BTC/77/2012 - Arboricultural consultancy; an impossible dream or an achievable aspiration. Article 1/3 for Arboriculture Australia’s The Bark (December 2012)
In this first article of a three-part series on professionalism, Jeremy Barrell, an English tree consultant based near London, offers a British perspective on the demands of professional practice in a commercial world. Arboriculture is a relatively new business in Britain, with its formal beginnings only dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. After a very slow start, caring for trees in the urban environment is now a thriving enterprise with great prospects for those who choose it as a career. However, climbing up the professional ladder by moving into tree consultancy brings with it a host of daunting challenges. Applying high ethical standards in a competitive market place creates a range of dilemmas that have to be resolved if you have any aspirations of professional recognition. Jeremy explores these complex issues, with a host of practical tips from his experience of trying to get the balance right, finishing with some hints on how you may be able to enhance your own career prospects.