Balancing a Education with Work

[SPC Trees]

Hi all,

 

Lots of threads on the credibility and quality of courses which is very useful however I have found nothing on how people have balanced working full time with doing a course?

 

I plan to conduct either the level 4 with Treelife or Level 2 Cert with Myerscough. Do you genuinely think it helps to get ahead with your careers? and are you able to continue to earn a decent living whilst studying?

 

Thanks,

[Stubby]

Hi all,

 

Lots of threads on the credibility and quality of courses which is very useful however I have found nothing on how people have balanced working full time with doing a course?

 

I plan to conduct either the level 4 with Treelife or Level 2 Cert with Myerscough. Do you genuinely think it helps to get ahead with your careers? and are you able to continue to earn a decent living whilst studying?

 

Thanks,

 

I see what you did there with the title ! ...a education instead of an eduction

[tree79]

hi there,

I did the old L3 tech cert, as a online course with Myerscough a few years back.

I did find it hard at time, as my job was climbing only. Since gaining my L3 its help me a lot, my main role now is tree surveying with a few bs5837 reports.

A lot more companies who employ surveyors seem to look for L3/L4 as a minimum.

[ukminch]

It's hard work. I'm just about to finish (well this summer) a four year mechanical engineering degree. Both work and the degree have suffered, not to mention the social life! I'll let you know in a couple of years if it was worth it!

[alliaria]

I am studying for a BSc (Hons) Arb. I have finished the FDSc and that was fairly rigorous, you can wing some modules. Not this though. i am a LA Tree Officer and it is hard work.

whether its worth it is subjective, for me at 58 it is a vanity project. But for younger Arbs it is, in my opinion, the way forward. he PD will become less important and a degree will be the standard.

[Chris at eden]

I am studying for a BSc (Hons) Arb. I have finished the FDSc and that was fairly rigorous, you can wing some modules. Not this though. i am a LA Tree Officer and it is hard work.

whether its worth it is subjective, for me at 58 it is a vanity project. But for younger Arbs it is, in my opinion, the way forward. he PD will become less important and a degree will be the standard.

 

What is he pd?

[MATTMOSS]

What is he pd?

 

Get him Chris

[Chris at eden]

Get him Chris

 

I shall wait for clarification before I start ranting.

 

He may have a point though, there is hardly anyone on the AARC list with PD. Never said I wouldn't be sarcastic!!!

 

No seriously though, L6 is life changing. I have doubled my income within five months of finishing. I used to get a little intimidated by real top architects and planning consultants but now nothing really phases me.

 

Does education get you ahead and is it worth the effort? Damn right on both counts.

[alliaria]

Sorry, the PD as in Professional Diploma is rightly regarded as one of the best qualifications in Arb. I am merely speculating that the industry is moving towards qualifications validated by Universities and being promoted by the ICF and Myerscough in particular.

[Chris at eden]

Sorry, the PD as in Professional Diploma is rightly regarded as one of the best qualifications in Arb. I am merely speculating that the industry is moving towards qualifications validated by Universities and being promoted by the ICF and Myerscough in particular.

 

There has been a lot of talk about the ICF and PD recently but I am currently working towards chartered arb and they don't seem to have an issue with PD, nor have they at any point promoted the degree.

 

When I signed up for L6 one of the places I looked at was Warwick. I was considering bsc also. The head tutor told me that as I was leaning toward L6 I should not underestimate the amount of work involved. He then went on to say if I didn't have the time to commit to it I should look at the degree instead.

 

No offence meant by this that is just what he said. I personally think L6 sets you up better for consultancy. If you did 5837 as part of your degree in an exam you could answer 50% of the questions wrong and still pass. With L6 you would complete the tree survey, TCP, aia, and tpp. It would then be assessed by a registered consultant (if you did it with Dave Dowson) and if not up to scratch you would get it back until it did. I can't see how the learning is not more complete with that system.

 

Then again, if you want to teach or do research then the degree may be better although you do the IRP for L6 also. I see no reason why there is not room for both in the industry. I think it would be a huge shame if PD disappeared.