Changing career to Arboriculture

[Guest]

Hi all, newly registered to the forum though I’ve been reading it for a while. I was hoping some of you might have some advice for me about getting into arboriculture.

 

I was at university until a couple of years ago and have a good degree but to be honest, it’s not taken me anywhere since graduating that I’ve really wanted to be. I’m 23 now and sitting in an office all day doing tasks that don’t feel very worthwhile isn’t exactly how I want to spend my time. The alternative that has been in my mind for a while is working in arboriculture/tree surgery- I grew up in the countryside chopping wood and helping my dad out who has worked in forestry for most of his life, so it feels like a more natural choice.

 

How would you suggest I go about it given my position? I want to be on the tools as I’d love to be doing something a bit more physical, and I definitely want to fully understand the theory behind the practice too. Should I be looking at a year-long full time course (working p/t in the evenings and weekends to live) which would give me chainsaw tickets and establish the theory, or get CS 30 & 31, maybe 38 and try and learn whilst working for an arb company (if I can find the work!), maybe by doing an appropriate FdSc or something at the same time? I’m in the West Midlands at the moment and have been looking at courses at Warwickshire College. I’m not sure how well they’re regarded, has anyone got any experience?

 

Warwickshire College | Courses |

 

Warwickshire College | Courses |

 

As you can see I’m a bit confused about the options though, so any suggestions would be most welcome. Many thanks.

[easy-lift guy]

Prospect, Welcome to ArbTalk. I believe you will find many sources of information and and just as many students who are presently enrolled and graduates of the School of hard knocks. That being said you are among good company that will help advise you lead you along your way to a happier way of life in the business world. You will make or break your own destiny in life, I believe you are well on your way to making your mark. Remember the only stupid question on this forum is the one not asked. All the best.

elg

[bbappleby]

Your situation sounds just like mine, iv just quit my job I had for 8 years to go back to college. The course I'm doing is a level 3 extended diploma in arboriculture, it lasts 2 years. This seems to be a reallly thorough, detailed course covering all aspects of tree's and tree working. I also have to get a work placement so I can learn on the job aswell. Hope this info might help. Ben

[Littletree]

Hi there and welcome you have come to the right place everyone will look after you and give you all the help you need . You will also find plenty of employment oppunities on here to get you going . Doind the years course is great and will give you a really good start If you can get your cs30 / 31 as soon as you can this will help you gain paid work as a groundy giving you experence on the tools using chippers chainsaws and learning the basics it's the best way to get your foot in the door work hard and you will do really well

 

. For me going into arb has been the best choice I have ever made and has compleatly chaned my life For the better .I have never looked back .Every day I do a job I love it's not like work it's play time everyday so it never feels like I am actually at work . Today's job was taking down a line of 8 conifers, the sun has been out all day the customer gave me lunch then tea And cakes . I am back there agan tom to take down a larger conifer looking forward to it allready

 

Good luck and all the best

littletree

[combined tree services]

Hi there , an option may be to go to somewhere like merrist wood and do a ten week course in tree surgery - you will learn both the practical and theory side or arboriculture , as a starting point i wold highly reccomend it , im not sure if the legend that is Jack Kenyon is still teaching the ten week course , when i was there in 2003 he was and there were a couple guys on my course that were totally new to tree work but still they did really well .

 

feel free to PM me if you have any questions

[Adrian cook]

Moreton morrel run some good courses there two of the practical lecturers used to work for me one full time and one contracting to me. Like most colages they change the courses regularly. I have a work placement student from there working with me at the moment and he has told me that next year there will be mo funding for nptc units and they will have to pay for them themselves. For each Nptc unit expect it to cost you around £500 per unit (3 days training and one day test). By all means give them a call but there would not be much employment opportunity if you walked out at the end of the year with a ND or even higher if you had no Nptc units as the collages are currently sending hundreds of students out in this position every year. Far better to maybe do a part time course and work for a tree company to fund you certificates. At minimum I would be looking at cs30 cs31 and a basic first aid ticket (£100 set) before you are taken seriously, cs38 would also be a Maxine help when organising teams in the real world. The difficulty with employing trainees is that most clients now require a three man team and if one of the seats in the vehicle is taken up with a trainee that is not earning enough money you become a liability. There are loads of companies in the midlands area and I'm sure you wouldn't have any trouble in gaining experience if properly qualified and enthusiastic. Just try to offer something different to all the other carreer change people out there. Best of luck

[Adrian cook]

Sorry about spelling and grammar, bloody iPhone keys are too small!

[Dilz]

Before you commit try and get some experience with a company to let you get an idea if it is right for you, though from your back ground it sounds like this shouldnt be a problem. By all means get a ticket such as an ND HND etc... the ND's are more practical in my opinion, and holding such a ticket will open up a lot more doors to you than just the NPTCs....

The tree industry is growing more and more competitive, so the ND and any other qualifications will give you an advantage when looking for work

Also if you go in with the mind that you aint planning to make your fortune, that its more of a life style choice, then you wont be disappointed.

[davidaddison67]

Hi there , an option may be to go to somewhere like merrist wood and do a ten week course in tree surgery - you will learn both the practical and theory side or arboriculture , as a starting point i wold highly reccomend it , im not sure if the legend that is Jack Kenyon is still teaching the ten week course , when i was there in 2003 he was and there were a couple guys on my course that were totally new to tree work but still they did really well .

 

feel free to PM me if you have any questions

 

It's a nine week course now, and the legend that is Jack Kenyon is still teaching on it (as well as some other great instructors). I've just finished the course (on the 8th of July), and I think the balance of theory and practical work is pretty good. Lots of us on this course had no prior arb experience but most of us did really well (I think about four people out of 16 failed to get one of the tickets, and that seems a good pass rate to me).

 

To do well you just need to have a good attitude towards learning, and to try your best, the guidence from the instructors was absolutely first class.

[Paul Barton]

Hi Prospect,

 

Welcome to the forum. I made the same move as you several years after I graduated from University. It wasn't easy but well worth it to do something you enjoy.

 

I am based in the West Midlands for work and have had some dealings with Warwickshire College. In my honest opinion I believe there are better colleges around, particularly if you are looking to do the Foundation Degree.

 

I believe the best way to get yourself kick-started in Arb is to do some intensive training to get your relevant NPTC tickets and then get out there and graft for a good boss. You will learn so much more actually working than you will going straight in to a long full time course.

 

However, I am NOT saying that a course is a bad idea, quite the opposite. Once you have some practical experience, then consider doing some study. It will be easier and more rewarding because you will be able to apply what you have learnt on the tools. Doing an arb course straight off the bat is weird because you have (I had!) no real reference of what I was learning - alot of it didn't make sense until I started work!

 

There is a good career to be had in Arboriculture if you work at it. Best of luck.