The first thing you need to consider to become a tree surgeon, how much Education you want to have. Most of them do not have any academic degree; they continue their careers through apprenticeship or working towards this role. However, you can get into this job through:
- University courses.
- College courses.
- Apprenticeship programme.
- Working towards this role.
Through a University
Taking a university degree is an excellent way to start your career as a tree surgeon. Research shows that 20% of tree surgeons have a bachelor’s degree. And, only a few of them have a master’s degree.
When researching how to become a tree surgeon, choosing the right degree is always an important step. Selecting the perfect major will give you the opportunity to a lot of diverse careers in arboriculture. So, taking a university degree or diploma will allow you to earn a handsome salary than the others.
You can study for a foundation degree, higher national degree, or diploma. Relevant courses to becoming a tree surgeon include:
- Forestry.
- Arboriculture.
- Countryside management.
- Forest management.
- Woodland ecology and conservation.
Entry requirements
You will usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or HND.
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree.
Through a College
You can become a tree surgeon through a college course. In a college course, you will earn some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job. You do not need to worry about finding a job without a university degree or diploma. Because we found that most of them start their career just after completing a college course. So, you will not be left behind the race when searching for a job.
Relevant college course subjects include:
- Level 2 Certificate in Arboriculture.
- Level 2 Work-based Trees and Timber.
- Level 2 Felling and Processing Trees.
- Level 3 Diploma in Forestry and Arboriculture.
Entry requirements
You will usually need:
- Two or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course.
Through an Apprenticeship
Well, another option to becoming a tree surgeon through an apprenticeship program. The common way to get into this job through an arborist or a forest operative intermediate apprenticeship. Although your salary will be the least compared to the others.
Entry requirements
You will usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship.
Do you need to have experience when searching for a tree surgeon job?
It’s a tricky question to answer. Because every employer or company has its own set of requirements when recruiting new employees.
After earning a university or college degree, you can gain experience through an apprenticeship program in forestry, arboriculture, or tree work office.
You can also gain experience by doing volunteering work for different conservation organisations or horticultural groups. For instance, you can contact The Tree Council, the National Trust, and the Woodland Trust for volunteering work opportunities.
Although to start your career as a tree surgeon, you do not need any qualification and experience. You can start your career through apprenticeship and developing the necessary skills to progress your career.
If you have previous experience working in forestry, arboriculture, or tree works would be useful when looking for a high-salary job. Two to three years of experience and skills are enough for landing a good job. After four to five years, you can start your own business.
Do I need to have insurance to work as a tree surgeon?
Well, you do need insurance to work as a tree surgeon, but it’s not mandatory.
Most of the time, they work in public areas. So, you need to be properly protected against potential liabilities or accidents. By keeping this in mind, it is important that you should take an insurance package.
In the UK, there are a lot of insurance companies, which provides insurance for tree surgeons. Every package is different from one another. Some package cover, such as:
- Negligence of public safety and security claims, which were made by the public.
- Specialised tree surgery tools and machinery. You can quickly replace your equipment if something happens to it.
Thus, taking an insurance package is always the best choice. However, you should be careful when you are working or handling equipment in public areas.
What are the career prospects for a tree surgeon?
As of now, you might be wondering, what is the career improvement option you will have?
The types of job vacancies available to a tree surgeon are as diverse as the establishments they work for. The simple career ladder of the jobs are:
Junior Tree Surgeon > Tree Surgeon > Senior Tree Surgeon > Supervisor or Manager.