In light of National Tradesmen Day, here’s some interesting information about the importance of trade jobs, trade workers, as well as the arborist trade and the journeyman arborists at ArborScape.
Trade Work
Trade jobs are hands-on careers that typically don’t require a 4-year degree. And, in ever-growing industries, there’s a fairly high demand for workers. However, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy path to a high-paying career.
These roles involve specialized training through apprenticeships, vocational schools, or other forms of on-the-job learning to establish guidelines of the field and ensure total comprehension of how and why things are done.
Traditional jobs include construction, HVAC, or electrician roles. It also includes landscaping and gardening positions, such as becoming an arborist.
The Arborist Trade
An arborist is a tree doctor certified in the art and science of managing and maintaining the health and safety of trees, shrubs, and other woody plants.
It’s more than just pruning a tree- it’s knowing which cuts to make and why. More than that, arborists also practice pest and disease management in trees and can provide options for treatment plans to keep your trees safe and healthy.
Learning this trade offers a variety of pathways in the industry. ArborScape deals primarily with tree trimming, removals, and overall urban tree care, but there are also options to become a forester, work in fire prevention, or even timber harvesting.
With different certifications or degrees, this trade can also lead to ecologist or forest technician roles.
Journeyman arborist
At ArborScape, we have an apprenticeship program that allows you to dive into the arborist trade while getting paid. Our program is a hybrid system that helps train the next generation in an ever-growing industry.
The apprenticeship program takes roughly three years to complete, with nearly 6,000 hours of OTJ training and an additional 440 hours of classroom learning to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of tree biology and safe equipment practices.
Our arborists have learned the art of tree climbing, understand basic utility management, and have applied sciences to assess risk management.
A certified arborist is also required to stay updated on the industry’s latest techniques and adhere to specific ethics to maintain their credentials. This means that all our arborists are trained in and knowledgeable of the industry’s practices in addition to the landscape’s needs.
With numerous risks in the industry, staying up to date on the latest knowledge of horticulture, keeping up with certifications, and keeping the landscape luscious despite the finicky weather and tumultuous soils, arborists put a lot of effort into horticulture as a whole.
Why Tradework Matters
Trade work as a whole is vital for our economy and way of life, and while it’s a great alternative to finding a fulfilling career outside the norms of formal education, there’s still a lot of learning and other forms of training to succeed in these roles.
The arborist trade is an important role for our community, ecosystem, and Mother Nature. Without maintaining our urban canopy, we wouldn’t reap the benefits that trees provide- such as cooling cities, providing shade, acting as road barriers, and of course, filtering our air.
While we may be biased about arboriculture, we know that all tradework is important for our communities, and we’re incredibly appreciative of the tradeworkers who put in the time and effort to educate themselves about their industry and work hard for others to enjoy the benefits.
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming an arborist, check out our website to learn more about our apprenticeship program, or fill out a form with some questions and we’ll get back to you asap!
