New career in Arboriculture

[countrryboy]

I'm not a 'proper' tree surgeon like the other boys more a bit of a tree butcher and not doing it full time like i used too

 

But wot i'd say is u might be better of adding or swapping in some more ground saw tickets, possibly medium trees and windblow and possibly sectioning and/ or pruning a tree as extra cllimbing tickets.

All 4 plus ur first aid ticket would probably be more useful than the last 3 courses u mentioned (and probably more espensive too)

 

But everyone makes very good points about of lack of experience, i have worked with plenty with all the gear and no idea striaght out of college, some i wouldn't trust to cut there own finger nails yet as cocky as hell and nothing phases them. Thats when mistakes happen and things go wrong

The fact ur a bit older and possibly a bit more level headed should be a good thing, but with a lot of common sense and listening and watching more experienced cutters and climbers u can learn a lot fairly quickly

 

Dunno where ur based but there is also work in commercial soft wood harvesting, brashing and felling for harvesters and skylines, if ur near some big forests, not as good a job as it used to be but still work out there althou finding it can be harder. But not many people want to do it as more would rather be a climber, but again it's ur experiennce may be a problem

 

If ur a decent lad keen to work and some common sense i'm sure u will find work no problems, usually plenty of work in most trades for the 'right people'

[Itzal]

Thanks very much for the opinions and information. I am considering my options carefully.

 

I do very much like the lifestyle this job gives, I like to be outdoors, I like the culture it seems to create.

 

What worries me greatly is the availability of work.

[penfold]

Forestry seems to have a bit of a recruitment and retention issue with an average age nearer 40 and more and more reliance on machinery. Maybe concentrate on your ground tickets and go down the forestry route. I'm sure some of the forestry lads will be able to advise you better (and shoot my theories down)

Edited March 20, 2014 by penfold

[Dan White]

Thanks for sharing Itzal,

 

I'm further down a similar path to you. Currently on resettlement leave after 8 years in the RN and I'm booked into Kingswood Training Services' MOD leavers course in April. I'm going to gain the new equivalents of CS30, 31, 38 & 39, plus stumpgrinder & chipper tickets. I've separately self funded my trailer towing licence too. A look on arbjobs shows these as a good start for gaining employment as a groundy with a view to becoming a second climber, in hopefully relatively short order. In all similar posts, the big recurring theme you will see is that we lack any experience. Hopefully a decent work ethic and receptiveness to training will mitigate that and accelerate the learning curve to catch up with the college kids.

 

I share your concerns regarding a saturated market, In the year since joining Arbtalk (the single most useful thing I have done to further my career change into this industry btw) there have been numerous ex MOD chaps appearing and asking the same questions as you and I have, and a search will show up many more before. I also seem to notice a lot more trucks towing chippers these days so I don't think the worry is unfounded.

 

The way I look at it is that I know where I want to be in 5, 10 & maybe 20 years and I've always got those in mind as my raison d'etre, particularly when dragging brash in the rain! I have a back up industry I'm looking at which can run alongside the Arb world if things are hard and I feel we service leavers have a few different talents that could put us ahead of the remainder of the 'qualified but inexperienced' hordes coming into the industry. So I'm quietly confident. Granted the path I hope to take to get there might be a little odd (I'm very fortunate in having zero responsibilities and healthy savings at present!) but to start with each decision will not be wholly reliant on having to pay the bills and more toward gaining the most experience. Its gonna be a massive pay cut initially, but that's not the point. As you say, its outside, free phys and hopefully within a positive and friendly industry.

 

Finally, I'm also inspired by some Arbtalk members/Arb industry professionals and their self respect. The threads about getting and pricing for work follow the same pattern and there always will be someone advocating the fact that they do a difficult job, well. Strive to be good at your job and have the confidence to charge a fair price. That (familiar?) attitude, encompassing honesty, integrity and professionalism, is one of the biggest drivers for me to get into tree work.

 

Hope my two penneth helps, Good Luck!

[countrryboy]

Forestry seems to have a bit of a recruitment and retention issue with an average age nearer 40 and more and more reliance on machinery. Maybe concentrate on your ground tickets and go down the forestry route. I'm sure some of the forestry lads will be able to advise you better (and shoot my theories down)

 

I think it would depend where the OP lives but definately an option.

 

The jobs not wot it used to be and has changed a lot even in the last 10 years as harvester heads get more powerul, some of the larger companies don't even do a boundry brash anymore, never mind ur missed rows/ditches. That was the work that kept u going for long periods.

But this is partly driven by not being enough cutters for all the machines so they just have to get on with it with out the cutters

 

But some of ur smaller 1/2 harvester machine outfits still have full time cutters brashing every single tree, the extra years they get out off head pays the cutters wages, never mind hiher production and less breakages.

 

Unlike the arb industry i don't think many kids want to get into the forestry side and most lack the skills, i'm pushing 40 and was the youngest cutter by miles when i was doing it more a few years ago.

 

Possibly an option if u llive near some big forestry blocks.

Plus the medium trees (old 36 ithink) is quite a good course, makes u think and learn to respect the bigger trees and appreciate the weight/balence more. Plus any techniques learned willl be handy for any size of a tree, and when u make a mistake throu bad cutting it's hard work to fix it unlike with the wee ttrees where u just put it on ur shoulder

 

Money was better than arb work where i am and don't need as much gear and no LOLER tests all the time.

 

There s also the option to move onto a machine as an operator, good money but bloody long hours and often living in a caravan up the woods. Not for everyone but good operators will never be out of work, but u could probably say the same for cutters, climbers or many other trades if ur good

Edited March 21, 2014 by countrryboy

[penfold]

totally agree with you there countrryboy. Thd old 36 was crosscut and stack, medium trees was 32 and large 33. they just combined the two to give the current 32.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Arbtalk mobile app

[countrryboy]

Cheers penfold, i'vre got tickets and numbers and no idea wot corresponds to wot.

Be even worse now they've changed everything again

[Itzal]

Thanks guys,

 

I am more than aware that my questions have probably been a bit of a repetitive thing, and I know that people in the trade won't necessarily like the idea of another Ex Mil guy joining the ranks.

 

I really do appreciate the points of view and the insight they give.

[treequip]

Thanks guys,

 

I am more than aware that my questions have probably been a bit of a repetitive thing, and I know that people in the trade won't necessarily like the idea of another Ex Mil guy joining the ranks.

 

I really do appreciate the points of view and the insight they give.

 

Quite the contrary

 

Better than some of the "wet behind the ears" youth, many of whom firmly believe that the use of a smart phone on at intervals of not less than 3 minutes is a human right.

[Bewarethemoon]

Some really great advice from everyone on this thread.

 

I was in similar position 18 months back. To echo what a lot of others have said, gaining experience whilst working for a profession outfit will rapidly speed up your progression.

 

Best of luck, I've never looked back!

 

Daniel.