Tom kindly took time out of his busy schedule to spend the morning with learners, sharing his experience of working within the industry and helping young people gain a better understanding of the many different pathways available within land management.

Throughout the session, learners explored the wide variety of job roles linked to tree surgery and grounds maintenance, learning more about the skills, responsibilities and challenges involved. Many were surprised by just how diverse the role of a tree surgeon can be, and were particularly interested in hearing about the different training routes into the industry.

The presentation was delivered in a highly accessible and engaging way, using visual images and keywords to support learners’ understanding throughout the session. This helped bring the industry to life and encouraged learners to ask thoughtful and insightful questions.

One of the highlights of the session was the opportunity to explore some of the specialist equipment used within the role. Learners enjoyed getting hands-on with the gear, with one learner even trying on a climbing harness. The carabiner challenge certainly got everyone thinking, but with teamwork and perseverance, learners successfully figured out how it worked in the end!

To conclude the session, learners discussed the Top 5 Character Traits they felt were important for someone working within the industry, as well as exploring which skills could transfer into other careers and workplaces. It was fantastic to see learners making these wider connections and thinking about how personal qualities can support success across many different pathways.

Experiences like this are incredibly valuable in helping learners broaden their horizons, discover new interests and better understand the world of work beyond education.

A huge thank you to Tom, Renee and everyone at Rockleigh Ltd for delivering such an engaging and inspiring experience for our learners. We look forward to welcoming the Rockleigh team to other Creating Tomorrow sites soon. 

If you would like to get involved, we would love to hear from you.