Help or advice on forestry jobs

[kevlaney]

hello everyone,I am in need of some advice.As you may have read in my introduction i did a forestry NVQ when i left school 16 years ago while doing the work placement with the gamekeepers on the Manton House estate,Marlborough.At the time Lackham college did not do a specialised gamekeeping Nvq so any lads wanting to be keepers had to do the Forestry NVQ with its associated pest control units.After i had gained my NVQ the estate kept me on full time but after 4 years made me redundant.I was only earning £120 per week and my boss was worth over £90,000,000 ?????? to get this job ,i started writing letters to estates when i was 14 years old and just managed to find a placement in time for college when i was 16.After i was made redundant i just didnt have the heart to go through this again and by now i had rent and bills to pay so i started hod carrying and eventualy went to college to gain my Nvq as a bricklayer.My heart has never been in the building industry, i have only done it out of necessity and have always wanted to get back into a land based job,but have lost all my contacts over the years through death or moving jobs etc.It does not have to be a keepering job and i have been interested in forestry since college and was responsible for a lot of the forestry duties when i was a keeper.I know i would be on a lot less money then i have been while bricklaying but im fed up of chasing the pound note and this is not of concern to me.I would by my own admission be a bit rusty after 10 years out of the job but im fairly intelligent(only my own opinion)and could get back into the swing of things quite quickly.I dont expect to go straight into felling big oaks(i have units 30,31a,31b chainsaw so couldnt fell anything too big anyway)but would like to start doing the maintenance side of things eg weeding,beat up counts,coppice management,thinning,brashing,pruining,maintenance of deer/rabbit fencing,squirrel rabbit control and DEER management and so on(would like to further my training with DSC).I have applied to jobs and also sent similar emails to forestry companies all without the decency of a reply(with the exeption of Julian Burchby of the Newbury branch of Silvanus,a true gentleman)and am at my wits end.If anyone can help me with this i would be extremy gratefull.I am in North Wilts but would consider anything in the south west or Berkshire/Hampshire.

ps sorry for the long tedious message. many thanks . Kevin Laney

 

[widows son]

Your right into those NVQs ,Forestry, lots more NVQs sorry try Barony College in Dumfries they do residential courses in forestry related subjects covering all aspects of the forestry world .

One thing you have on your side is age ,there are plenty on here that would love the chance to be a Gamekeeper or Forester , find your goals and work toward them eventually you'll find something your happy doing.

There's also the Forestry Commission website for jobs in fencing woodland management etc always worth a try self employed route ,planting, spraying etc ,Scottish Woodlands .

Have a look at the website countryside jobs ,it is a pay site but if you phone them they will allow you a password to look at the passed jobs ,to see if any of them or that type of work would suit your needs .

 

[widows son]

Forestry Commission - current vacancies

Hers something that may just suit you

 

[widows son]

CJS Daily Online - countryside, conservation jobs.

 

[widows son]

Environmentjob.co.uk: Environmental jobs in the UK

 

[countrryboy]

it's a fairly broad spectrum wantin a job in 'forestry' but u mention a lot off the rite jobs.

I would imagine be plenty off work doing the planting, beating up and spraying(wrong time off year for last 2) crap jobs and the money is right out off them nowadays. Until last couple of years was 3 big gangs worked out off our town but work really drying up recently, not the timber being cut so less gettin planted.
I would also imagine down south thoose type of jobs would be well suited to eastern europeans doing it cheaper.

U could go down the other route off on the saw, mibee's try some tree surgery type companies, timber harvesting etc

i used to do a lot off cutting on the railways down london/southhampton/plymouth all over really. Squads off us would travel down from scotland for 10 day shifts money wasn't bad. Always surpised me we were gettin paid more than some off the london based climbers and our digs and travel were paid.
Same problem thou the railway work has all dried up , most off ma old work mates are on the power lines now, still down south, i think plenty off work bt need a rake off tickets
I have also done brashing and felling for harvesters and skylines, which is hard graft, but the job has changed alot over last 5 or so years. the machine heads are getting stronger and stronger so less cutting work so the only get the real dregs at the end off the job now, even up here there gettin some off our european neighbours to work for peanuts, then wonder why they get a sub stanard job.

There will be plenty off work out there it's jist finding the right people in ur area (which i'm afraid i can't help u with). All the boys ive cut or fenced for has been throu word off mouth usually in a pub, not likely to happen in london. Failing that i'd ask around the local chainsaw shops, foresrty machine dealers for work, there's a big 1 honey bros somewhere near guilford? i think gormsall station was the line we were working on nearby; a long time ago. Most off the contractors i know wouldnae really advertise on the internet they jist tell there operators/mechanics to put the word about

It's a shame u never posted this last month was a big forestry show down south jist 3 weeks ago some real big boys toys to see, some big money too.

Dunno if that ramble is of any help to u
all yhe best

 

[kevlaney]

Cheers fellas,all taken on board.

 

[countrryboy]

was thinking u could mibee try the fmj (forest machine journal) more for tendering contracts but u might see some contractors near to or work ur area. there is also some specialist type forestry job websites, i never thought they were very good years ago when i was looking to move but may be better now

it's not wot u know but who u know atleast until u get started anyway.