College and what the industry really needs

[MWArb]

I made college work for me (Houghal)...I emersed myself in my N.C Arb and especially the practicals and asked questions at every opportunity..I made sure I was ready by the time the course ended because in knew it was what I was born to do! It wasn't easy as the course leader was uninterested in us but I honed in on the good lecturers like the great Dave Bentley and went to him if I needed a specific answer.You have to instil confidence and most of all enthusiasm in students first in order for their minds to open like a sponge and absorb what they are taught. I was hungry to learn from day 1.

 

I feel I was similar but as I was older the grown up in me did all this.. there are many like this in a group, and they are already climbing well, focused with the saw and ground tasks.. college worked well for me, and dare I say it so far I've done well from it but there's always room for improving and I think we can make even the slowest starters good, given the time and more importantly getting the right person entered at the right level in order to stop those getting overwhelmed with the courses they undertake

[Mat]

Ah Mat good evening! Is it a chicken and egg situation though? They aren't really allowed to do anything, or in some cases even be on site without a raft of tickets. So they have to have a ticket just to be there? They need the college to get the ticket, they then need a capable and willing employer with the capacity to supervise and train.

 

(note to self - I am seriously considering taking an apprentice right now, if it all goes TU I may well be back in a month or so to contradict myself!)

 

Yo Dude! how's the rain falling? horizontal I hope!

 

Getting certificates for chainsaw use doesn't really require a trip to college though. All the forestry arb tickets I have accumulated were trained and assessed in woodlands, not colleges.

 

Employ a lad, see if he is up to he job, invest in some tickets, send him off to college in the future to learn some interesting facts if you think that its necessary.

 

Best of luck!

[silky fox]

Yeah MWArb....give me a day with a keen apprentice and I guarantee I WILL get the best out of them...I love teaching.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Yo Dude! how's the rain falling? horizontal I hope!

 

Getting certificates for chainsaw use doesn't really require a trip to college though. All the forestry arb tickets I have accumulated were trained and assessed in woodlands, not colleges.

 

Employ a lad, see if he is up to he job, invest in some tickets, send him off to college in the future to learn some interesting facts if you think that its necessary.

 

Best of luck!

 

It's always wet sunshine in Cornwall! I wouldn't know though because I've been in doors all week. Worked the weekend on an urgent job and was scared of getting wet Monday so cried off! Would never have happened if I'd been properly thrashed in the early days!

[adw]

From my point of view, we need more service training on chainsaw service, chainsaws are now more complex and need proper maintenace, more than the operators can now do with the use of computers, most young people i see want to work on larger plant or vehicles, not small hand held machines

[Hobbsurf]

Stumps felled to ground level rather than waist / knee height..........as taught. :-)

 

Russ

[MWArb]

Believe it or not we do tell them from the start to cut at ground level.. some just don't listen.

[MWArb]

Yeah MWArb....give me a day with a keen apprentice and I guarantee I WILL get the best out of them...I love teaching.

 

Mr fox I know the feeling and love your enthusiasm, its infectious. The winter can be hard on us, but the buzz of a good crew in tree work or in this case group at college, makes it great fun.. the sence of achievement when learners start performing is addictive

[silky fox]

I would love a day or two at your college..take some practicals so you could see how I teach. I have my very own style of coaching that I have seen work many times.

[Mike Hill]

I have no issue with fairly newly qualified staff teaching the very basics (I myself came into instructing only 3 years after leaving college.. got to start somewhere and experience isn't everything.. Potential has to be recognised), lets face it they're probably more "current" than most of us regarding best practice and more than that every video I see online shows things outside best practice!

 

However I agree that they should be closely monitored by experienced staff both in teaching and practically, and that site experience is key to learning.

 

Should we go back to forced work placement? or apprenticeships?

 

All students are required to find "work experience" however I fear most just get to pull brash.. I can get them doing that at college, how do they get a chance to work/climb without the productivity issue costing employers money/time?

 

Experience is not every thing,however there is no substitute for it.

 

Most of every operation I do at production speed is outside of "best practice" as that principle is designed to be within the capabilities of the newest operator.

 

Most students should pull brush,advancement in a crew is a privilege not a right.Getting stuck in and proving you are worthy of investment starts with applying ones self to any job and quickly completing it to your best ability.

 

Just because Students are on a course to learn how to climb,does not mean that they have a right to do so on someone elses job during work experiance.