British Soldier to Tree Surgeon!!

[Rich Rule]

Iv been climbing for eight years now.

Most Companies in London don't pay more than £120 a day. All I'm saying is after you work your nuts off and put the effort in the return is minimal!! Tree wages are still the same over eights years on from when I started yet the cost of living has risen!! Some will say its not about the money and it a "lifestyle". It's not. Its a job which could be great if employers met climbers half way!! The military is a lifestyle career. I'm ex Royal Marines. (One of the greatest fighting forces)

 

Cheers for the reply. I have to disagree with you there. I stopped charging 120 quid a day about 5 years ago.

 

Companies out there pay the money if you are worth it. It is down to you to find them.

 

As Si said, if you are unhappy with this then why not find something else that pays more?

[onehanded]

It seems you are pretty discontented with your lot. Why after 8 years are you still doing it? Ever thought of moving to something else where the return (in your opinion) isn't minimal?

 

Do you think tree surgeon wages are fair? I am looking at leaving tree work. I leave for Australia in two weeks where I will being going into the mining industry (preferred) or the rigs. I'm just seeking a higher return for my efforts is all.

[onehanded]

Cheers for the reply. I have to disagree with you there. I stopped charging 120 quid a day about 5 years ago.

 

Companies out there pay the money if you are worth it. It is down to you to find them.

 

As Si said, if you are unhappy with this then why not find something else that

 

 

 

That's exactly what I'm doing. My biggest thing with this job is that every climber has an expiry date!! I just don't want to miss the boat and be starting a new career into my thirties!

[Rich Rule]

Fair enough. Good luck with your new endeavours.

[Si Stevenson]

Do you think tree surgeon wages are fair? I am looking at leaving tree work. I leave for Australia in two weeks where I will being going into the mining industry (preferred) or the rigs. I'm just seeking a higher return for my efforts is all.

 

I think it comes down to management of expectation. I knew that when I left the Army I would need £X amount to continue the same quality of life for me and my family. I worked out I could make that in Arb but I would have to work dam hard!

 

I also worked out that I could make a lot more by running my own business. I now do that. I can safely say I work hard for my money, but I also enjoy it!

 

I know it's not for everyone and I hope the job in Austrailia works out for you. I hear they pay mega bucks just for driving a truck at the mine!?

[Jesse]

As I said it was only my opinion. And I respect yours. I just know that when I had a mate do some work for me a few years ago, when he was skint and on leave. He told me how grateful he would be going back to finishing work by midday, having his scoff provided and being pampered in the line infantry.

 

My point isn't that manual work in gardens is all bad. It's just that there are easier ways to earn a crust and I'd rather the bloke know it.

 

Glad it is going well for you mate. For a bootneck it seems like things have turned out surprisingly well for you!

 

For a bootneck i would say i'm an underachiever , i'v only ever scratched a living but been very happy with life and all who i have made friends with and worked with in the industry (Arb) as a booty in all my time in i never got past the first rung, could not face going back to CTCRM for all the money in the world, 10 years as a mne, with a 3 year attachment in the RMR on top, not that i did much in the RMR, so in all about a 13 year sentence Nearly all of the old bootnecks i am in touch with have done really well, Chappy the Ice man just keeps walking to the north pole, (famous explorer) Others are headmaster, international security advisers , Smiller is now high up in the NZ coastguard , responsible for redesigning the way the NZ coastguard do things, there are very few who i worked with that have not done really well in life. I'v done ok, had loads of fun along the way, put down my own success to the mind set which i developed as a bootneck, and my perseverance with education in Arb since leaving the RM.

[Si Stevenson]

[quote=sammym;

 

Glad it is going well for you mate. For a bootneck it seems like things have turned out surprisingly well for you!

 

Thought that was a little rich coming from some one who shut their company to go on tour with the TA's

[JimM]

I think it comes down to management of expectation. I knew that when I left the Army I would need £X amount to continue the same quality of life for me and my family. I worked out I could make that in Arb but I would have to work dam hard!

 

I also worked out that I could make a lot more by running my own business. I now do that. I can safely say I work hard for my money, but I also enjoy it!

 

That sums it up pretty much for me and how I planned leaving the RAF. I'm doing ok, as are my two colleagues who work with me up here. But i left after 25 years and invested heavily so that I could be my own boss. We've just had a young Army lad do 4 days with us last week to let him gauge the type of work we do. I reckon he could make it as an arb as he put the effort in.

 

The lad mentioned earlier who was glad to get back to Army life; well I reckon he will come out and be an underachieving car park attendant. Not all the Forces guys are up to it.

 

Of the 3 mil lads who we did some training with earlier this year at TKF, one runs his own business and the other two walked straight in to arb jobs, beating a lot of civilians because of their work ethos and dedication.

 

So it can be done. If you are up to the challenges.

 

I take exception to the comment about being treated like dirt and regarded as tramps. I have yet to meet a customer who doesn't respect what we can do. On the contrary, they take pleasure in watching us and interact with us through the day. I can only think that if an arb turns up looking like a tramp, moans about the work, appears sour-faced, then of course he'll be looked down on. I'd look down on him!

[frets1]

Hi Tim,

I would say go for it.

There seems to be a lot of negative feelings about tree work.

No one says you will be rich, be dry and cool or its easy work. Trees are heavy!

Ive been doing it since 95 and still enjoy it. set up business with a friend in 2001. Been flat out at time and been quiet at times, same as any business.

 

Grab as much training and tickets off the government as you can, you have earnt it the hard way to and deserve it!!

 

Where in oxfordshire are you?

 

Get climbing as soon as you can!! Find a climber who will give you a bit of time. Climb, even for fun at the weekends. stay safe and good luck.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

That sums it up pretty much for me and how I planned leaving the RAF. I'm doing ok, as are my two colleagues who work with me up here. But i left after 25 years and invested heavily so that I could be my own boss. We've just had a young Army lad do 4 days with us last week to let him gauge the type of work we do. I reckon he could make it as an arb as he put the effort in.

 

The lad mentioned earlier who was glad to get back to Army life; well I reckon he will come out and be an underachieving car park attendant. Not all the Forces guys are up to it.

 

Of the 3 mil lads who we did some training with earlier this year at TKF, one runs his own business and the other two walked straight in to arb jobs, beating a lot of civilians because of their work ethos and dedication.

 

So it can be done. If you are up to the challenges.

 

I take exception to the comment about being treated like dirt and regarded as tramps. I have yet to meet a customer who doesn't respect what we can do. On the contrary, they take pleasure in watching us and interact with us through the day. I can only think that if an arb turns up looking like a tramp, moans about the work, appears sour-faced, then of course he'll be looked down on. I'd look down on him!

 

Jim, you're bang on the money!

 

And, coincidentally from what I read in your post, appear to have a very similar opinion, set-up and history to my own.

 

Good on you!

 

Bloody nice up there too, went to a wedding @ Lossiemouth back in '99 and stayed with a girl friend in Elgin. Didn't realise there was so much land left North of Glasgow! Hell of a journey!

 

The majority of negative opinion in this thread appears to be from those employed in Arb. I'm happy as Larry, run my own outfit, pick my jobs, don't get involved in bidding wars and don't stress when there's nothing in the book for next week, that's what surf boards are for!