'll benefit from

have a growing army of Arb addicts here to bounce your thoughts and opinions off.

 

My advice, with regards to the state of economy, would be to surf the Local Authority job adverts.

 

Stability and longevity = slowly slowly catchy monkey.

 

 

Good luck to you, and enjoy the banter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[Bald Monkey]

Thanks monkeyd,

 

I will definitely be searching the local authority sector among other things. The course I'm doing is 3 days a weeks so hoping to pick up some sort of work in the industry for 2 days per week although I will probably have to wait until I've taken the first couple of NPTC units.

[Tom D]

Welcome to the forum baldy.

 

I have two colledge leavers working for me just now, one has been with me for a year and is now a decent climber, the other still needs a lot of practise. Although both were on the same course starting at the same time, getting a years experience has made for a huge difference between them. So my advice would be go for a course with as much practical experience as possible. Learning to climb trees is like learning to drive: you can't do it from the classroom, you must get as much practise as possible.

[Bald Monkey]

Hi Tom

 

The course that I will be doing is 50% theory and 50% practical so hopefully I'll get plenty of experience of climbing. Obviously climbing trees in a college enviroment will not fully prepare me for climbing in the real world.

[Frank]

Nothing can prepare you fully. Every tree, every cut, every situation is different from the last. The main thing you need is the enthusiasm that you seem to already hold. Some days the job can feel quite glamorous when you have massive branches swinging round, balanced, lowering perfectly, knowing that you are in control. Customers and passers-by looking up in relative awe.

But there is a lot of rough to go with that smooth. 100% commitment is the only way to get anywhere. I dont see my "job" as work. I love it.

[Frank]

Oh and welcome to my new found love aswell ARBTALK

[cerneARB]

Hi bald monkey

 

I was in your shoes this time last year. Did NA arb 3 days a week , got my cs30-31. Now trying to set up a bussiness.

 

Its tough out there , in Suffolk were i am were saturated with tree firms, but stick at it , theres always light at the end of the tunnel.

 

C