What is experience??

[fergusonforestry]

fight!

[Steve Bullman]

I've never climbed in my life, but I'm fairly sure that I'd pick it up and become proficient in a lot less time than that working full time at it.

 

It's not rocket science after all. If you have genuinely have 'heaps of natural talent' then you pick things up quick.

 

Diggers, tractors, chainsaws, welding, none of these take two years working full time to become proficient enough to jump straight into for a new company and not have to ask questions save for those that relate directly to the companies specific way of working.

 

I had a 3.5t digger on hire for 3 weeks once, doing a variety of work from levelling off, to creating an island in a large pond down a steep slippery clay bank, building up embankments etc. I felt quite proficient on this by the end of the 3 weeks.

 

I did approximately 4 hours welding tuition as part of my electrical engineering course 20 years ago, and if push comes to shove I can actually weld a pretty neat joint.

 

In reference to this thread, the majority of the answers so far have come from climbers with 15+ years experience in the industry and for the most part 5 years seems to be the general consensus.

 

I really don't mean this to sound rude, but arguing your opinion on this when you already said you have no experience or understanding of the job quite frankly makes your opinion quite irrelevant

[Craig Johnson]

experience doesn't make you experienced !

[doobin]

I had a 3.5t digger on hire for 3 weeks once, doing a variety of work from levelling off, to creating an island in a large pond down a steep slippery clay bank, building up embankments etc. I felt quite proficient on this by the end of the 3 weeks.

 

I did approximately 4 hours welding tuition as part of my electrical engineering course 20 years ago, and if push comes to shove I can actually weld a pretty neat joint.

 

In reference to this thread, the majority of the answers so far have come from climbers with 15+ years experience in the industry and for the most part 5 years seems to be the general consensus.

 

I really don't mean this to sound rude, but arguing your opinion on this when you already said you have no experience or understanding of the job quite frankly makes your opinion quite irrelevant

 

My point is that I can pick things up quickly. As can you apparently, given your skill with the digger. 3 weeks solid climbing and I'm sure I'd feel quite proficient also, especially given that I'm already handy with a saw on the ground.

 

Do you truly believe that someone who has climbed day in, day out for two years is not experienced? That it takes five years? That's elevating the trade almost to the level of a lawyer or medical professional, which is quite frankly laughable.

[MattyF]

Driving machines and being a climber who is not going to maim or injure and smash up property is Very different .. I have driven diggers, 20 excavators, timber grabs.. You get probably passable not a master within a couple of days but it is a completely different job.. It's not any where near as physically and at times mentally demanding... Yes any body can hang like a conker on a string in a harness like they can climb in the cab of a machine but very different !!

[Rich Rule]

As has been stated you are casting judgements on something you have no experience at all.

 

I reckon a challenge is on. Ill find a nice 80-90 foot live Lombardi. If I ring bark it now it should be nice and crispy by the time your 2 year time served is up.

 

There is a difference between get g a job done and still being alive at the end of it and someone who completes the job in 2/3rds of the time and barely looks like thy have broken sweat.

 

I would consider the latter to have experience.

 

As for driving diggers, my old man did it for 28 years. I think I first drove a JCB aged about 5. I give it up at 7 as I was over qualified by that time. Couldn't get a job for love nor money!

 

Edited October 26, 2013 by Rich Rule

[Stubby]

The title of the thread is " What is experience ? " I think experience is doing loads of stuff and learning from any mistakes ......

[arniecardigan]

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Edited October 26, 2013 by Steve Bullman
language

[Steve Bullman]

My point is that I can pick things up quickly. As can you apparently, given your skill with the digger. 3 weeks solid climbing and I'm sure I'd feel quite proficient also, especially given that I'm already handy with a saw on the ground.

 

Do you truly believe that someone who has climbed day in, day out for two years is not experienced? That it takes five years? That's elevating the trade almost to the level of a lawyer or medical professional, which is quite frankly laughable.

 

 

Yes I do believe that. 2 years is nothing in this job. I would say I was proficient after 2 years but it wasn't till 5 years I had the confidence(backed up by experience) to turn up blind and unprepared to absolutely any job.

 

And no, you most certainly wouldnt be proficient after 3 weeks climbing. You might be able to climb to the top straight forward tree, cut a few limbs off safely and come down again, but thats far from being experienced and proficient enough to turn a profit for a company.

[Stephen Blair]

7 years I'd say for the full package.