I have been in my Gateway placement with the DELTA Arboriculture team since April. I have really enjoyed my placement with DELTA because I have been able to learn so much about the job and I have been given lots of opportunities to learn new skills when utilising the equipment that is used daily.

In July I was given the opportunity to attend a three-day training course with the DELTA crew. This was held at the Berwick Forest Camp. During this course I got to experience and learn a lot more about the Arborist role. This included, using the bucket truck safely, which I was allowed to operate solo, using the controls to move the bucket around.

We practiced doing ‘tree top rescue’ and I was chosen to play the accident victim and was rescued twice in two different scenarios. One was that I was injured in the bucket truck and the team had to control the bucket from the ground and get me down. The other scenario was me being injured while harnessed in a tree and they had to use the bucket truck to get me out of the tree and down to the ground. 

It was great learning about the tree climbing equipment such as harnesses, types of ropes and pully mechanisms etc, which they use to climb to the top of trees. With a rope attached to my harness and the tree, and with assistance and guidance, I pulled myself up, trying to use the ‘hip thrusting’ technique I was shown.

The First Aid course I did with DELTA demonstrated what to do if we were out in the bush and we had a person, or multiple people, injured and how we could get them out of the bush or keep them warm while waiting for help.

My time spent at DELTA has confirmed for me that I would like to continue with this career path. I have been offered work at DELTA and have signed up to do the Otago Polytechnic Arboriculture Course, and DELTA are going to support me through this. I am looking forward to becoming a fully qualified Arborist and working for DELTA.