College and what the industry really needs

[MWArb]

Mr's Blair, easy lift and Yorkshire you understand the levels we work at n college.. clearly if I have 24 students a few will make cutters, some good climbers and the rest.. I think employers need to understand your points.. we teach the basics, this doesnt mean we can't produce good learners, it simply means in bulk they can't all be good.. plus the fact that in industry nptc is the bottom.. at college its the top

[Mike Hill]

Most of the key problems with staff is a result of poor parenting and having the kids grow up in a nanny state.The ex Military guys and some of the folks who have grown up in a disciplined hard working household are in my experience the best candidates to train.

 

One other thing,you should if you don't already,teach the Students how to right a CV.Also how to communicate clearly and politely with any prospective employers over the phone or via Email.You can be the best Climber on Gods Earth,but if you come over like a Dunce,your not going to get a look in.

[Yorkshireman]

in industry nptc is the bottom.. at college its the top

 

what more do you need to know...

[MWArb]

Add to that the fact that we are now tasked with teaching them maths and english by law... Sorry but I was blindly of the impression that they were supposed to learn that between 4 and 16!

[MWArb]

what more do you need to know...

 

This can't be helped.. we can train to the highest standard but only those willing to try will actually succeed.. people mistaken the fact that they've come from college with the fact they've got the toughness and desire to actually do the job.

[MWArb]

The issue of no single governing body is one the industry needs to address.. how can we all know what's best? This goes to all the employers also.. most students after a week of work experiance are telling me they know better cos their boss said this or that.. industry and employers have a bigger role to play in their education than they want to take responsability for.. the finished product has to be both college basics and industry tought.. undermining the colleges efforts is counter productive

[Andy Collins]

IMO I see the colleges as merely an extension of the school system, an option to stay on in comfort of a known environment, not at all like a workplace. Of course, one or two good students will rise up and take their place, but many are simply there for the easy ride. I know a chap who is a "qualified arborist" he currently weighs around 25st, when he did his college course in Arb he was around 22st. I asked how he managed in the climbing assessments and he said they just ticked the page rather than embarrass him! This makes a farce of the system. Luckily, (his own admission) he has no intention of ever doing tree work, but because he'd enrolled on the course it enabled his benefits to be increased. While there are these standards, it's no wonder many are virtually unemployable. How do you see a ticket and know if the student has grafted to achieve, or wallowed to get better benefits? It totally devalues the system.

[MWArb]

Nptc should be harder for sure or we need a new level in order to sort the ones who've gone well past competence, then you'd know if it was a trainee or full arborist you were hiring and would be well prepared for taking a trainee on if that's the case

[Mat]

Stop giving everyone tickets for prussiking up a 20 ft straight sycamore within a 4 minute window!!!

The college should place litter outside the front door of their building, alongside a pull up bar.

If they pick something up and place in a bin and can do 3 pull ups, the door opens.

The college will put anyone through a course, then we have to deal with the ones who will never manage the work, they are either not fit enough, not intelligent enough or just have a wrong attitude.

The latter is the problem, you can train skill and fitness but attitude is the problem. We have to pick up where someone failed when they were 11. Basic manners and morals is what's missing.

This job is dragging branches, chipping them and cutting bits off tree, that's It! Experience and effort builds their skill level.

But if someone turns up with laces untied, not prepared for the day and is basically a little pita who feels the world owes them a favour, then no amount of tickets is going to get them a job within a small company, maybe a big 1 where they are a number.

For all the rest who are nice polite hardworking people, young and old, do not fear, it will all fall into place and you will succeed in anything you try!!

 

That is indeed it.

 

This is simple manual labour.

 

The arb industry seems to be one of the very few that are obsessed with the need to use college levers and those with a plethora of 'tickets'.

 

To use a wood chipper, regulation requires you to be 'adequately trained' (PUWER98)

 

You do not need to hold a nationally accredited chipper ticket (although it is a simple method to demonstrate adequate training, so that's why we use them).

 

Why on earth would you need to employ a college leaver to feed a chipper?

 

Most manual trades in the UK function perfectly well without thinking that you can only employ college leavers... they just train lads on the job.

 

Maybe the arb trade just can't be arsed to take the time to train them, and are hoping for a quick fix solution instead.

Edited December 19, 2014 by Mat

[dgcunningham]

Hi Guys

 

I'm looking to ask you all as professionals what it is you look for in the next generation.

 

Obvious answers are tickets, underpinning knowledge and work ethic... but...

 

I'm trying to understand how to best prepare future students/workers for our ever changing industry and I figure there's no better place then Arbtalk to find out what each part of our industry is looking for.

 

So, if you could spare a minute of your time please state the work you do and what exactly you'd like your new apprentices to be able to do and what you think they should know.

 

I look forward to your reply

 

Many thanks

 

Martyn - MWArb

 

I work in Rail and Utility as a manager

 

College leavers need to be certified with an appropriate suite of tickets to cover this work. Able to follow stringent H&S and legislation and familiar with BS:3998 (Competent with a c rather than a C)

 

My suggestion would be consult with UAG to structure an appropriate apprenticeship course to provide guys who can at least put boots on the ground, the rest of the training the private sector will do.

 

For the domestic workers out there I expect practical ability is more important than having a full range of CS units etc- get a gym?

 

My suggestion would be to refine your output to cater for these quite different avenues. My further suggestion to a college would be, go where the money is and form a partnership with one of the big principle contractors to develop apprentices. Once you have secured that, start to offer realistic wages to your tutor positions and you may attract the right people who can deliver this.