[Discussion] How to get new guys excited about the industry.

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Skye401

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Hey everyone, just wanted to air some challenges I've been having recently and gather some thoughts on them.

Last year Made the switch from contract climbing for single crew outfits to working full time for a larger company in the area (~300 employees Residential, Line Trimming, Transmission, PHC divisions). Something I've noticed is that all of the guys here are in such a rush to become a foreman/climber asap.

I started doing tree work 11 years ago when I was 19 and I was a ground guy for over 2 years before I ever got into a tree. In part because we were a pretty barebones operation and everyone had their role, but also because I wanted to learn everything about being on the ground before I went into the air. I came into it almost as green as you can be. I knew a few knots and a little bit about rigging from growing up on the water and sailing, but I had never run a saw in my life.

The people we have coming in don't know a single knot, have never run a saw before(though they all come in talking like they're Beranek himself), and just generally don't have a clue as to how things run yet. But they are all in an absolute dead sprint to try to get climbing gear and get up into the tree before they even know how to feed a line through the portowrap.

Any advice? I'm trying to get guys interested in the whole process, not just the end product
 
Heh. Yep. How old are you? I do think there’s a huge shift in culture that has happened in last 10 years. Those who came into working age during the Great Recession (me, maybe you) are used to working our butts off for not too much and things taking a very long time. I’m try to not be bitter, but man! Lots of entitlement.

Perhaps it’s a general movement towards workers having more autonomy and rights and power overall. If I frame it that way, I am all for it! But whose gonna pick up the rake?
 
This does not answer your question, but an observation: I think with the popularity of social media like Instagram(which is widely used obsessively by younger generation) people see a highlight real of people wearing flashy gear doing hero shit: taking big tops, huge rigs/crane picks etc….There is a ton of appeal to that. Your title reads “How to get them excited”. It seems they are excited, but just poorly prepared(skills/knowledge). They have to have the strong internal desire to learn, and actually go out there and grab it, which is part of the issue, it does not happen FAST.
 
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Stumpsprouts said:
Heh. Yep. How old are you? I do think there’s a huge shift in culture that has happened in last 10 years. Those who came into working age during the Great Recession (me, maybe you) are used to working our butts off for not too much and things taking a very long time. I’m try to not be bitter, but man! Lots of entitlement.

Perhaps it’s a general movement towards workers having more autonomy and rights and power overall. If I frame it that way, I am all for it! But whose gonna pick up the rake?
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I'm 30. So I came into tree work around 2010. I fell in love with every aspect of the job though and wanted to be great at it. Learned my knots, learned my cuts, Learned everything I could before moving on. Now I'm dealing with people who've ran the portowrap a handful of times thinking that it's below them some how
 
Tom Dunlap said:
Does the company have a training program. One that's progressive and tested. Pass test 1 then study and take test 2....etc.
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Not yet, that is something that a few of us are currently working on.

Previously there was an onboarding day that was death by power point, then foremen would be responsible for training their crew. This works fine on a small scale, but once you get to the size we're at, guys get shifted around to deal with people calling out, big jobs requiring more guys on site, etc. The more they get shifted around the more they tend to get lost in the mix and wind up under trained.

We're hoping that the training program will become an in-house form of continuing education. Hopefully the training pipeline might temper some of their passion into lasting dedication.
 
Mark Chisholm said:
Hahaha. That's a good one :)
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It's rough haha I've got a kid that has just barely turned 19 telling me "Back when I was an iron worker, back when I was a welder, back when I was a logger, etc..."

I've got no problem explaining something a hundred times to help them understand, but when they lie about their experience and tell me I can rely on them to do something I get so aggravated.
 
Skye401 said:
It's rough haha I've got a kid that has just barely turned 19 telling me "Back when I was an iron worker, back when I was a welder, back when I was a logger, etc..."

I've got no problem explaining something a hundred times to help them understand, but when they lie about their experience and tell me I can rely on them to do something I get so aggravated.
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This reminded me of a Mitch Hedberg one liner. “I used to be a hot tar roofer once,,,,, Yeah I remember that DAY.”
 
@Skye401 heres an idea if budget and circumstances are appropriate: Each season take a determined number of staff that show real promise in commitment, and growth and send them to an event like TCIA or Arbor EXPO. For me my first TCIA was a huge leap for me in the direction I’ve gone. Maybe it’s just me, but it lit a huge fire under my ass, it opened my eyes to the learning opportunities, and the many facets individuals could grow on in this incredible industry. When you spend a weekend surrounded by good people with genuine enthusiasm and love for an industry it’s hard not to absorb that. I left TCIA, with a new appreciation and strong desire to learn, progress my skills, and pass the CA exam. I know it’s a risk financially sending someone who could go work at 711 the following week, but follow your instincts and it could be a worthy gamble.
 
Chris Schultz said:
When you spend a weekend surrounded by good people with genuine enthusiasm and love for an industry it’s hard not to absorb that.
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There are more and more local comps these days. Many are paired with training days. Finding one nearby softens the financial outlay. Getting employees to compete can be another way to implement a 'tech-transfer' too.
 
Chris Schultz said:
@Skye401 heres an idea if budget and circumstances are appropriate: Each season take a determined number of staff that show real promise in commitment, and growth and send them to an event like TCIA or Arbor EXPO. For me my first TCIA was a huge leap for me in the direction I’ve gone. Maybe it’s just me, but it lit a huge fire under my ass, it opened my eyes to the learning opportunities, and the many facets individuals could grow on in this incredible industry. When you spend a weekend surrounded by good people with genuine enthusiasm and love for an industry it’s hard not to absorb that. I left TCIA, with a new appreciation and strong desire to learn, progress my skills, and pass the CA exam. I know it’s a risk financially sending someone who could go work at 711 the following week, but follow your instincts and it could be a worthy gamble.
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I know this is ages old and I've moved on from that company to a much better place with a great training pipeline that enables us to put out incredibly passionate and skilled climbers, but I did want to add some context to this so that people who come across this thread might see it.

So the company that I was at did send a group of people every year, but it was pretty much entirely made up of department heads/general foremen. Now, if these people were stoked about the industry and the skills that MIGHT pay off by them bringing back what they've learned and passing it on to their direct reports and so on. But in my experience, and certainly what was going on back there, was that these people would more often just treat the trip as a paid vacation and not bring anything back to share with the rest. I think it's a great return on investment to select promising individuals to send and get excited about the work instead. Like you said, it can be that pivotal moment that gets someone absolutely hooked. It's a lot less likely to be that moment that washes the jading off someone who has been burnt out and over it for years
 
Tom Dunlap said:
There are more and more local comps these days. Many are paired with training days. Finding one nearby softens the financial outlay. Getting employees to compete can be another way to implement a 'tech-transfer' too.
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Comps are a huge part of what got me stoked for the job. Meeting new people, seeing new techniques and gear, learning you're a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a small pond :ROFLMAO:
 
Skye401 said:
I know this is ages old and I've moved on from that company to a much better place with a great training pipeline that enables us to put out incredibly passionate and skilled climbers, but I did want to add some context to this so that people who come across this thread might see it.

So the company that I was at did send a group of people every year, but it was pretty much entirely made up of department heads/general foremen. Now, if these people were stoked about the industry and the skills that MIGHT pay off by them bringing back what they've learned and passing it on to their direct reports and so on. But in my experience, and certainly what was going on back there, was that these people would more often just treat the trip as a paid vacation and not bring anything back to share with the rest. I think it's a great return on investment to select promising individuals to send and get excited about the work instead. Like you said, it can be that pivotal moment that gets someone absolutely hooked. It's a lot less likely to be that moment that washes the jading off someone who has been burnt out and over it for years
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When I went to tcia I definitely met some meathead type tree dudes who were just there to party. Mostly gangs of bros in matching fluorescent shirts :rock:
 
I kind of have the opposite problem, I’ve ran into that issue in the past though.
My current issue is lack of drive for advancement. It literally has become more of a nagging situation.
I don’t give carrots on a stick, but when I make an offer for $2 an hour pay raise and share the cost of whatever saddle they want to use 50/50 and nothing happens it really makes me wonder. For clarification I will buy a cheaper entry level saddle of my choice or split the cost of a high end comfy saddle, which is theirs.
Same with the person who has ample experience. I think they had my isa study guide for over a year before they got around to taking the test….
 
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