Instructor / Technician @ Sparsholt College

[Andy Collins]

From what I see of the local instruction team, tho the salary may be low, it can be compensated with long breaks at the end of short terms. Plenty of time to bump the salary with private work. A choice of the cream of the crop for cheap labour to optimize profits. Even maybe carrying out private work in the guise of "training", using college facilities and trainees to unfairly compete in an already tight market place.

All in all, that makes it a very attractive position. No wonder certain colleges dislike Arbtalk!!

[combined tree services]

i thought that the job oppertunity was posted on here so that it gave a chance for anyone currently out of work or finding it tough getting another job after being laid off a chance to give something slightly different ago but by still keeping involved in the industry .

however i do not think that the thread was posted on here for all of us to give it the seal of approval of kiss of death . the job is what it is and as andy said there are far more benefits to doing something like this than we think . and again as andy said - it is no wonder some colleges do not like arbtalk . im not saying that we should all agree to everything said .

 

i can assure you that the advertised job will be filled and there will be many applicants for the job . as for pay i really think some people need to realise that money is not everything and if money is the be all and end all to working in this industry then maybe they should look for a job doing something different . i work for my self and really enjoy doing what i do !! i look forward to getting up each day and going to work because i am happy doing what i do , there are days as most of you that are self employed wil know all so well when you dont actually earn a penny but im still happy !! yes more money would be nice but i dont know anyone that would turn down more money no matter how much they are paid .

 

any way rant over lol

[raafbeard]

Good Luck with finding someone for the post!

 

All college Lecturers and Practical Instructors get a big thumbs up from me..

[Lancstree]

Sounds like a good position. Hope you find someone with the right qualifications and experience

[swoollard]

Sorry I haven't been on here to support you on this one Gimmer. I have too much of a life to spend all my time on here. (Not a dig at you Gimmer.) Thanks to all those who recognised that the original thread was an advertisement, and to those who were encouraging and even sympathetic of what goes on at colleges. The other bile was what often passes for the norm on here by people who appear to claim to be an expert on everything. Those that are obsessed with the money are possibly the same who post " well, if that's what the cutomer wants," or "we've all got to earn a living mate" when someone owns up to doing some poor work. At least students are taught good work from bad and some work ethics. Who is worst-the pikey who doesn't know any better, or the guy who does but does it anyway. We also teach them this state of the art technique where you can climb on a rope with no friction hitches. Wow. Amazing. Too many people on here giving opinion on something they know nothing about. A technician's role is not wiping students's arses as was implied earlier. As for them thinking they are going to earn mega bucks when they leave, it is implied on this forum that they might turnover 100k p/a for glorified gardening. A lot of people on here think they are educating student members. In reality they are teaching them bad habits/techniques they aren't nearly ready for. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of useful stuff on here e.g Reg Coates, but for some of you guys to think you are helping students, especially when you slag off colleges, qualifications and assignments has quite he opposite effect. Oh. By the way I'm a lecturer if you hadn't guessed. Fifteen years experience before I came to teach. How do you start a poll on here? it should be entitled " anyone else alarmed by the ammount of crap spurted on here and the apathy about rubbish tree work as long as the price is right? Rant over, etc.

[swoollard]

Oh yes. This college doesn't hate arbtalk. In fact we encourage its use where appropriate

[skyhuck]

it is implied on this forum that they might turnover 100k p/a for glorified gardening. .

 

I thought the idea that we are "glorified gardeners" was just the view of ill informed customers??

 

Clearly its a view held by some who are training the next generation, looks like it could be a while before that image is shaken off

[Stephen Blair]

so it is ok for the students to come on here to get there homewok done by working tree surgeons, but when they give their opinion based on personal experience then we are all full of it:sneaky2:

[Highland Forestry]

Just out of interest... how many students have said to you that they learn more at work than they do at college???

Or to put it another way, I've never heard anybody say they learnt more at college than they did whilst working and learning on-the-job.

 

As for slagging off colleges, qualifications and assignments - go read some of the posts for yourself and find out why.

[Andy Collins]

I think its important to keep this all in perspective, some very good people do come out of the colleges, both my sons have gone through the system and done well from it. They are both self-motivated youngsters, keen to learn their trades, one now has his own business. This is a direct result of the effort that he has put in, and the guidance of the college staff. But sadly many dont see college as a step up, but something to put off going into the big wide world, no real interest in learning, and in my experience the dross end up in the work-place claiming to be capable of any task. Very few are.

Mr swoolard, I'm sorry that your perception of Arbtalk is so low, this is not what is intended of the forum, but to be an informative and educational tool for all. Saying this, it is disappointing when you take on lads who've been through the system, and claim to be arborists/climbers/tree surgeons yet tbh havent the 1st idea in the real working world, and this frustration is bound to spill over to the forum. With the government trying to push/cajole more youngsters into college, the number of quality students will increase, so will the number of less keen.