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Meet Daniel. He's 22 and grew up in Surrey. Find out about his job as the manager of Expertrees, a tree surgery and tree removal company. Part of our Bitesize world of work series.

You can't be afraid of getting dirty or wet!

What does a tree surgeon do?

Tree surgeons look after trees and try to help them to live longer. We lift, fell (cut trees down and take them away) and plant trees. We might work at people's houses, for the council, or on private contracts for other companies.

As a manager, my day-to-day responsibilities involve organising the teams and the yard. I make sure everything runs smoothly, everyone is safe, and I look after the money – costs and budgets.

What skills does a tree surgeon need?

Fitness – you need to be both mentally and physically strong. It’s hard work and a stress on the body.

Good communication and teamwork are also important because it helps you to get more done, and it helps with time management too.

Communication is also important for safety as you need to spot each other up the trees and make sure there's no one beneath you when you drop bits down.

Do you use any of the skills you learnt in school in your job?

We use maths skills for working out prices and measuring lengths. English and language skills have to be pretty good too because you need to communicate with people and also remember the names of trees in both English and Latin.

Science skills also play a big part in working with trees because you have to know about photosynthesis – how plants make their food to survive.

Top tips

• Teamwork is really important. If people are on your side and you're working together, you get a lot more done
• If this is something you want to do, get your foot in the door. If you're able to, ring up your local tree surgeon and see if you can get some work experience. You'll soon figure out whether it's for you or not
• Be prepared to work unusual hours! Being a tree surgeon isn't a 9-to-5 job.

What to expect if you want to be a tree surgeon

• Tree surgeon average salary: £20,000 to £38,000 per year
• Tree surgeon typical working hours: 41 to 43 hours per week

What qualifications do you need to be a tree surgeon?

You could get into this role via a university course, a college course (such as a Level 2 certificate, a Level 3 Diploma, or a T-level in Agriculture, Land Management and Production - England-only, from Sept 2023), an apprenticeship, or by working towards the role by starting as a ground worker, supporting a qualified tree surgeon. You could then progress by completing further training to use chainsaws, ropes, ladders and harnesses.

Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service, .

This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the for the latest information and all the qualifications needed and the for more on T-levels.

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Tips and advice
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