I've been looking into that. Good idea for sure, although that would take me quite a ways off from the homestead and family, which may be the route needed. But that's why I'm wondering about my own thing possibly as well, maybe in the side. But I don't know where to look for professional training/courses etc. What one would need to be insured, all that.
So, if I may offer my perspective.
It sounds to me like you are self motivated and driven. Working for an employer to gain experience is not necessary in my opinion. You will only learn a limited skillset. It sounds to me, like you already have the basics down-keep building on that.
I am self taught, been in the field for 5 years and am now the owner/operator of my own tree service company. I am studying all the arboriculture books offered by ISA as I prepare to take the test. How to properly prune trees is more difficult than climbing and rigging out a hazard tree in my opinion. But we must keep learning daily to best serve others in this industry. None of us want to be hacks or worse get killed! Nor do we want to destroy property!!
When I first started, I would offer my services to friends and neighbors to build experience and essentially get on-the-job training, self directed of course. Jeff Jepson has great books, if you don’t have them-I would highly encourage you to get them.
As the other gentleman wrote, ‘you may not even know what you don’t know’. Building knowledge and experience requires one to actually DO THE THING..
I did work in the field as a hobby for 3 years before getting more serious. Now I am licensed, insured and set my own schedule, that’s the dream!!
I’ve taken some formal training from ARCT and even though the information was relevant, I became a certified line clearance arborist but I still get sketched out working around power lines! It would take me doing the thing for weeks, months or longer before feeling confident in my ability. So, thankfully there are many disciplines in this field. I am building on my strengths..
You have my vote of confidence!
Just do it!!
Shane