Tree Surgeons carry out tree work including planting, cutting down, maintenance and hazard assessments, sometimes with heavy equipment. Ground Workers make sure a site is safe by keeping people and vehicles away, and assist Tree Surgeons by passing tools, refuelling chainsaws and clearing away dead branches and debris.
Tree surgery is often performed to improve the health of a tree, to improve its appearance or for safety reasons. A Tree Surgeon will have knowledge of trees as living organisms and understand when, how and why specialist care is needed.
To work professionally in the Forestry and Arboriculture industry, you need to achieve training and qualifications in order to meet the knowledge, skills and competence required to operate in the industry. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) have set out requirements on the level of training and assessment for the UK, whereas the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has overall responsibility for the administration and enforcement of health and safety at work in Ireland.
Also known as: Arborist, Tree Climber, Arboriculturist
strong knowledge of trees and shrubs, including growth, nutrition, pests and diseases
physical skills like movement and co-ordination, and a reasonable level of fitness
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
good communication skills and be able to work well with others
knowledge of public safety and security
to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
to keep up to date with legislation on tree protection and health and safety issues
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
You’ll need training to work with different types of hand and power tools including chainsaws, hedge cutters, mechanical shredders and strimmers.
Salary
NB These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary depending on the employer and the skills and experience of the employee.
£18,000
Typical salaries range from
£32,000
Typical Hours
37-40 hours per week. This job could involve working weekends or undertaking jobs at short notice, especially emergency tree care following storm damage.
Day to Day
Plant trees and plants
Identify hazards posed by trees
Assess tree health and treatment
Climb trees to cut back or remove branches
Cut down and remove trees and stumps
Cut logs and branches
Service equipment like chainsaws and chippers
Produce tree survey reports for clients
Deal with clients and complete administrative tasks
Working Environment
Most of the work will be outdoors in all weathers. The work can be very noisy, and you may be exposed to sawdust and fumes from tools, pesticides and fertilisers. You’ll wear protective clothing such as helmets, ear protectors and chainsaw protective boots, trousers and gloves. You’ll also use specialist rope access and positioning systems.
Tree surgery work is physically demanding, involving climbing each day, sometimes for many hours.
There may be a lot of travel between jobs and occasional periods may be spent working away from home.
Training Available
Training is an essential part of any job, giving you the skills and knowledge you need to do your job safely and correctly. It also helps to strengthen your current skill set and prepares you for the next stage in your career.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships help you build the experience and skills that employers want to see. No matter what stage you’re at, they’ll help set you up for a bright future. There are lots of ways to get involved.
Tree Surgeon opportunities and careers paths
With experience, you could progress to team supervisor or manager.
Some Tree Surgeons with a range of skills and experience become self-employed and run their own businesses.
Industries
Tree Surgeon will usually work in one of the following industries. Click below to find out more about possible career paths.
Forestry & Arboriculture
Trees don’t only bring pleasure to millions of us – they provide a broad range of career options to help manage habitats and fight climate change.
Woodlands and forests enhance and support our lives. Trees absorb and store carbon dioxide, provide wood, moderate climate, help regulate our supply of fresh water, prevent erosion and flooding, provide a wide range of habitats for people and wildlife, and bring huge pleasure and wellbeing to millions.
Forestry and timber also play a major role in developing a low carbon economy: planting new trees offsets emissions and helps lock-up carbon in construction. Each nation has their own tree-planting strategy and target to help achieve their net zero goals.
Careers tend to split into two main areas. Forestry is the science and practice of planting, managing and harvesting forests for wood and timber, while arboriculture involves cultivating and managing trees in urban environments, like parks, community spaces and private properties. While there’s some overlap in skills, foresters tend to manage forests and timber on a larger scale while arborists look after trees in smaller green spaces. Both options offer diverse, challenging career opportunities.
The area of woodland in the United Kingdom is estimated to be 3.2 million hectares
The UK has a tree-planting target of 30,000 hectares a year by 2024 – the equivalent of at least 90 million trees
69% of the UK population visited woodland in 2021
In the Republic of Ireland, the area of forest is estimated to be 770,020 ha or 11% of the total land area of Ireland - over 50% of this is in public ownership, mainly through Coillte
These courses are perfect if you are starting out on your career but they are also
great for people already in jobs who want to improve their skills.
Aerial Tree Rescue
Learn How to Rescue stranded climbers with our Aerial Rescue course.
This course is not an alternative to achieving the qualification in this area. Professional Users must achieve the Level 3 Award in Aerial Tree Rescue Operations.
This course will provide you with the skills and information that you will need to undertake the Lantra Awards Level 2 Award in Accessing a Tree Using a Rope and Harness.
Whether you’re just starting out in the workplace, want to upskill or are considering changing direction,
Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to build your career.
Apprenticeships combine work with on-the-job training, so if you want to earn as you learn,
there’s an apprenticeship out there for you – you can even start an
apprenticeship if you already have a degree.
Apprenticeships in England
During an apprenticeship, you’ll be assessed regularly to make sure you’re gaining the knowledge, skills and behaviours you need. At the end of the apprenticeship, an End Point Assessment (EPA) will check you’re fully competent. EPAs are carried out by an independent organisation and will include a practical skills demonstration and discussion.
This occupation is found in arboricultural, utility, facilities management and grounds maintenance organisations. This standard covers tree health, risk and complying with legislation and regulation regarding trees.
An apprenticeship is a unique blend of work experience and study to help build the skills and knowledge you need for your career.
Apprentices are employees – they have a contract, are paid and get the same benefits as everyone else.
But the difference between an apprenticeship and a normal job is that apprentices are regularly released from work for training.
Sometimes that’s a day a week, sometimes it’s for a longer block – it all depends on the job and the apprenticeship.
Apprentices work for all kinds of people at all kinds of stages in their lives. Most apprentices fall into one of three categories:
someone who is just starting their career
someone who already has a job and wants to move forward in their company
someone who already has a job and wants to retrain to make a career change.
Previously restricted to school leavers and young people, apprenticeships are now a dynamic way of retraining people of all ages -
there’s no upper age limit. The minimum age to become an apprentice is 16 and candidates can’t be in full-time education.
Benefits of an Apprenticeship
Apprenticeships offer a unique combination of paid work and study. They’re an exciting option for anyone who wants to
gain experience, upskill or change career while working.
They offer a chance to work, learn and earn:
workplace experience and skills development
a nationally recognised qualification
employee benefits and a wage
no student loans or tuition fees
contact with industry professionals.
Vacancies
Interested in becoming an apprentice? Search for current opportunities and apply here.
Not quite sure if an apprenticeship is right for you? If you’re not ready for an apprenticeship, T Levels and Traineeships can be a great alternative.
What are T Levels?
T Levels are an alternative to A Levels – a two-year course for 16-18 year olds. Created alongside employers, they combine classroom learning with an industry placement and are a great way to prepare for work, further training or study. If you’re not quite ready for a T Level, the T Level Transition Programme is a 1-year post-GCSE course designed to prepare you for your chosen route. T Levels are available in Agriculture, Land Management and Production from September 2023, and in Animal Care and Management from September 2024.
Traineeships are a great option if you’re between 16 and 24 and don’t yet have the skills or experience to take on a job or apprenticeship. In a Traineeship, you complete an unpaid work placement alongside a training course to develop your skills. Traineeships last from six weeks to a year, though most last around six months.
Thinking about your finances is important when you're looking at courses and training -
different types of funding support is available depending on what type of course you're
interested in and where you are located. We recommend you contact the training provider
for more information on course costs and financing, but here are some links to connect
you to support available:
Further Education
16 – 19:
You won't have to pay any course fees if you're staying on in education or training at a school, college, or with a training provider, and you're under the age of 19 – please contact the training provider for more information.
Advanced Learner Loans are available to help with the cost of a course at college or training provider in England if you are over 19 and studying a Level 3, 4, 5 or 6 qualification – more information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan
If you are aged 19 or over you could access a course for free to help you gain the skills you need to get the job you want – this includes some land-based Level 3 qualifications, with the government paying the course fees. To find out more including eligibility criteria, visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/free-courses-for-jobs
Higher Education:
Information on loans and grants available to undergraduate and postgraduate students can be found via Student Finance England https://studentfinance.campaign.gov.uk
Skills Hub Scotland
Skills Hub Scotland
is an online skill sharing marketplace creating new opportunities to learn and share skills.
Wherever you are located - if you have a skill to share, or a skill to learn, Skills Hub Scotland can help.
Initially founded as a response to the Scottish Government’s CivTech
5 programme in 2020 and aiming to offer a platform for those in rural or remote locations,
Skills Hub Scotland has been developed into an important sectoral resource.
If you have a skill to share with others or are a training provider,
list your workshop or course (all skills from all sectors are welcome). If you are a learner,
use Skills Hub Scotland to search for and book a course!
STEM
STEM is an approach to learning and development that incorporates the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Learning in STEM connects to Education for Sustainable Development/Learning for Sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals
– this helps learners to understand that STEM plays a vital role in finding solutions to real world issues or challenges such as
protecting biodiversity and tackling climate change. There are multiple pathways into a land-based STEM career including apprenticeships,
further and higher education. This means that a career in STEM is open to everyone!
STEM Learning
is the largest provider of STEM education and careers support in the UK. Their STEM Ambassadors programme sees volunteers representing
a vast range of STEM-related jobs work with young people to bring STEM subjects alive through real life experiences.
They help to open the doors to a world of opportunities and possibilities which come from pursuing STEM subjects and careers.
To become a STEM Ambassador, you can register via the STEM Learning website:
https://www.stem.org.uk/stem-ambassadors/join-stem-ambassador-programme
Lantra have worked in collaboration with STEM Ambassadors in Scotland to create two specific UK-wide Ambassadors schemes -
Forestry and Aquaculture. Through these schemes, we want to make sure that those working in forestry and aquaculture have the support
materials they need to take part in STEM activities. To find out more and register for the schemes, please follow the links below:
Smart Futures
helps young people in Ireland discover the STEM subjects and careers that might be right for them.
Co-ordinated and managed by Science Foundation Ireland, their programme allows young people to connect with people that are working in STEM,
the organisations they’re working in and what their interests and skills are.
Not sure what you want to do?
Why not take a look at the Industries Explorer as an introduction to the different areas you could work in.
If we can support you with any specific information, please click the button below to get in touch.
