Duty new bloke, need advice!!

[larry]

Maybe but i'd always employ ex-forces personnel over some of the muppet new starters from Tescos I've had the pleasure of.

 

A lot of firms will be after cheaper staff with the required attitude i'd see it as an opportunity. The guy will get trained for free after all.

Cheers mate, sounds positive. Where abouts do you work, and whow long have you been in the industry?? How did you train and really get to grpis with the whole thing??

 

Reagrds. L

[larry]

do you know a regimental sargeant major called martin, married to catherine?

 

Martin does not spring to mind, I call most RSM's ......................Sir!!!

 

Where is he based, or is he deployed. I prob don't know him, but would certainly have heard of him.

 

Regards L

[Buzz]

Cheers mate, sounds positive. Where abouts do you work, and whow long have you been in the industry?? How did you train and really get to grpis with the whole thing??

 

Reagrds. L

 

A friend of mine did the 10 week course at Merrist Wood and it's a good starting step. There was a guy there just getting out of 22 at the time and they paid for him to do the course and time off etc. He was retiring though rather than leaving if you know what i mean.

 

I should have made clearer the fact that yes it is important to get experience of the industry before wasting HM funds ( ) on trainning courses that will take you nowhere. Get some time in with a good local firm and see if it's for you.

 

Times are rough but there are sectors of the industry that are very good at this time.

 

Don't suppose you knew a Dave Smith in 42 about 5 years ago ?

 

He was a mate of a mate and a good laugh, got out early as well.

 

Best of Luck. Matt.

 

With regards to me:

 

> 16 years in this and related industries.

Vocationally trained but did time at Merrist Wood over a four year period as well.

Ran my own business for > 7 years.

Tree work and machinery is in my blood so fairly easy to get to grips with it for me.

[larry]

With Ref to Dave Smith, I don't know him, but as with most things, I would prob recognise the face!!

 

Thanks fot the reply. General feeling, is that it is hard to get going, especially at the moment, but I have considered this. I've made no rash decisions yet, just getting the feelers out, but it's the area I am keen to get into. Outdoors, hard work, proper tools, get out and about!!

 

Cheers!! Larry

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

mate dont do it , i've seen multiple new starters go to the wall this year. (and one retailer failing per day, next everything...)

a career , well maybe but with an increased amount of skilled labor already available then where will you fit in ??

 

good job but a bad bad time to join go for an undertaker, or baliff always in demand

 

Flippin heck! Negativity or what?! Talk about tear down rather than build up. I think this guy has thought long and hard about this and is probably well aware of the many plusses of a non-beureaucratic, physical and healthy job.

 

I admire his enthusiasm and would give him a job any day with that level of interest and commitment.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Maybe but i'd always employ ex-forces personnel over some of the muppet new starters from Tescos I've had the pleasure of.

 

A lot of firms will be after cheaper staff with the required attitude i'd see it as an opportunity. The guy will get trained for free after all.

 

 

Couldn't agree more...

[larry]

Cheers mate, Just like my favourite by the song by the Killers "Mr Brightside".

Thanks for the positive vibe. Any tips send them my way!!

Your not an ex-Royal are ya!!

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Welcome to the forum Larry!

 

I don't think there has been a worse time to enter this industry.As it has been said before that you might want to wait a year before commiting to any training,but volunteering with a tree firm for a few days would give you a taste of the industry.

 

If your dead set on leaving the service then fair enough.A year using your existing skills with a private company overseas might give your finances an added boost and a few months between tours to try somthing new.

 

Best of luck to you in whatever you choose!

 

Here's a story: Ex army sniper - leaves forces (honourable discharge), gets married, gets top job in energy company. Three years later, job stressful as hell and post traumatic stress / depression diagnosed. Slaves on for another two years, finally on medical suspension with employer ill equipped to understand the situation. Made redundant, has a rest then ploughs savings into kit and training. Gets EMDR PTSD treatment and sets up grounds maintenance co. Applies simple formula - work flippin hard and do a better job than everybody else = restored individual with wife who has a husband again, sleeps sweetly at night and is most importantly - Happy!

[Mikey P]

Larry,

 

There were a couple of bootnecks on the course I did with Kingswood. Very well set-up place they have there in Kent - give Richard Olley a call if you want to know anything more.

 

I can't speak for anyone else but the Kingswood course was geared towards making sure you got all the relevant ground and aerial basic tickets and could effectively pay for 95% of the course with your resettlement grant, SLC and ELC.

 

Whilst you might get more out of a college course in the long term, it depends on what time you have left in the Marines and what activities you have coming up. Many civilians do not understand that it is not a simple matter for a serviceman to sign onto a college course part-time or evening classes - regular attendance can be difficult.

 

I agree with what someone said above about maybe doing a couple of weekends work experience to ensure it's what you want to do. Check with your RAO over what the score is with insurance or, alternatively, just do it and don't get injured.

 

If you want value for money, then something like the Kingswood service-leaver course is excellent; however, it is getting increasingly difficult to get experience once you have your tickets: I've been doing work for friends and family just to keep my hand in and have found it extremely hard to get any weekend work with a company, even when I have been offering my services for nothing (yes, I said 'FOR NOTHING!', Poole area, Dorset, CS 30, 31, 38, 39, woodchippers, stumpgrinders, clean 1992 driving license, own saw and all own PPE and climbing kit).

 

I would echo what someone else said earlier that now is not a good time to leave the forces. I don't know your discharge circumstances or options but, if you can sign on for another year or two, and spend that time looking into courses, doing a bit of work experience, not getting shot in Lashka Gar or Goresh, etc, it would be time well spent, with money in your pocket and a roof over your head.

 

I'm due out in Sep 09 - I'm kakking my pants and seriously thinking about doing another year instead...

Edited December 31, 2008 by Mikey P
sp

[Yorkshireman]

Flippin heck! Negativity or what?! Talk about tear down rather than build up. I admire his enthusiasm and would give him a job any day with that level of interest and commitment.

 

 

me negative !

 

have you seen the Robert Pestons version !! last one turn out the lights

 

Cant fault the enthusiasm , just aword re timing as I see the options at the moment

 

I Know of a guy, army good carreer ahead of him with the addition of a beinga class 1 licence holder, saw a mate doing well & aspired to do the same so left to join the throng of arbos . did the kingswood resettlement courses ,bought the kit, did the advertising &

hows he doing you might ask ?

 

He's making electronic circuits in a factory

 

SO make of that what you will , But me I see dozens of new trainees being pumped out of colleges/ training providers all with the same goal

To Run an urban tree/arb business.

 

so it might not be the best time ey, me ol cock sparra

 

it will very much depended on where, when, how much available work is around, which depends on how much competition, the local expendable wealth. stability for job prospects , This year could & imo will be challenging for established business , those that do go by the wayside, will expell into the market place many semi /qualified staff to be absorbed prior to the new guys. Though in this case ex forces is most definatley a bonus as would give gravitas to any Cv .

 

 

So LARRY

Think long & hard, do your own research into the job & Your prospects, expect to need a reserve of funds & another means of sourcing a wage, there are NO Guaranteed jobs on the outside chap

rgds Iain

Edited December 31, 2008 by Yorkshireman