Arborist (Tree Surgeon) CV Examples & Writing Guide
An arborist CV is read for climbing, certificates and safety. Show how you get into the tree (rope access, MEWP, crane), what you do up there (pruning to BS 3998, rigging, dismantles), your NPTC chainsaw and aerial tree work units, any tree inspection qualification, your pesticide certificates and driving licence, and an accident-free record with a number attached.
Arborist CV example (climbing arborist and team leader, 9 years)
This sample is for a climbing arborist who started on the ground, built up his chainsaw and aerial tree work certificates and now leads a three-person team doing domestic and commercial work. The employers are described, not named. If you are starting as a groundworker, use the section further down.
Wesley Okafor
Climbing Arborist / Team Leader
Guildford, Surrey · 07700 900146 · wesley.okafor@email.com · NPTC CS30, CS31, CS38, CS39 · Lantra Professional Tree Inspection · C1 licence · Own climbing kit (LOLER inspected)
Summary
Climbing arborist with 9 years in domestic, commercial and storm work. Leads a 3-person team averaging 6 to 9 jobs a week including technical dismantles over buildings. Holds City & Guilds NPTC chainsaw and aerial tree work units, Lantra Professional Tree Inspection and PA1/PA6 pesticide certificates. Zero lost-time injuries across 9 years and roughly 4,000 climbs.
Experience
Team Leader / Climbing Arborist · Tree surgery company, Surrey (domestic and commercial, 4 teams)
Apr 2021 – Present
- Lead a 3-person team on 6 to 9 jobs a week, averaging £1,800 in production per team day across the last two seasons.
- Climb 4 days a week on doubled rope (DdRT) and stationary rope (SRT) systems, handling technical dismantles over houses, conservatories and service cables with rigging, speedlines and negative blocks.
- Prune to BS 3998: crown cleaning, thinning, lifting and reduction on about 400 trees a year, mostly oak, sycamore, beech and lime.
- Run crane-assisted dismantles with a CPCS-carded operator 2 to 3 times a month, planning pick weights, tag lines and drop zones before the crane arrives.
- Write and price 15 to 20 quotes a week and win about 55 per cent, with written specifications that reference BS 3998 so there are no disputes.
- Run the daily site risk assessment and pre-work briefing in line with the industry code of practice for tree work at height; the team has 4 years with no reportable injuries and no property damage claims.
- Trained 5 groundworkers into climbing, 3 of whom passed their CS38 and CS39 assessments.
Climbing Arborist · Arboricultural contractor (council contracts and utility line clearance)
Mar 2018 – Mar 2021
- Carried out line clearance under a network operator contract as a certificated utility arborist, keeping safe working distances from live overhead lines on every job.
- Climbed and pruned about 900 street and park trees a year on a council contract, working from written specifications and inspection sign-off.
- Responded to 6 storm events including 2 multi-day callouts, clearing 140-plus roads and driveways on 16-hour rotations.
- Installed 22 crown bracing systems on structurally weak unions in line with BS 3998, with follow-up inspections at 12 months.
- Operated an 18 m vehicle-mounted MEWP, a 12-inch chipper and a 50 hp stump grinder daily.
Groundworker to Climber · Tree surgery and landscaping firm, Surrey
May 2017 – Feb 2018
- Started on the ground: rope handling, dragging brash, chipper feeding, loading and site clear-up on 8 to 10 jobs a week.
- Learned knots, rigging and aerial rescue, and completed 40 supervised climbs before working a tree alone.
- Kept saw maintenance for the team: sharpened 6 chainsaws daily and cut downtime from blunt or badly tensioned chains.
Education
FdSc Arboriculture
Land-based college, South East England, 2017
A-levels: Biology, Geography, PE
Sixth form college, Guildford, 2015
Certifications
- City & Guilds NPTC CS30 and CS31 (chainsaw) and CS38 and CS39 (tree climbing, aerial rescue and chainsaw use from a rope and harness)
- Lantra Professional Tree Inspection
- PA1 and PA6 pesticide application certificates
- Category C1 driving licence (7.5 t tipper)
- Emergency First Aid at Work +F and aerial rescue training (current)
- Utility arboriculture training for work near overhead power lines
- IPAF PAL card (boom-type MEWPs)
Skills
What a tree surgery company owner checks first
Tree surgery is one of the more dangerous trades in the UK, and insurance costs shape every hiring decision. The owner reading your CV is asking four questions before anything else.
- Can you climb, and on what system? Doubled rope, stationary rope, spikes on removals only, footlock or rope walker. Say which and how many years. A climber is worth two ground staff on the schedule.
- Are you certificated? CS38 and CS39 are what let you climb with a saw, and a Level 3 qualification or a foundation degree in arboriculture helps a company win council and commercial contracts. It changes what you are worth.
- What is your safety record? Years without a reportable injury, pre-work briefings, aerial rescue training and knowledge of the industry code of practice for tree work at height. Owners pay for claims out of their own margin.
- Can you drive and run equipment? A C1 licence for the tipper, MEWP operation, crane familiarity, chipper and stump grinder. Each one saves the owner a hire.
- Two more that decide pay rises: can you price a job, and can you diagnose a tree? Climbers who can quote work and explain a decline problem move into team leader and surveyor roles fast.
Arborist job description bullets you can adapt
Climbed 4 days a week on doubled rope and stationary rope systems, handling technical dismantles over houses, conservatories and service cables with rigging, speedlines and negative blocks.
Pruned about 400 trees a year to BS 3998 including crown cleaning, thinning, lifting and reduction, working mostly oak, sycamore, beech and lime.
Planned and rigged crane-assisted dismantles 2 to 3 times a month with a CPCS-carded operator, calculating pick weights, setting tag lines and clearing drop zones before the crane arrived.
Carried out line clearance under a network operator contract as a certificated utility arborist, keeping safe working distances from live overhead lines on every job.
Diagnosed decline on 120 site visits a year, recommended and applied soil injections and approved treatments under PA1/PA6 certificates, and carried out root collar excavations with an air spade.
Completed 60 tree risk inspections a year using a recognised methodology and wrote reports for managing agents, councils and two insurance claims.
Installed 22 crown bracing systems on structurally weak unions in line with BS 3998, with follow-up inspections at 12 months.
Responded to 6 storm events including 2 multi-day callouts, clearing 140-plus roads and driveways on 16-hour rotations with a 3-person team.
Wrote and priced 15 to 20 quotes a week and won about 55 per cent, using written specifications that reference BS 3998 to avoid disputes.
Ran the daily site risk assessment and pre-work briefing in line with the industry code of practice; the team held 4 years with no reportable injuries or property damage claims.
Arborist CV personal statement examples
Climbing arborist with 9 years in domestic, commercial and storm work. Leads a 3-person team on 6 to 9 jobs a week including technical dismantles over buildings. Holds NPTC CS30, CS31, CS38 and CS39, Lantra Professional Tree Inspection, PA1/PA6 and a C1 licence. Zero lost-time injuries in 9 years.
Utility arborist with 6 years on overhead line clearance contracts for network operators. Certificated to work near live overhead lines, running MEWP and climbing work on distribution circuits. Cleared 290 km of line corridor last year and completed 5 storm restoration callouts. C+E licence.
Tree health care arborist with 7 years diagnosing and treating urban trees. Handles 120 site visits a year covering decline diagnosis, soil injections, approved treatments and root collar excavation. Foundation degree in arboriculture and PA1/PA6 pesticide certificates.
Consulting arborist with 10 years, writing 60 tree risk inspection reports a year for managing agents, councils and insurance claims. Lantra Professional Tree Inspection kept current since 2021, BS 5837 surveys for planning applications, and experienced as an expert witness on 2 residential cases.
Tree surgery groundworker with 2 years on 8 to 10 jobs a week: rope handling, chipper feeding, dragging brash and site clear-up. Completed 40 supervised climbs, holds first aid +F and CS30/CS31, and is booked for the CS38 climbing and aerial rescue assessment in March.
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Weak bullets and the versions that earn a climbing seat
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Climbed trees and removed limbs. | Climbed 4 days a week on doubled rope and stationary rope systems, handling technical dismantles over houses and service cables with rigging and speedlines. |
| Pruned trees for customers. | Pruned about 400 trees a year to BS 3998: crown cleaning, thinning, lifting and reduction, mostly on mature oak and sycamore. |
| Worked safely on every job. | Ran the daily site risk assessment and pre-work briefing; the team held 4 years with no reportable injuries and no property damage claims. |
| Helped with crane removals. | Rigged crane-assisted dismantles 2 to 3 times a month, calculating pick weights, setting tag lines and clearing drop zones before the crane arrived. |
| Operated tree surgery equipment. | Operated an 18 m vehicle-mounted MEWP, a 12-inch chipper and a 50 hp stump grinder daily, with a C1 licence for the tipper. |
| Treated sick trees. | Diagnosed decline on 120 site visits a year and applied soil injections and approved treatments under PA1/PA6 certificates. |
| Assessed trees for hazards. | Completed 60 tree risk inspections a year using a recognised methodology and wrote reports for councils and 2 insurance claims. |
| Gave customers quotes. | Wrote 15 to 20 quotes a week at about a 55 per cent win rate, with specifications referencing BS 3998 to prevent disputes. |
| Worked storm clean-up. | Worked 6 storm events including 2 multi-day callouts, clearing 140-plus roads and driveways on 16-hour rotations. |
| Trained newer workers. | Trained 5 groundworkers into climbing, 3 of whom went on to pass their CS38 and CS39 assessments. |
Arborist skills for your CV
- Access: doubled rope technique (DdRT), stationary rope technique (SRT), footlock and rope walker, spikes on removals, MEWP, crane-assisted access, throwline and big shot.
- Rigging: blocks and pulleys, portawrap and lowering devices, speedlines, negative rigging, pick weight estimation, drop zone control, tag lines.
- Cutting: chainsaw handling in the tree and on the ground, felling notches and hinges, wedges, saw maintenance and chain sharpening, pole saw and hand saw work.
- Tree work standards: BS 3998 pruning types, target pruning cuts, crown bracing, formative pruning of young trees, restoration after storm damage.
- Safety: the industry code of practice for tree work at height, LOLER inspections of climbing kit, site risk assessments and pre-work briefings, aerial rescue, overhead line awareness, safe working distances, drop zone and traffic management.
- Tree health care: tree, pest and disease identification, decline diagnosis, soil testing and decompaction, air spade root collar excavation, injections and approved treatments, mulching and planting specification.
- Assessment and reporting: tree inspection methodology, written reports, tree surveys and inventories, BS 5837 surveys and construction tree protection.
- Equipment: MEWP, tipper, chipper, stump grinder, tracked carrier, log loader, and the driving licences that go with them.
- Customer side: quoting and pricing, specification writing, explaining a removal to a homeowner who does not want to hear it, Tree Preservation Orders and conservation area notices.
Certificates and qualifications that change your pay
- Chainsaw certificates: City & Guilds NPTC or Lantra CS30 and CS31 are the base tickets for anyone using a saw on the ground. List the unit codes and the year on the CV, since clients and insurers ask for them.
- Aerial tree work: CS38 (tree climbing and aerial rescue) and CS39 (chainsaw use from a rope and harness) prove climbing competence, and an IPAF PAL card covers MEWP work.
- Tree inspection: Lantra Basic Tree Survey and Inspection for ground staff, and Lantra Professional Tree Inspection for anyone signing off risk reports. Required or preferred for consulting, council and insurance work.
- Higher qualifications: a Level 4 or above arboriculture qualification, a foundation degree or a degree, worth listing if you hold them, along with any Arboricultural Association membership.
- Health and safety: IOSH Managing Safely or a NEBOSH certificate, valuable if you run teams and write risk assessments.
- Utility arboriculture: specific training and certificates for work near overhead power lines, usually required by network operators before any line clearance.
- Pesticides: PA1 plus PA6 (hand-held) for professional use of plant protection products such as stump treatments and weed control around new planting. Name the units you hold.
- Driving: a 7.5 t tipper needs category C1, and a larger lorry C or C+E. Check your licence categories on GOV.UK and list them exactly.
- First aid and aerial rescue: Emergency First Aid at Work +F (with the forestry add-on) is expected on any climbing team, and aerial rescue is part of CS38.
Groundworker and entry-level tree surgery CV
Almost every climber started on the ground dragging brash. Tree surgery companies hire groundworkers constantly because the work is hard and turnover is high, so an honest, fit, punctual candidate gets hired quickly.
- 1Lead with physical work you have already done: landscaping, construction, farm work, removals, roofing, warehouse. Say how much you lifted and how long the days were.
- 2Say you are comfortable at height, or say honestly that you want to learn. Owners would rather train an honest beginner than replace someone who freezes 12 metres up.
- 3Get an Emergency First Aid at Work certificate before applying. It is not expensive and it appears in nearly every advert.
- 4List any chainsaw, chipper, mini digger, forklift or van experience, including firewood cutting or storm clear-up you did on your own land.
- 5Put your driving licence and any penalty points on the page. Getting to the yard at 6:30 a.m. and driving the tipper later are both real considerations.
- 6Mention any tree or plant knowledge: forestry or arboriculture coursework, plant identification from landscaping, a horticulture class, or just naming the species you can identify.
- 7Say you want to climb and that you plan to take CS38 and CS39. That sentence turns a groundworker application into a career hire.
- 8Be honest about heat, cold, brambles and nettles. Owners have heard every version of quitting after two weeks, and directness reads as credible.
Landscape team member, 2 seasons: worked 10-hour outdoor days across 12 to 15 properties a week, ran mowers, strimmers and a stump grinder, and loaded and removed about 4 tonnes of green waste weekly.
Site labourer (timber frame), 18 months: worked at height on scaffolding and roof edges daily, used fall protection on every setup, carried and stacked material continuously through 9-hour shifts with no injuries.
Format, length and what to mirror from the advert
- One page. Two only if you consult, write reports or manage several teams.
- Plain single-column layout, no photo and no date of birth. Larger tree surgery and utility contractors use applicant tracking software.
- Put your NPTC unit codes, tree inspection certificate, pesticide certificates and licence categories in the contact line. They are the first filter and they are all verifiable.
- Order: contact, personal statement, experience, skills grouped by climbing, rigging, tree health and equipment, certificates, education last.
- Mirror the advert's words: 'climbing arborist', 'tree surgeon', 'utility arborist', 'BS 3998', 'CS38', 'aerial rescue', 'crown reduction', 'dismantle', 'TPO'.
- In the US this trade is usually called tree care, the document is a one-page resume and ISA certification takes the place of NPTC tickets. For UK jobs, use 'arborist' or 'tree surgeon' as the advert does and lead with your NPTC units.
- Say whether you will travel for storm work. Storm response pays well and companies keep a list of who will go.
- Send a PDF named firstname-lastname-arborist.pdf.
“The first thing I look for is whether you climb and on what system, and the second is your certificate numbers. After that I want a safety record with a number on it. A climber who can also write a quote is the one I try hardest to keep.”
Frequently asked questions
What should be on an arborist CV?
Your climbing systems and years climbing, the work you do in the tree (pruning to BS 3998, rigging, dismantles, crane work), your NPTC chainsaw and aerial tree work units, any tree inspection certificate, pesticide certificates and driving licence categories, equipment you operate, and a safety record with years attached.
How do I list NPTC chainsaw certificates on my CV?
Put the unit codes after your name or in the contact line, then list them fully under certificates: 'City & Guilds NPTC CS30, CS31, CS38 and CS39'. Clients and insurers ask for proof, so have your certificate numbers ready and keep your refresher training up to date.
What skills do arborists need on a CV?
Climbing systems and aerial rescue, rigging and lowering, chainsaw handling and saw maintenance, pruning to BS 3998, crown bracing, tree, pest and disease identification, tree health treatments, tree inspection, and equipment: MEWP, chipper, stump grinder.
Can I get a tree surgery job with no experience?
Yes, as a groundworker. Tree surgery companies hire ground staff constantly. Lead with physical outdoor work, a driving licence, a first aid certificate, and any chainsaw or equipment experience. Say you want to climb and plan to take CS38 and CS39, and be honest about the weather and the hours.
How do I describe tree work duties on a CV?
Give the volume and the standard. 'Pruned about 400 trees a year to BS 3998' and 'handled technical dismantles over houses using rigging and speedlines' tell an owner exactly what you can be sent to do, unlike 'trimmed and removed trees'.
What driving licence do arborists need?
A full car licence at least, and C1 if the company runs a 7.5 t tipper. It is not required to climb, but it makes you far more useful on a small team and many adverts list it as preferred. Give the categories exactly as they appear on your licence.
How long should an arborist CV be?
One page for climbing and team roles. Use two pages if you are a consulting arborist with reports, expert witness work or council contracts, or if you manage several teams. Keep certificates high on the page rather than at the bottom.
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