Potential arboriculturalist needs advice!!

[danshayler]

Hi all, Im am after some good advice before taking the leap. I am due to leave the armed forces in a year and would like to pursue a career in tree surgery but have quite alot of unanswered questions. Would be very grateful if you could give me some advice.

 

1) What courses/quals do i need to get me started, employable and insured?

2) Can i also do quite advanced courses early on or do i have to gain alot of practical experience?

3) Can you recommed a good course centre, cost and location are'nt that important as the MOD pay for 're-settlement' courses on leaving the forces, South West would be preferrable but not essential.

4) I would love to be able to take my trade abroad (either europe, Oz, Canada, States) so are these qualifications internationally recognised? This is quite important as i dont plan to stay in the UK. Also can you earn good money abroad?

 

Lastly, if it helps, im 28 and had a couple of years experience as a landscape gardener before i joined the forces so i am slightly familiar with the work and have used chainsaws, chippers etc before although not qualified. Oh and i have been told so many different things on what you can earn in Arboriculture, can anyone give me an expert opinion, aswell as abroad if possible.

Thanks!!

Dan.

[Yorkshireman]

Hello Dan

 

if overseas is your destination, talk to the forces resettlement guys & they shold be able to talk you through, whats the best qual dependant on your choice of country

 

as to earning , thtas all down to experience & your willingness to work hard , trees as a career is great BUT isnt all about shinny new kit. a lesson that can come hard to those who are mis guided

 

quals start with

chainsaw maintenance > Small felling > cs38 aerial rescue

 

then woodchipper > stumpgrinder

 

or aerial units. & perhaps mewp

 

the more you have the better an employer will view your CV

 

B+E trailer driving / towing is a distinct advantage

 

rgds Iain

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

If your looking to go abroad I would go for ISA membership and certification

 

welcome to arb!

[RobRainford]

1) What courses/quals do i need to get me started, employable and insured?

 

chainsaw and climbing tickets, aswell as eom machinery as mentioned above, landscape gardening is a different world.

 

There is so much more to Arboriculture than being a tree surgeon, thats just the most popular bit!

 

An arborist, or Arboriculturist (not arboriculturalist, not trying to be condescending!) deals with the sort of 'behind the scenes' work, surveying trees, reports, plant heath care, pest and disease management etc. Not just being a monkey with a saw. Tools are the last option.

 

2) Can i also do quite advanced courses early on or do i have to gain alot of practical experience?

 

the courses dont require experience, especially the CS30 and 31, the cs38 and 39 courses are from a basic level too. As technically you should get these tickets before you climb, so should have no experience. Same for the saws.

 

 

 

3) Can you recommed a good course centre, cost and location are'nt that important as the MOD pay for 're-settlement' courses on leaving the forces, South West would be preferrable but not essential.

 

look for the colleges up and down the country, a lot of work is available in the south, however there is a large number of people after the small amount of the better work, so the competition is tricky.

 

 

4) I would love to be able to take my trade abroad (either europe, Oz, Canada, States) so are these qualifications internationally recognised? This is quite important as i dont plan to stay in the UK. Also can you earn good money abroad?

 

Internally recognised qualifications would be things like the ISA certified/master arborist courses. The university level courses in arb such as the FdSc, BSc and MSc will be transferable abroad.

 

The money abroad, depending where you go, can be slightly more, i know climbers wages are good in sweden and the countries very cold right now, but you have to be a good climber and that can take a good few years.

[jpbeaver]

 

An arborist, or Arboriculturist (not arboriculturalist, not trying to be condescending!) deals with the sort of 'behind the scenes' work, surveying trees, reports, plant heath care, pest and disease management etc. Not just being a monkey with a saw. Tools are the last option.

 

.

I always thought aboriculturist was a tree cultivator? Surely it's consultants who do reports. I know the 2 can link together.

[RobRainford]

I always thought aboriculturist was a tree cultivator? Surely it's consultants who do reports. I know the 2 can link together.

 

a consultant would still be an arboriculturist, as he knows what hes doing. Arborist is just a shortened term.

 

arboriculture in a literal translation is tree cultivation, so thats the definition of the word, but it encompasses a range of different aspects.

[Stephen Blair]

Hi Dan, you are 28, x forces, presumably fit and already have experience in chainsaws and chippers, know what graft is and you want to get stuck in and earn some good money and do it abroad.

You want to be a monkey with a chainsaw, simples! They make the most money anyway.

Get yourself a harness, rope and a helmet. Find some trees and go and play .

The basics are you pull 1 end of the rope and you go up, slacken the knot and you will go down. An hour with a good climber will teach you what you need to know, the rest is practice and ability.

If you get a saw, cut up some firewood in your spare time and get saw fit and confident and carefull.

Do the courses and job done, monkey with a saw.

6 months with a big company getting lots of opertunity to climb big stuff and you will be ready to go make your pennies.

Arborist, like trees. They are happy with dreadlocks and cycling to work, tree cutters are cool and flash and get the hot chicks:laugh1:

[Maxnaggle]

hello mate if your based in the southwest you can get your cs30/31/38 from a guy called terry mcgovern, website is http://www.treeschool.co.uk hope that helps

[Mozza]

a consultant would still be an arboriculturist, as he knows what hes doing. Arborist is just a shortened term.

 

arboriculture in a literal translation is tree cultivation, so thats the definition of the word, but it encompasses a range of different aspects.

 

For someone so young, you don't half waffle some **** sometimes Rob!! Haha

[treequip]

For someone so young, you don't half waffle some **** sometimes Rob!! Haha