Tree surgeon
Author
Discussion

Apph

Original Poster:

12 posts

130 months

Thursday 24th December 2015
quotequote all
I would like to get into tree surgery but i have no qualifications and with a family to look after i have no spare cash to pay out for it yet would love a apprenticeship or anything to help me out in the lincolnshire area
Any advice welcome

Thanks all

shtu

4,507 posts

175 months

Thursday 24th December 2015
quotequote all
You will need to get the relevant safety qualifications to work in that area, you might get lucky and find one of the larger outfits would put you through, but that could be tricky to find.

I know a few who have done this job in the past - by their mid-40s they had all changed career, as they were beginning to struggle physically with the work - it's heavy, hard work done in fairly poor conditions usually. It's also a fairly dangerous job - every one I know who works with saws has received injuries as a result.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/treework/safety-topics/chain...

Apph

Original Poster:

12 posts

130 months

Thursday 24th December 2015
quotequote all
I have grown up working on my uncles pig farm so i know about hard work and everything. I just love being out doors and chopping logs so i think this is the best career for me just need that break

Thanks

shtu

4,507 posts

175 months

Thursday 24th December 2015
quotequote all
There's more than 20 tree surgeons between Lincoln and Wisbech, get on the phone in the New Year. smile

One way in may be a start as a labourer (even part time\weekends, trees blow down on weekends too), prove you've got the right stuff and they may help you through getting your tickets.

ETA - winter's the busy time for tree surgeons, so a good time to find someone needing some help.

Apph

Original Poster:

12 posts

130 months

Thursday 24th December 2015
quotequote all
Thanks alot mate

Gnits

1,131 posts

230 months

Thursday 24th December 2015
quotequote all
Did it for a while and I also changed career!
As said already it is incredibly hard work and the conditions can be unpleasant. Oddly summer was the worst time of year.
You could probably get a job with a company even if you are only working on the ground to start with and then get a few of the ground based qualifications like felling large trees, windblown, winching etc. before climbing.

treehack

998 posts

268 months

Thursday 24th December 2015
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Can I ask how old are you?

Apph

Original Poster:

12 posts

130 months

Friday 25th December 2015
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I am 23

Sam All

3,101 posts

130 months

Friday 25th December 2015
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How well does it pay ? £40k per annum?

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Friday 25th December 2015
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Apph said:
I would like to get into tree surgery but i have no qualifications and with a family to look after i have no spare cash to pay out for it yet would love a apprenticeship or anything to help me out in the lincolnshire area
Any advice welcome

Thanks all
speak to Riseholme

http://www.riseholme.ac.uk/departments/arboricultu...

treehack

998 posts

268 months

Friday 25th December 2015
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Apph said:
I am 23
At least you have time on your side.
I have been doing this for 25 years so I do know a thing or three about the industry.
As far as an apprenticeship then I would forget it, these are mostly for 16-18 year old and pay a pittance because the employer pays for the course which should include the relavent NPTC units assessments.
If you're really serious about doing this then you will most likely have to fund the courses your self. You will need the 4 basic tickets, these are maintainence\cross cut and stack felling small trees, Ariel rescue and chainsaw use from a rope and harness. That little lot. Will set u back 2-3k and about 3 weeks in time. You will now have the tickets to be a tree surgeon but will lack 1 vital thing, experience, which unfortunately is what this job is all about.
It will take you 5 years to learn this job where you reach the point where you could say that you are experienced, give it another 3 after that when nothing will faze you. Remember every tree is different and different species react in different ways when you make a cut,so to come up against all the variations takes a long time.
As far as money goes then there is some more bad news. As an employee with no knowledge then you would be lucky to earn minimum wage and be worked like a mofo for it. With basic groundsman tickets but limited experience maybe £70-75 aday. Employed climber with limited experience £80 aday, lots of experience, top whack £100-110 aday.
Alternatively you could go the subby\self employed route, the money would be marginally better but not a lot considering I wouldn't be guaranteed work 5days a week. As an experienced subby climber you would be looking at £150-170 aday based in the southeast. Bearing in mind you have to be able to just turn up to any tree be it fruit tree reduction (unlikely) to a huge dead,rotten ash over a house (more likely) with no knowledge of the job.
Any more questions then just ask away.

Edited by treehack on Friday 25th December 21:25

TwigtheWonderkid

48,970 posts

179 months

Friday 25th December 2015
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I would have liked to have been a tree surgeon, but I can't stand the sight of sap.
getmecoat

fttm

4,554 posts

164 months

Friday 25th December 2015
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swerni said:
OP do you like dress in women's clothing and hang around in bars?
Haha he's 23 and won't have a clue what you're on about , made me chuckle though

JoeBolt

284 posts

191 months

Saturday 26th December 2015
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treehack said:
Ariel rescue
I had to do this not so long ago.
Not an easy task, but luckily I managed to move the washing machine just enough for me to reach down the side and effect a rescue without too much spillage.

10penceparalyzed

229 posts

153 months

Saturday 26th December 2015
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You will be better off looking at the website ARB Talk for more info and how to get into the industry.

reggaj

95 posts

167 months

Sunday 27th December 2015
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Tree hack pretty much spot on what he said, it's a tough old job but your young so why not. Subbies up here are on £150 a shift and that's with own climbing kit etc. As said get yourself onto arbtalk and see if you can get a start with someone on there.

Steve H

7,517 posts

224 months

Monday 28th December 2015
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JoeBolt said:
treehack said:
Ariel rescue
I had to do this not so long ago.
Not an easy task, but luckily I managed to move the washing machine just enough for me to reach down the side and effect a rescue without too much spillage.
I had an issue with this myself, sudden oversteer in an early supercharged model but caught it just before the barriers.

rog007

5,828 posts

253 months

Tuesday 29th December 2015
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TwigtheWonderkid said:
I would have liked to have been a tree surgeon, but I can't stand the sight of sap.
getmecoat
biglaugh