Jobs Tree surgery

[Rick_uk]

Hi guys, hope i'm posting this in the correct place.

As you can see by my name i'm from the UK, i'm trying to get my foot in the door within the tree service industry, i've been interested for about 2 years but only recently got off my ass to do something about it, obviously i'm starting at the bottom as i'm inexperienced.

I was inspired by a friend who started roughly 2 years ago and he's doing really well for himself, i've done my basic tree felling and chainsaw maintainance course and passed it. The hardest thing i'm finding at the moment is getting a job, I have phoned nearly every business in my local area asking if they have job vacancies for groundsman, I don't even care if I use a saw or not to begin with, I just want to learn. I sent off about 15 CV to the other local business's with a cover letter stating my current situation.

I'm a hard worker and i'm willing and able to learn from the very bottom, am I doing something wrong here? It's making me want to change my career path already but I love working in the outdoors I just can't find anyone to take me on, i've done voluntary work before but the guy needed experienced climbers.

Anyone have any tips? Thanks for reading.

 

[MuniciPAL]

Finding a job can be a major gong show or it can work out nicely and you may get lucky.
but whatever you do dont give up on the career path if you like it. how about starting to climb recreationally? that will tell you if you like the view and if you actually want to be up in trees for a living. rec climbing is still potetially dangerous but not near the level of gunning a chainsaw in a tree. pick up some equip and give it a try. once you get your feet off the ground you prolly wont be looking for other jobs.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Jobs Tree Service

Thought of coming to the States and working for a time. Lot of ground work up and down the East coast. A year or two and go back a Climber

 

[Bermie]

Hi,
Try the Arboricultural Association website...
www.trees.org.uk

Additionally, there is a recruitment service called Complete Tree Care:

www.completetreecare.co.uk

Complete Tree Care
73 Hight Street, Church Stretton
Shropshire, SY6 6BY

Tel: 01694 720 022

They offer a placement service that is free for candidates, i.e. YOU

Good Luck!

 

[Rick_uk]

HI thanks for the links to the websites.

There's a shed load of jobs on there, none of them near me but still it shows there is hope. I'm starting a climbing course soon so when I pass that maybe it will open up some new doors for me.

Thanks

 

[Bermie]

Where are you doing your climbing course? It wouldn't be Treevolution by any chance, as I see you are located in Wales.

 

[Rick_uk]

I'm not 100% where i'm going to do the course yet but treevolution is an option, it's about 40 minute drive from here. Theres a few places that do the course here but i'd like to go with a good instructor. A few differant people told me the guy that did my chainsaw course is one of the best in britain but he doesn't do climbing courses so hopefully i'll end up with someone just as good as that.

 

[Bermie]

The Treevolution guys are the bees knees, they co-wrote the Guide to Best Climbing Practice and the chap in the pictures is one of their instructors.
I trained with them and they were over here in Bermuda for 6 weeks after the hurricane in '03.
Bavaresco Tree Care is also a good guy, he posts here as Pez, and used to work with Treevolution before doing his own thing.
Good luck, have fun, if you go with either of them tell 'em Fiona in Bermuda says Hi!!!

 

[Rick_uk]

Hi thanks for the info about that, I thoguht treevolution would be pretty good by looking at their website.

Mind if I ask about the climbing course? How hard is it to pass? I'm new to climbing as in I have never climbed with ropes before, i'm strong and have good upper body strength but have never used ropes or harness before. I was thinknig of buying a beginners book to read before I go on the course. Any ideas for a good book?

I was suprised on my chanisaw course how much there was to learn, i'm expecting the climbing course to be the same but are the courses designed for people with NO climbing experience?! Thanks

Oh and i'll say hi from Bermuda if I see these guys.

 

[Bermie]

Hi Again,
Sorry I took so long to reply,

The climbing course is full of details, just like your chainsaw course, I thorougly enjoyed my course. Just being strong is not necessarily the secret, being able to use your legs, hips, and arms in unison is more important. You will discover muscles you never knew you had, invest in a big bottle of Radox and keep the bath water HOT!

A good book to get ahead of time is the 'Tree Climber's Companion' by Jeff Jepson, it covers all the basics.

You will learn to inspect and use your gear: harness, ropes; tree inspection for safety, how to tie the knots, selecting and placing your tie in point. Ascending the tree, moving around, changing attachment points, branch walking and very importantly Aerial rescue.

Check out the NPTC website and download the 'climb trees and perform aerial rescue' assessment schedule. You will be familiar with the format from your chainsaw course. Have a read to get yourself prepared.

Have fun and good luck!

 

[Chris1979]

Hi, here is a link for training information for whomever else stumbles across this thread... Training