Should I be an arborist?

Have a love of plants, trees, and nature?

Then an arborist might be a great career for you!

• Cuts away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs using climbing equipment or buckets of extended truck booms, or chainsaws, hooks, handsaws, shears, and clippers

• Prunes or treats trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners

• Works off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts

As an arborist, you can expect to:

• Operate grounds maintenance equipment

• Drive trucks or other vehicles to arrive at worksite

• Trim trees or other vegetation

• Clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment

• Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle

Hard Skills

• Pruning

• Trimming

• Sawing

• Visual Perception

Soft Skills

• Interpersonal Communication

• Critical Thinking

• Complex Problem Solving

• Detail-Oriented

US Salary (Median): $41,340

Projected Growth (2019-2029): Much faster than average (8% or more)

Canada Salary (Median): $43,645

Projected Growth (2019-2023): Above average (2%)

• A high school diploma is the most common type of education for an arborist.

• Novice arborists may need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with a seasoned arborist.

• A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with this occupation.

• Enjoy being out in the wilderness

• Have an interest or passion for plants and other flora

• Enjoy working independently and as part of a team

• Dislike being outdoors or being physically active

• Dislike physically strenuous, sometimes repetitive work for days or weeks

• Have a fear of heights, since an arborist spends a lot of time climbing trees

Ready to give this occupation a test drive? Check out the following websites for volunteer opportunities and learn more about industry trends: