Career Change

[Paul Barton]

I did my course with a 40 year old guy who is now doing very well. He was a fit and healthy bloke and wanted to stay that way instead of rotting in an office.

 

You could climb for a few years and then if it starts to hurt too much look at a less physically demanding role like pricing/inspections etc.. Kind of depends what other skills you have to offer I guess.

[Backpain]

Cheers for all the comments guys, it really is appreciated from fellas in the know. It's nothing short of daunting but I'm really passionate about the outdoors and this feels absolutely the right thing to do. I've already put the house up for sale so we can down size and live on a lower income. Not that sales pays that much.

 

I've got loads of experience in project management and estimating so I could move back to the shiny elbow job once I'm burnt out and need to slow down a bit.

 

Once I've got my tickets and some experience I definitely get some formal qualifications, any suggestions which one are the best to take.

[Treewarrior]

I'm 49 this year. Still working a 5 day week teaching maths, but hate it, have started out 4 years ago working weekends as a groundsman, took time to offer my services to some good surgeons and climbers, learnt a lot, slow and steady.

 

Can now climb up to 65ft and feel proud of it,

 

If I get anything technically challenging, I use some of the young guns.

[Backpain]

I'm 49 this year. Still working a 5 day week teaching maths, but hate it, have started out 4 years ago working weekends as a groundsman, took time to offer my services to some good surgeons and climbers, learnt a lot, slow and steady.

 

Can now climb up to 65ft and feel proud of it,

 

If I get anything technically challenging, I use some of the young guns.

 

Nice one Treewarrior. I guess 2nd order differential equations don't give you same buzz as being 65ft up a tree. I've been in engineering for 20 years, worked my way up, did a degree and all that and could never really find a job that payed very well or provided any kind of fulfillment.

 

Why aren't working the trees full time?

[Spikey]

Im 33 worked in forestry when I was in my late teens for a couple of years and after a long time as a hgv and plant fitter decided to do my nptc tickets for climbing a year ago and have been working for tree surgery company since april last year climb most days and love it the only thing is that a few people have told me that it takes 3 to 4 years to rearly find your feet

[Backpain]

Sounds like it's no different than any other skilled craft you're never going to pick it up over night. I served my apprenticeship in the machine shop and I still remember the sound and the feel of the lathe when you were cutter. You could feel when it wasn't right and you adjusted feeds and speed to suit. It's like your in tune with things and think thats what makes craft jobs so much more rewarding than....well brain jobs.

[BigMcD]

Go for it mate, I have and although not finding paid work at the moment, every minute I spend with the trees in the woods (coppicing for fun/free!) I thank my lucky stars.....no going back for me I hope.

 

Nothing more soul destroying than office work in my opinion!

[Gnarlyoak]

If your really set on giving it a try then do it. I made the drastic career change 6yrs ago from office based IT (after 22yrs) to tree work at the grand young age of 38. I climb and can easily give the young uns a run for their money on the ground and in the air at 44 and my only regret is that I did'nt do this sooner.

 

Yeah I feel the aches and pains, arthritis in the hips and all, but I never felt so alive than when I'm sweating my nads off, sawdust up my nose, tree sap and crap under my fingernails, and a throbbing chainsaw in my hands. And each day I can't wait to get out there and do it all again.

 

Good luck to you mate.

[Alasdair]

go for it mate, went through college with a 42 year old and im sure he wouldnt mind me telling you at the start of the course he was banging on about how he wouldnt be able to climb to the top of the trees and so on and so forth now hes climbing job. and is quite happy.

 

so its worth doing mate. go for it

[caledonian bob]

I would say go for it. I started doing my NPTCs at the age of 38 and did the RFS cert arb at 39. Started my own tree business shortly after. I was lucky when I was training as I met a guy with loads of experience who had run his own business and had also been head arborist for the Queen at Windsor. He is also an NPTC trainer and assessor. Picked up loads of work with him and also branched out (sorry for the pun) into bat work. Im now almost 43 and enjoying what I do. I have to admit that Im not as fastest climber but so what.