can anyone help me out?

[Hhunter]

Im 16 years old from Reading in England and i want to be a tree surgeon, i know there is college courses in arboriculture and forestry but everywhere i have read and everyone i have spoken to has said i would be better off trying to find someone/company that does apprenticeships so i can get some experience while i do the training so can anyone help me out or give me some advice??

[easy-lift guy]

Perhaps arbjobs.com, found them under the employment link on the homepage of Arbtalk.

easy-lift guy

[Paul Jenks]

At 16 you are not insured to use any of the equipment and I'm not sure how you would stand with the employers liability. I suspect it would not cover you either and that there would have to be extra cover taken out.

Apprenticeships are a grand idea at the moment and as yet there doesn't appear to be any formal structure in place to make it simple for both the employer and employee. It's very expensive for the employer to take on trainees, even if they pay minimum wage as a senior person has to devote a significant amount of time to mentoring them, taking that person away from their day to day duties.

I would suggest a college course and spend you 'off' time doing unpaid work initially for local companies. As you gain qualifications these are reinforced by your practical experience and vice-versa. When you complete a course you are then in a better position to secure work as you will have the balance of good training with work experience.

Be aware, tree surgery is very hazardous and bloody hard work so the romance soon wears off. Ask anyone who has had to fight the top out of a conifer hedge riddled with climbing rose in the pouring rain and wind, with no water-proofs, with a saw that won't run, next to a road on one side and a garden full of dog s**t on the other, a rake with 2 teeth, a chipper that keeps blocking and a van that's so full more chip falls off as you load it on.

On the up side I've been doing it on and off for 24+ years and still enjoy it. I wouldn't do it if I didn't.

[David Goss]

Ask anyone who has had to fight the top out of a conifer hedge riddled with climbing rose in the pouring rain and wind, with no water-proofs, with a saw that won't run, next to a road on one side and a garden full of dog s**t on the other, a rake with 2 teeth, a chipper that keeps blocking and a van that's so full more chip falls off as you load it on

 

Dont you just love days like that:thumbup:

 

All good advice but it wont be easy to get experience without, well... experience:001_huh:

Just stick with it and you will get there eventually, be determined and enthusiastic about your goal and you will do fine:thumbup1:

[Paul Jenks]

Dont you just love days like that:thumbup:

 

They get especially better when you dent the neighbours shed roof and spend more money rectifying the damn thing than the job was worth.

[skyhuck]

At 16 you are not insured to use any of the equipment and I'm not sure how you would stand with the employers liability. I suspect it would not cover you either and that there would have to be extra cover taken out.

Apprenticeships are a grand idea at the moment and as yet there doesn't appear to be any formal structure in place to make it simple for both the employer and employee. It's very expensive for the employer to take on trainees, even if they pay minimum wage as a senior person has to devote a significant amount of time to mentoring them, taking that person away from their day to day duties.

I would suggest a college course and spend you 'off' time doing unpaid work initially for local companies. As you gain qualifications these are reinforced by your practical experience and vice-versa. When you complete a course you are then in a better position to secure work as you will have the balance of good training with work experience.

Be aware, tree surgery is very hazardous and bloody hard work so the romance soon wears off. Ask anyone who has had to fight the top out of a conifer hedge riddled with climbing rose in the pouring rain and wind, with no water-proofs, with a saw that won't run, next to a road on one side and a garden full of dog s**t on the other, a rake with 2 teeth, a chipper that keeps blocking and a van that's so full more chip falls off as you load it on.

On the up side I've been doing it on and off for 24+ years and still enjoy it. I wouldn't do it if I didn't.

 

Yes there is my son will be doing an apprenticeship with my firm and Myerscough collage next year when he leaves school.

[Frankie Lawrence]

there is an apprentership scheme Ive been there done that and got the certificate about a year ago ish

[Paul Jenks]

Please don't take this the wrong way and there is no disrespect. As you have a vested interest in the apprentice I'm guessing you will have done an amount of research etc to find out all the relevent detail, courses, etc,etc.

My point was that there doesn't appear to be any formal structure that makes it easy for both the employer and the employee.

The concept of apprenticeships is fine by me. The challenge for the providers/suppliers, [read;companies and or colleges], is to have been sold, metaphorically, the solution in a ready to use package. There has to be a financial incentive, IMO, and it has to be made simple and transparent for all parties. There also has to be a clear delivery timeline with all the responsibilities for mentoring and formal training.

Also, most arboricultural contracting companies are not in a position to offer apprenticeships as, economy notwithstanding, they have to devote their training resources to their existing staff given a) the inadequacies in training and certification processes delivered by some current providers and b) the raft of new qualifications that appear with all the toys we now use on site.

[skyhuck]

I really don't know what you mean:confused1:

 

It seems pretty simple to me.

 

 

Advanced Course Search - Intermediate Apprenticeship in Arboriculture

 

Advanced Course Search - Advanced Apprenticeship in Arboriculture

[Head Ranger Pete]

as yet there doesn't appear to be any formal structure in place to make it simple for both the employer and employee. :

 

Spot on - we looked at taking on an apprentice earlier this year supported by a local trust and the rules on minimum wage (if over 19) and policies on working with a minor (if under 18) made it a non starter in the end

 

although we wanted to make it a paid training position the red tape just got too strangulating, so we wound up making it a work experience unpaid placement open only to those over 18 , and used the funding to provide a £4k training package for the trainee