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Getting into tree surgery can feel confusing at first. Some people look for an apprenticeship, some try to find a trainee role, and others start by booking a practical course so they can build the skills employers ask for.
There is no single route that suits everyone. Your best starting point will depend on your age, experience, employment situation, existing outdoor skills and the type of tree work you want to move into.
Great Oaks provides practical chainsaw, forestry and arboriculture training for learners, employers and outdoor workers who need recognised skills. This guide explains the main tree surgery training routes and where short courses can fit.
People enter tree surgery from a range of backgrounds. Some come straight from education, while others move across from landscaping, grounds maintenance, forestry, estate work, construction, farming or wider outdoor roles.
The National Careers Service lists several routes into tree surgery, including college, apprenticeships, working towards the role and applying directly with relevant experience. It also notes “tree climber” and “arborist” as alternative job titles for tree surgeon.
In practice, the main routes are:
| Route | Best suited to |
| Apprenticeship | New entrants with an employer who can support structured training |
| Trainee role | People who want to learn on the job while gaining practical experience |
| Short practical courses | Learners or workers who need specific chainsaw, felling, climbing or machinery skills |
| Employer-funded training | Grounds maintenance, estate, utilities, forestry or arboriculture teams upskilling staff |
| Career-change route | Adults moving from another outdoor, practical or land-based role |
| College route | Learners who want a broader introduction before entering work |
These routes can overlap. Someone may begin as a trainee, complete short courses through their employer and later progress into climbing or more specialist arboriculture work.
When people search for a tree surgeon apprenticeship, they are usually looking for a structured way to enter practical tree work while earning and learning.
The formal apprenticeship route is normally the Arborist Level 2 apprenticeship. Skills England lists typical job titles for this apprenticeship including arborist, climbing arborist and tree surgeon.
An apprenticeship can be a strong route if you are new to the industry and have an employer who can support your development. It can help you build experience across real sites, team working, safety procedures, practical tree care and supervised arboriculture tasks.
However, an apprenticeship is not always the easiest route to access. You need an employer, available places and a training arrangement that suits your situation. For adults changing career or workers who already have outdoor experience, a shorter, more focused training route may sometimes be more practical.
A trainee role can be a good option if you want to learn through work but are not entering a formal apprenticeship.
A trainee tree surgeon or groundworker may start by supporting a team from the ground. This can involve preparing equipment, clearing branches, handling timber, feeding chippers where trained, keeping the site tidy, communicating with climbers and learning how tree surgery teams operate.
This route can suit people who are practical, reliable and willing to learn. Employers may not expect a trainee to know everything from day one, but they may still look for evidence of commitment, safety awareness and relevant training.
For someone at the beginning of the process, the wider route into early training, site experience and progression is covered in our guide on how to become a tree surgeon.
Short courses are designed to help learners build competence in a specific area. They are not the same as a full apprenticeship, but they can be very useful when you know which skill you need next.
For example, a learner might need training in:
HSE guidance says workers using a chainsaw should be competent and should have appropriate training for the type of work they are required to do.
This is why practical training matters. In tree surgery, the right course is not just about getting a certificate. It is about making sure your training matches the work you are expected to carry out.
For employers, training is often less about “starting a career” and more about making sure staff can work safely, legally and effectively.
This route may suit:
Employer-funded training can be especially useful where a team needs specific skills rather than a broad apprenticeship programme. One person may need chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting, while another may be ready for climbing or aerial rescue.
The main tree surgeon qualifications usually build from ground-based chainsaw training into felling, climbing, rescue and more advanced aerial work.
Many people do not come into tree surgery straight from school or college. Some already work outdoors and want to move into a more specialist role.
You may already have useful experience if you work in:
This experience can help because you may already understand outdoor work, weather conditions, manual handling, site safety, machinery, client sites and team working.
However, tree surgery still requires specific training. A landscaper, estate worker or forestry worker may be comfortable outdoors but still need chainsaw, felling, climbing or aerial rescue training before taking on tree surgery tasks.
If you are comparing early course options, CS30 and CS31 chainsaw courses are often part of the foundation route into maintenance, cross-cutting and small-tree felling.
The right route depends on what you need from the next step.
An apprenticeship may be the best fit if you are new to the industry, have an employer willing to support you and want a structured training route over time.
A trainee role may be better if you want to get onto real sites, build experience and learn from an employer before deciding which qualifications to add.
A short course may be the right choice if you already know which skill you need, your employer has asked for a specific qualification, or you are trying to improve your chances of getting an entry-level role.
A career-change route may suit you if you already have outdoor experience and want to build the missing tree surgery skills around your existing background.
Here is a simple way to compare the options:
Your situation | Likely route to consider |
You are leaving school or college and have an employer | Apprenticeship |
You want to get site experience first | Trainee role |
You already work outdoors and need a specific skill | Short practical course |
Your employer needs you to carry out new tasks | Employer-funded training |
You want to move from landscaping or grounds maintenance | Career-change route with targeted courses |
You are unsure about the whole pathway | Start with beginner guidance and course advice |
Chainsaw training is often one of the first practical steps into tree surgery, but the exact course depends on what you need to do.
A beginner may need maintenance and cross-cutting before moving into felling. Someone already working on the ground may need to add small-tree felling. A learner aiming for aerial work will need to build a stronger foundation before climbing or using a chainsaw in a tree.
The terms used around training can also be confusing. People often talk about a chainsaw licence or a chainsaw ticket, even though employers may be referring to specific training, assessment or certificates of competence.
The safest approach is to check what task you need to carry out, then match your training to that task.
Tree climbing is usually a progression step. It is not normally the first course a complete beginner should rush into.
Before climbing, learners often benefit from ground-based experience, site communication, equipment awareness and basic chainsaw competence. Climbing adds new risks, including work at height, rope systems, rescue planning and movement in the canopy.
For learners who are ready to progress, tree climbing courses help explain when aerial work becomes the right next step.
After climbing and aerial rescue, some learners may progress to using a chainsaw from a rope and harness. This is a further stage and should only be approached once the right foundation is in place.
Not finding an apprenticeship straight away does not mean you cannot move towards tree surgery.
You could still:
This is where chainsaw courses can help, especially for adults and career changers. They allow you to build specific skills without committing to a full apprenticeship route.
However, it is still worth being selective. Start with the course that matches your experience and the work you actually want to do.
Training can affect earning potential, but it is only one part of the picture.
Pay in tree surgery can depend on:
Our guide to tree surgeon salaries in the UK gives more detail on how experience, climbing ability and employment route can affect earnings.
For most learners, the better question is not “which course pays the most?” It is “which route helps me become useful, safe and employable at the next stage?”
Is an apprenticeship the best way to become a tree surgeon?
An apprenticeship can be a good route if you have an employer and want structured training over time. It is not the only route. Many people also enter through trainee roles, related outdoor work or short practical courses.
Can I become a tree surgeon without an apprenticeship?
Yes. Some people become tree surgeons through trainee roles, grounds maintenance, landscaping, forestry, college routes or practical training courses. The right route depends on your experience and the work you want to do.
Should I take a chainsaw course before applying for jobs?
It may help if employers are asking for chainsaw competence, but you should check what roles require before booking. A beginner may need chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting before moving into felling, climbing or aerial work.
Are short courses enough to become a tree surgeon?
A short course can help you build a specific skill, but it does not replace experience. Tree surgery usually requires a combination of training, supervised practice, site experience and ongoing development.
What is the best route for career changers?
Career changers often benefit from targeted training that builds on existing outdoor or practical experience. Someone coming from landscaping, grounds maintenance or forestry may not need the same route as a complete beginner.
What comes after basic chainsaw training?
After basic chainsaw training, learners may progress into felling and processing small trees, tree climbing and aerial rescue, woodchipper training, refresher training or more advanced aerial chainsaw work.
Great Oaks supports learners, employers and outdoor workers with practical chainsaw training courses from our Preston training centre.
We can help you choose the right next step, whether you are starting with basic chainsaw training, moving from grounds maintenance into arboriculture, supporting junior staff, refreshing existing skills or planning a route into climbing and aerial rescue.
👉 Contact the Training Centre
📞 01772 369694
✉️ training@greatoakstreeservices.co.uk
Our Training Centre in Preston is ideally placed for learners across Lancashire and the North West.
We regularly train candidates from:
Preston
Blackpool
Chorley
Lancaster
Blackburn
Southport
Courses take place in real woodland environments and are led by instructors with years of field and teaching experience.
Great Oaks Tree Services & Training Academy is based in Kirkham, near Preston, and delivers NPTC chainsaw courses to learners across the North West. Whether you’re searching for chainsaw training in Lancashire or need certification near Preston, we’re your trusted training provider.
Chainsaw Course Enquiries
01772 369694 ✉️ training@greatoakstreeservices.co.uk
01772 369694 ✉️ training@greatoakstreeservices.co.uk
Careers
Climbing, grounds maintenance and utility work.Climbing, grounds and utility work.
Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor.
Last minuteAvailability
Starts Monday 19 October 2026
3 days plus 1 for assessment
£9671 place
Entry requirements: Ground Based Chainsaw Operator and Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue
Book this date, Using a Chainsaw from a Rope and HarnessOr call the training office on 01772 369694
