ranger or surgeon

[dennydrewcook]

hey so I am coming close to leaving school and have decided I want to go to hadlow collage after secondary but im stuck on which course to choose I was thinking either countryside management or forestry. I wondered what you guys thought would lead to good job opportunities. I know some of you are rangers and tree surgeons so wondered if you could help me out?

thanks

 

[janso]

Can you not do a bit of both for experience? Both have ups and downs but look at what the careers can develop into in 10 years. Not mega helpful but both have their plus points and both can lead to enjoyable work but not necessarily well paid depending on where you go with it.


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[dennydrewcook]

Thanks that's trying to figure out, what would be better paid in the end.


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[ShooTa]

Im currently studying a forestry masters........... a REALMS course - real estate and land management - is certainly more versatile and at harper its much more populated than our forestry - however it depends on what you want to do - the countryside management has alot more career paths but could(will) be much more office based in the end i would guess. whereas forestry will have you out a lot more.

 

[dennydrewcook]

*I'm not that's


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[dennydrewcook]

I'm leaning g towards forestry myself for that reason but I've heard it's a crowded market :/


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[vestlenning]

Take a look at this documentary. If you think it makes sense, go for a practical education.

 

[janso]

From personal experience; tree work is out in all weathers and building up to good quals at height, around high voltage/ low voltage, different sizes of tree and other tickets for working out of cranes, using a chipper but not a great wage considering unless you go self employed and work hard. Forestry work is no better as machinery does all the easy work, slopes and bad ground need people to get in and cut! Eventually, it may get easier if you can move into surveyor work or as a consultant for a electricity/ highways organisation. Most folk I know love it for climbing trees and knocking them over on the whole! A good wage, it's not as far as I know.


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[vestlenning]

Most important: Choose a education that you think you will like in the long run and which doesn't go out of style/becomes useless in a few years.

 

[dennydrewcook]

Thank you for the insight Janso and vestlenning for me it'd be a bushcraft instructor but I think I'd need another job to supplement it


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[CallsignSam]

Hey man, I'm in the same boat. Currently in year 12 and looking to go to hadlow.
I'm hoping to be doing a weeks work experience with a tree surgeon soon but will be following this thread for any advice.

Sam.


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[udamiano]

Be both, do one then the other

 

[Paul_B]

I knew a lad a few years ago who was about your age and starting his training. I think he was lucky in that he was doing it with a potential employer, the forestry commission or whatever they are now called. He was loving the on the job training and course he was doing at college. Absolutely loved being out and up a tree. He was a little eccentric in that he used to spend his spare time in the nearby woods climbing the large conifers for fun and experience. Used to drive his battered car up into forestry tracks and haul his own gear to a suitable tree then climb to the top.

Lost contact with him before he got his tickets and a proper job but he used to say it was only a job for those who didn't mind thee good and the bad in weather and work. Who were not bothered about low pay and other stuff like actually getting work. That was what he found out from old hands in the business.

As far as being a ranger there was something about ranger service in N Ireland on Countryfile and about voluntary rangers at an RSPB reserve. I do not know what it is like to get into conservation these days but a good decade and more ago I nearly got on a voluntary role and it was really hard to get the breaks. Most of the people I knew ended up going out as volunteers with various bodies and I nearly joined the BTCV as it was then known a voluntary assistant. Unpaid but I could claim benefits and at least would have got some experience. I didn't get the position because there were 9 others with biology, ecology or similar degrees (one with a PhD too). All those qualifications and they could not compete for paid work in conservation. You needed experience doing it for at least 2 years to get paid work back then.

I am sorry if my comments are negative I really am not trying to be negative. I do wish you all the best in you chosen field. I also feel you need to speak to people doing the roles you are considering doing before chosing. My information on conservation work is very out of date but I posted because I feel information is needed to make an informed decision. I feel you need better information before choosing. I am sure there are enough people working in forestry on here to give you the info you need and probably a few involved in conservation too. Also I once read that on average people change careers about 4 or 5 times in their life. Perhaps that means you may try one then switch later as Udamiano says above, do one then the other.

 

[gabby160]

hey so I am coming close to leaving school and have decided I want to go to hadlow collage after secondary but im stuck on which course to choose I was thinking either countryside management or forestry. I wondered what you guys thought would lead to good job opportunities. I know some of you are rangers and tree surgeons so wondered if you could help me out?

thanks

Go for it mate, ive been running my own tree surgery firm for 10 years now and still enjoy it although its hard work the pay can be good as long as you are. always dreamt of forestry ranger work but i dont think the moneys there.
either way your looking at decent dirty hard work but massive smiles

 

[tedw]

I agree with Paul_B regarding the ranger role; expect to do a couple of years unpaid volunteering before you've a chance at a job with any of the big land-managing organisations, especially if you want to do practical habitat management work instead of education/engagement with the public. Have a look at the Countryside Jobs Service http://www.countryside-jobs.com/Jobs/index.htm , if you haven't already, and you'll see the sort of thing that comes up. I left the military with chainsaw and brushcutter tickets and a diploma in Countryside Management and began as a volunteer with my local county park and the Wildlife Trust. That lead to a full-time volunteer placement with the Wildlife Trust that gained me a lot of good skills and experience and some useful contacts. That resulted in a paid summer job as a reserve warden, which was repeated the following year and ultimately lead to my current job with the Wildlife Trust. In between, I did some conservation work as a private contractor and applied for several jobs; I was amazed at how competitive that was: for one part-time, temporary job with the National Trust there were 40 applicants, most with good degrees and experience behind them!
A long story, but I'm trying to illustrate that you have got to be prepared to support yourself somehow for quite a while before you are likely to get paid employment, even with a few qualifications. Jobs are out there, not hugely well paid but rewarding in other ways.
You need to decide if you want it enough to put up with all that.