After Arb

[Scifon]

A message probably for you older guys and girls but what have people gone on to do after tree work? When your body is holding you back and you can't climb quite as fast as you once did. I'm not talking management or yard duties, more work in the field where you need your brains not brawn. Any suggestions?

 

Alex Mitchell

Utility Arborist

[David Humphries]

Air spading, mulching, decay detection, bracing, propping, inspection, surveys

 

 

 

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[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Supervisor and mentor, i.e. passing on your skills to the younger generation. Too many very skilled and knowledgeable people leave this industry when they get to your stage and that's to the detriment of all.

 

Doing ARB Approved Contractor assessments, when we get to the worksite, if there's a supervisor/foreman in place with your kind of experience running the job and controlling the ground based activities and site management, they usually run like clockwork with no problems. When you have inexperienced guys with limited knowledge and maturity, things often go wrong.

 

Speak to your employer / 'engager' (if self-employed) about opportunities...maybe go do a H&S management course, i.e. CoSS / IOSH etc. to bolster your position.

 

Good luck!!!

 

Paul

[roseyweb]

I've decided that at 35 unless the company is bigger and more commercially focused and AAAC with a better staff structure I'm going to buy a harvester and spend my days in the forest where I have no phone signal and don't have to talk to members of the public.

[Yorkshireman]

hello Alex

 

whether independent or employed

you could look at

 

instructor , assessor or lecturer Lantra, NPTC or other

 

Tree consultant ,power line surveyor [utilities] ,

 

ecology & environmental sectors as also a possible i.e. bat habitat inspection [niche but possible]

 

Iain

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

well having just sold my house I am almost able to give it up as I promised myself when I was 39 and feeling the wear and tear! I said 40 but it didn't pan out that way, so I gave myself 2 more years, this time im on schedule!

 

Had to sell the house to do it though! Back to school, and become an author/researcher if i am capable

[arniecardigan]

I got to 30 and thought do I want to be climbing at 40 and will I be capable.....hmm what about when I'm 50....hmm? I then applied for and got into the police.......hmmm I now do Arb and logs to subsidise my ever decreasing salary!! Believe it or not joining the police was financially the worst move I ever made so I'm now still climbing just not full time!!!

[skyhuck]

Don't give up!! EVER!!!

 

Thats my motto.

 

"you don't stop doing things because you get old, you get old because you stop doing things!"

 

I'm almost 44 and feel great!

 

Couple of weeks ago I walked the Dales way, 75+miles walked in three days carrying a decent pack and my two companions where both older than me and incredibly fit!!

 

I find nothing sadder than seeing ex-climbers hugely obese.

 

Age is just a number.

[Andy Collins]

I have to advise that everyone plans for a future beyond the more physical side of the job. I know, through experience, that you may not be physically able to continue til retirement without some problem. Good health is not a foregone conclusion, I still do the hard work, but not with the agility or stamina I once had. Tbh I doubt I'm even employable in the role I used to fill. I'm lucky that I've adapted through necessity, to a more advisory and organisational role, maybe listening when I was at school might have better prepared me for later life. Unfortunately, many of us only see as far as the end of the week, not preparing for the future.

[treefrog]

I ll be going to run at my dads fishery in Norfolk. There will be plenty of tree work there to do so I can keep climbing abit. It will be a much more relaxed pace.