Article DetailsArborist| Arboriculture Training in Australia |
| Date Added: November 04, 2008 09:27:02 AM |
| Author: Eric Frei |
| Category: Tree Services |
| So you want certificates and training but not sure how it all works and where to get it, if that's the case then read on. Australia has AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework) training delivered by RTO's (Registered Training Organisations) controlled by government to be compliant and to a standard. Training is accessible to everybody and there's no reason to belong to any organisation etc to receive it, in fact it raises many concerns when organizations intervene in the system. Australia always has prided itself on community access to vital elements of social policy like health and education. Whether it be for a hands on trades level 3 arborist through to a level 5 (Diploma) or Level 6 (Advanced Diploma) this article will steer you in the right direction and give you the knowledge and tools to start your training path no matter where in Australia you are. At Tree World forum there's thread where you can join and interact, have questions answered absolutely free if any of this goes over your head. It is not totally necessary to progress through your training completing every level. You can for example complete Level 3 and then do Level 5, there's no need to do say levels 2,3,4 then 5. Of course there's packaging rules that need to be adhered to. In a nutshell the NTIS website is the common area for both trainers and learners to use. Arborist training is the RTF03 area down the list. Trainers should hold a current qualification called TAA40104, the days of some guy standing there chatting about how he done it is long over, training has evolved past those dreary days and relies on modern new techniques. Not all trainers are the same though, neither is their material. Whilst the competency's goals are to be uniform the method of obtaining and understanding them isn't, there's more about that on tree world. This type of training is called vocational training, vocation meaning job. It's sort of like an apprenticeship where your real life on the job skills are taken into account. Often learners have actually been performing the tasks and need to be assessed, these things are taken into consideration, sometimes "gaps" in knowledge or skills has to be filled. No doubt in the complex society we live in the consumer is demanding better tree care. Councils are also protecting trees and mandating qualified arborists work on them. For writing reports it's becoming common to see a stipulation for a Level 5 arborist with perhaps 5 years experience to get involved. The time has never been more right than now to gain official qualifications. With the way the world is heading for carbon credits from trees it's likely that trees will become an asset, and the green value sold as offset credits, and those tree owners will be asking for arborists who understand both how to work on trees and what their biological requirements are. We are on the cusp of a new era for tree care, the doors for qualified people will be opening wider than before, the demand will increase, the need for training and certification is there .... it's now up to you. Written by Eric Frei Diploma Hort and Arb www.theconsultingarborist.com.au www.palmtreeservices.com.au |
