How did you start in the industry?

[roseyweb]

I have disabilities which would make me unsuitable for any normal job but perfect for climbing trees

[PeteB]

Asked an uncle for a holiday job for the summer for beer money, that was 1982. Went to work for GreenMech in 1999. One day, I might look back and say "no wonder I'm skint!"

[Mozza]

Did an amenity horticulture NVQ after leaving school with no qualifications, where I meet an ex-forester who got me interested in chainsaws & tree feeling. He got a job working for a company clearing trees around powerlines and I soon followed. This was in the bad old days of powerline clearance before NPTC Utility Arb came in. Anyway, I've thankfully moved onwards & upwards since then!

 

Tree feeling eh??

[Bearded Munch]

Started on Jan 1st 1973 in forestry at Hatfield house aged 15, went into tree surgery in 1984 for Welwyn/Hatfield council ( £1000 a year more ) moved to S Wales in 1987 ran my own business for a few years then had enough and joined Torfaen council and been with since 1993. 39 years on still doing it and starting to feel it.

[MattyF]

Left school at 16, one years work experience followed by One year out at college...18 years later and it's all I've ever done.

[Dr.Green]

15 years in motor trade as panel beater runnnig garage with brother , still do few days week and tree work ther rest , got into it as lasses dads a forest craftperson or summit for forestry comission , lives in the woods as well , lucky man --- but now im realy sick of garage thou, has been a burdon on my life for 10 years , cant get away , only thing that will get me away is moving house.... i enjoy the tree work but would rather be on the ground titting around on the woodland floor , was going to apply for a ranger job at nationtrust a month ago next to mine but i convinced myself not to , wish i had now.

 

But i do look forward to going out working on the trees , gets me away from the bill paying job

[Minotaur]

Started on Jan 1st 1973 in forestry at Hatfield house aged 15, went into tree surgery in 1984 for Welwyn/Hatfield council ( £1000 a year more ) moved to S Wales in 1987 ran my own business for a few years then had enough and joined Torfaen council and been with since 1993. 39 years on still doing it and starting to feel it.

 

Respect to you mate, 39 years and counting!

 

I did a bit when I was a teen etc, then seven/eight years ago got sick of all the bull in the motor trade. Took my tickets, worked for a Railway contractor for 9 months, then went out on my own.

I had a really good run growong the business, then the recession hit, and I lost loads of work and a fair few small contracts, now surviving week by week, and more competition appears every day - where do they all come from?

Ho hum, head up and crack on!

[roseyweb]

Started on Jan 1st 1973 in forestry at Hatfield house aged 15, went into tree surgery in 1984 for Welwyn/Hatfield council ( £1000 a year more ) moved to S Wales in 1987 ran my own business for a few years then had enough and joined Torfaen council and been with since 1993. 39 years on still doing it and starting to feel it.

 

I did my uni work placement at Hatfield house, nice place

[tree_kid_ni]

Been rec. climbing from no age as my dad was foreman of a tree team of a demolition company who didn't care for budgets as were making a clean fortune at arb. I begged my dad to take me to work with him until he did when doing homers then at his work helping stumping on a sat (just re soiling) then he went out on his own (5 year ago) so i worked with him and got me qual's. now i climb most days.

[Brushcutter]

Started on Jan 1st 1973 in forestry at Hatfield house aged 15, went into tree surgery in 1984 for Welwyn/Hatfield council ( £1000 a year more ) moved to S Wales in 1987 ran my own business for a few years then had enough and joined Torfaen council and been with since 1993. 39 years on still doing it and starting to feel it.

 

I've done some work there. Lovely place. I'd love to work there but jobs there are rare.