Aspiring Arborist questions

[wellshg]

This is my first post on the website, I just have a few questions regarding being an Arborist as a career.
I'm a good highschool student (3.8GPA) and I'm planning on going to a community college and getting a Horiticulture certificate, and then transferring to Cornell University and getting either a Arboriculture/Horiticulture major all while I do some internships...This is my question: Is Cornell University a good Horticulture/Arboriculture college/program?

Do all Arborist own a bucket truck or can a Arborist be strictly a climber?

Also, do any of you know a good Arborist program for highschool students?

Thank you for reading this, I appreciate your answers.

 

[sgreanbeans]

WELCOME! wow, startin' early! Guuuud. Cannot tell ya one thing about the school. But no, not all Arb have trucks, all should be able to climb.

Dont top trees
Dont spike Prunes
Dont spit in front of girls (farting may be ok, depends on the girl)
And for god sakes, dont pee in the wind


Just wanted to get ya off on the right foot.

Stick around kid, ya might learn something, might mot be good, but you will learn..............something

 

[derwoodii]

Giday bloke welcome form down under. A good Arb can do many things to make a quid, much depends upon his skill set or preference.
As time goes on you'l figure out what suits you best. You'll train up at school and with minimum climb gear set your self to work or get employ with a team is more typical path , here you will learn much more.
Truck and lifts chippers are great but wait awhile before investing they need much care understanding and a steady cash flow to justify.
Beware its gonna get hard dangerous and not all days are rewarding if you worry or careless for sweat stay away.
Long term you'll begin to burn out the body about 30 - 35 need to get skill to get around this and more often run you own show or take on supervisory jobs. Sales teaching and consultation roles open up later in life, here your experiences helps find you work showing others how to.
All in all its a good gig, get on board just try to be smarter than the wood you'll be cutting.

 

[Jed1124]

I have been told that Paul Smiths college in NY has a good arbor culture program.

 

[Kottonwood]

You should Check out FRCC. Take the intro to horticulture class with dan Bacheler and the woody plants classes with Ray Dougherty (not sure on his last name) Anyways, you will not be dissapointed, those guys are amazing teachers and very passionate.

After that you should check out CSU, they have a very well recognized forestry program. Arboriculture is all about knowing the local conditions, you will be steps ahead if you study in a place that you will eventually be working.

Oh yeah, only sallies use bucket trucks...... that's why I don't use mine.... I let the other guys use it. In all seriousness though in this area there are plenty of companies that climb only, I have worked as a sub for tons of em. There are many trees here in gated backyards with no bucket access.... money makers for a good climber.

 

[ATH]

....Cornell University and getting either a Arboriculture/Horiticulture major all while I do some internships...This is my question: Is Cornell University a good Horticulture/Arboriculture college/program?....

Depends on what you want to do. If you want to prune trees, apply pesticide treatments, etc... you are probably not getting a good return on investment from Cornell. Obviously, you will get a GREAT education there...but the difference between a Cornell tree climber and a climber without a degree is not going to justify the cost of that education.

On the other hand, if you want to focus on more research, plant pest diagnostics, running a business, etc... you may be headed in a good direction. In my opinion, your total college cost should not exceed a total salary that you can expect to earn over a 1 - 1.5 year period... In other words, don't spend $150,000 on college if you are planning to climb trees!

If you want to stay in the more physical side of the field, you look at some place like Paul Smith's (in New York) or Hocking College (in Ohio). An "in between" option (BS degree, but not Ivy League) would be or a more "traditional" forestry school like Virginia Tech, Arizona State, NC State, Colorado State, etc, etc... Not to take any thing away from Cornell but the State schools (mostly land grant schools) tend to be more focused on the field application than a Cornell, Yale, or Duke.

Find out what distinguishes one program from another. Ask what kinds of jobs (and salaries) their graduates end up doing. That doesn't mean all graduates from one school do the same thing, but are they trending towards a direction that you want to go?

Just depends where you want to head in your career...and that is tough to know as a HS student. Anything you can do in the way of internships along the way will certainly help you focus your education.

 

[wellshg]

Thanks everyone for replying to my questions; I looked into Paul Smiths college and requested some more information... I want to be doing tree climbing, prunning, ect.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

After HS you could look into Job Corps the Urban Tree Worker program gives training in Climbing as well as Bucket truck training Complete with ISA's CTW at no cost to you just the time to complete it 4 or 6 months. good start for a yong person 16 to 24. 1 in OR, IL,AR, two KY & 1 in VT

 

[ropensaddle]

After HS you could look into Job Corps the Urban Tree Worker program gives training in Climbing as well as Bucket truck training Complete with ISA's CTW at no cost to you just the time to complete it 4 or 6 months. good start for a yong person 16 to 24. 1 in OR, IL,AR, two KY & 1 in VT

Lol sign me up Ron


on a serious note having visited your facility, I cuncur: very good direction for any youth seeking a career in our industry.

 

[chief116]

Look into the Stockbridge School at U-mass amherst as well. i've heard good things about the program, its a 2 year associates degree.