Teaching: Anyone elses thoughts or experiences

[slowp]

It is common for people to stay in a job that they hate just to get the health insurance. Even moreso if somebody in the family has a condition that requires a lot of doctor visits and medication. And you can say that wages should not be important, but very few people are going to work for nothing.

 

[StihlKiwi]

Yep waiting for the bleeper to go off .........that not much cop as I bet you can't really relax or get into anything cause ........murphy's law the bleeper will go

Yea last time it went off on a weekend was just after I fired up the BBQ, damn thing. There's only so many times you can mow the lawns and split the firewood in a weekend. I've caught up on about two months of several TV shows as well, bloody youth and all that

 

[jrcat]

I actually find it to be kind of nice. My phone is not having convulsions and I can think for a change lol. Now to fight off the boredom. SO i've been taking out all of the sumac that is taking over any open areas in my woods .

 

[StihlKiwi]

Let's have a crack at going back on track with this thread.
To work in the bush here in any capacity (logging, thinning, pruning etc) you are supposed to have General Requirements. It's basically a 1 day course which covers the most basic things - PPE requirements, personal health and safety, how to operate a radio, what the bush code is, and a bunch of other things I can no longer remember. It's hardly rocket science but it goes some way to improving the chances of the new guy not being completely clueless.

I reckon any sort of preparation before the actual work begins would be beneficial

 

[StihlKiwi]

I agree with that if newbies have gone thru some kind of prep/awareness training then I would certainly feel more comfortable that they at least know what to wear and have at least a rudimentary grasp of health and safety issues.


Maybe courses like that could be more interesting as I do feel some switch off totally on those courses

That's exactly what its aimed at, ensuring the basics are there. Nothing can replace actual work and on the job training but a heads-up before you start is never a bad thing.

What sort of on-the job training is available in the US? Here you work toward certificates in aspects forestry, even breaker-outs (choker-setters) and pruners gain tickets for what they do. While I'm not a huge fan of some of these bull#### qualifications (recently had to do an ATV couse which I didn't enjoy) I think it helps build a bit of ownership in what you do, and weeds out those who don't give a damn - many employers look to these as a minimum standard.

Here's an NZ example: National Certificate in Forestry from Forest Industries Training and Education Council (FITEC)

 

[StihlKiwi]

I should clarify that while all of the qualifications etc are available and desirable to employers, there are many opportunities for work in the bush without them. Being 'in training' is enough for you to be able to do anything from drag chokers around to driving a yarder, and I'm not 100% sure but I think adequate past experience is acceptable as well in some cases - some of the guys in my office have fought forest fires for years without having to deal with the wajax course I was put through.

 

[slowp]

In our state, you need to have a valid First Aid card and a CPR card. I think. Maybe not.

 

[jerrycmorrow]

Sorry should have explained.........his professional was wearing a suit and tie lol.......He was trying to make out he was eh well I was just a redneck dumbass and he was my superior lol

In this guys case professional translates to boor. I can tell you from experience as a "professional" that even his peers prolly think he's a boor. Some of us aren't though. When I was a young construction engineer the guy that taught me the most about building retaining walls and bridge abutments literally had to sign with an "x" when they brought pay checks around. Course it probly helped that I grew up poor by a hardworking man who could have been a professional if he didn't have three sons to raise and provide for. Waited too late to go for his edgimecation. Just sayin
There's still gooduns out there. You just gotta look for em and then compete for em when you find em

 

[madhatte]

I'm in Corvallis this week for OSU Variable Probability Sampling training. I'm only one day of five in, and already I'm finding that I have to unlearn some things to wrap my head around what's being presented. I can't stress enough: ALWAYS BE TRAINABLE.

 

[Gologit]

I can't stress enough: ALWAYS BE TRAINABLE.

Yup. Stay up or get left behind. That probably has more validity in your profession than mine but as fast as things are changing (and as slow as I think anymore) it's a full time struggle.

I've also found that a lot of times the more seasoned (read as old) guys get left out of the new information loop because everybody just assumes that the seasoned guys already know everything. I wish.

 

[northmanlogging]

Some old dogs can be taught new tricks... some are just to stubborn and think they already know everything, cause they have seen it all. But from my experience most of the old guys I've worked with where always up to something new, whether it worked or not is a different story. The trick is to keep looking for the better way.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I'll just go ahead and throw my .02 in on this one. When I was 16 my first job was at McDonalds. The first five shifts we're devoted to training, and I was under constant supervision from a crew trainer for the first two weeks. Say what you want about McDonalds ( and I'm not a fan of their food) but they are masters at training and concistency. How many of you have training manuals? Or do you just throw them to the wolves and sink or swim? The more professional the trainer, the better the student.

 

[RandyMac]

I participated in forest fire training, my job was to sort the sheep from the goats, the process was Darwinian.

 

[madhatte]

to sort the sheep from the goats, the process was Darwinian.

That's how Navy Nuclear works. Expect about a 50% attrition rate in the first school, another 50% in the second school, another 50% in the third, and a final 50% at sea-going commands before final Senior-In-Rate qualifications. We eat our own. Ain't pretty.

 

[RandyMac]

That's how Navy Nuclear works. Expect about a 50% attrition rate in the first school, another 50% in the second school, another 50% in the third, and a final 50% at sea-going commands before final Senior-In-Rate qualifications. We eat our own. Ain't pretty.

No, it wasn't pretty and often caused bad feelings among those who really tried.
One of the last steps was to grab them halfway through dinner, after working all day, then a 5 mile, full gear death march to cut line on a steep hillside, for 6 hours.
I was relentless.

 

[mitch95100]

So is 17 and being a farm boy where i did the following-
5 in the morning doing chores
Did school
Went and cleaned calf pens
Greased bearings on tractor
Summerizied the sled
Went to town
Had dinner with g-ma
Picked up supllies from tsc
Sharpened 25 chains
Cut a load for the boiler
Cleaned saws
Moved brush
Ate supper helped a cow calf tonight and just showered and sat down
Lazy?

Not here... im one of the few

Sent from me to you using my fingers

 

[mitch95100]

I would love to get a tutor for felling and tree related stuff!
Feels like you have to get in trouble before you get help

I could just see it.
PAROLE OFFICER- Your going to be helping a crew move and cut brush the next 3 weeks...
Me- YES!!!!

Sent from me to you using my fingers

 

[northmanlogging]

No, it wasn't pretty and often caused bad feelings among those who really tried.
One of the last steps was to grab them halfway through dinner, after working all day, then a 5 mile, full gear death march to cut line on a steep hillside, for 6 hours.
I was relentless.

How many times have you been shot at anyway?

 

[mitch95100]

How many times have you been shot at anyway?

Lol
Im guessing trees fell in his general direction...

Sent from me to you using my fingers

 

[RandyMac]

How many times have you been shot at anyway?

9 shots, three different occasions, Southern Humboldt is a rough place.