Apprentice troubles

[hiluxstihl]

Thanks, I just know I'm getting older and couldn't find any tree work so thought I'd do what I can to get a start. I've done a lot of chainsaw work on the ground but mostly agricultural felling small trees, cutting some storm damage/felled trees etc but I don't want to take a chainsaw in the tree unless there's a professional nearby.

cool, I done alot afrock climbing a few years ago, I may get the muscles again!

[SGCT Ranger]

We invite people for an interview, when they arrive I'll be busy doing some menial task (moving a few barrows of logs, shovelling some chip, that sort of thing) and tell them I'll be with them as soon as I've finished. My wife will phone me just then, I tell the prospective I have to take that call and I'll be back in a minute.

This is when they can choose to progress to the actual interview...

 

If when I return 2 minutes later, the task I was doing has not been finished the interview is cancelled. It sorts out the "can-do's" from the "it's-not-fair I-dunno-how's" right quick and without hassle.

 

I had a similar interview about 10,11 years ago, a Forester who had advertised for a Labourer. I turned up at the Woodlands he was working at and found my future employer piling up Brash and organising Cordwood, i was advised to hold on whilst he finished said task, then his Mobile rang and he informed me he had to take the call, so assesing the situation i piled the Brash into neat piles, stacked and sorted the Cordwood acording to size, and was about to stack a few logs, but he had finished his call. He took a look at the Brash pile and Cordwood, looked at me, scratched his head, then in typical Alan Sugar style uttered those immortal words "Your Hired". I was with him for about 7 yrs, he even took the time off at weekends to have an Arborist freind of his teach me Tree Climbing etc. I now work as a Gardener and Freelance Climber, well almost i would class myself as Freelance if it wasn't for the fact i have yet to gain my Sectional Dismantling Ticket, so its more of a case of Groundy than climber.. By the way i charge £125 per day, have a good Equipment Hall and full PPE and own Vehicle..

[JimM]

Just out of curiosity ( no UKIP agenda !!) are many / any eastern europeans entering this industry ? I come across plenty in agriculture but have not heard of any in this industry yet . Plenty of Brits , myself included have worked overseas .

 

I had a CV from a Polish lad who's been living here for the past 6 years. Even though the grammar and spelling were a wee bit out, I could see past that and seriously considered taking him on. May well still do, but can't afford to just now.

 

It's a constant moan from several bosses up here that the youngsters (18/19) are pretty hopeless. Met a couple of corkers though, but one buggered off to Sweden (You know who you are )

[Gray git]

Was going to quote rover as I like the stile of that.

I always say to lads come have a day with us and see how we get on and purposely book in a bit of a crappy job like clearing thorn or a long drag job too see how they stick it, get them away from the you tube image of tree work that's all coaching stuff down and spectacular locations.

 

Amy I hope you get to where you want too be, and having read this thread you sound the type that will make it happen. Keep it up.

 

 

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[_AmyBaxter]

Thanks gray git. Not all apprenticeships need there tickets paying for I did a 2year course where I had days in classroom, days in the woods climbing, logging etc then Afew days off. This is were I would then ring every company asking for work experience, not expecting pay at all. If it's paying for the tickets you are worried about try ringing up local college asking for one or two of there best students and see if they would be intrested. I found this benefited me A lot from college.

[hiluxstihl]

Thanks gray git. Not all apprenticeships need there tickets paying for I did a 2year course where I had days in classroom, days in the woods climbing, logging etc then Afew days off. This is were I would then ring every company asking for work experience, not expecting pay at all. If it's paying for the tickets you are worried about try ringing up local college asking for one or two of there best students and see if they would be intrested. I found this benefited me A lot from college.

 

The determination, You Have the drive to go wherever you want. Go to the best, They would be fools not to hire you

[Goaty]

Amy your getting male territory push off me thinks. My wife gets it when she rings up for vehicle parts etc. I descibe the item she rings or goes in and gets belittled. I go in use the same term, I get asked questions to narrow it down with no hassle.

 

Some good points in this thread. Rover, good man for giving that lad the opportunity. He will have his limitations. But you will build his self esteem. Purpose in life.

[_AmyBaxter]

I know it's sounds crazy but we women kept the forestry business going when all the lads went to war! Girls as young as 14! Womens forestry corps! We need more women in this industry.

If a fella came into like a womens shop looking for a dress for his wife he wouldn't get belittled so why do men feel the need too

[Stephen Blair]

Let's not make this a men v woman thread.

It's the individual not the gender.

 

 

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[Mark Bolam]

Let's not make this a men v woman thread.

It's the individual not the gender.

 

 

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That's a spot-on comment Mr. Blair, although dinosaurs do still walk amongst us....

Amy, a few posts on the Internet and I can say on the basis of those I would offer you a few days if you were closer to Kent!

 

I've been lucky with staff. Even the ones that were fairly useless at first turned into good enough grafters. Maybe I'm a Simon Cowell-esque judge of talent, maybe I have low expectations?

I've had very few over the years, and still regularly have a pint with all of them.

 

Except Luke, he moved to Auckland.

 

 

 

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