A person climbing a tall tree with safety gear and ropes, surrounded by other trees with green and brown foliage under a clear blue sky.

Active Arb Training Pathways

A clearer route into arboriculture

Starting a career in arboriculture can feel like a lot to take in. There are practical skills to learn, theoretical knowledge to develop and qualifications to work towards. It isn't always obvious which courses you need, or what you should do next.

That's where our Training Pathways come in.

We've brought together carefully selected practical courses, classroom-based learning and ongoing one-to-one support to create structured routes through your development.

Whether you're taking your first steps into the industry or you're an experienced arborist looking to build new skills, our pathways help you understand where you are now, where you want to get to and what training can help you get there.

Which pathway is right for you?

A group of people inside a workshop or training room, listening to a man in a black jacket and red cap giving a presentation on climbing or rope rescue, with ropes and climbing gear in the foreground.

groundie plus

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Your first step into professional arboriculture.

An introductory course focusing on the core skills and knowledge needed to start building a career in the arboricultural industry.

Ideal for: New entrants and aspiring ground workers


groundie pro

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Build your ground skills and progress towards working as a climbing arborist

A more advanced route for those looking to develop their ground-based skills while beginning their progression towards working as a climbing arborist.

Ideal for: New entrants who want to work towards climbing



climber pro

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Take your technical skills to the next level.

A comprehensive pathway for arborists looking to develop advanced skills across climbing, rigging and technical tree work.

Ideal for: Experienced or developing climbers looking to broaden their technical skill set


climber plus

Simple line drawing of a tree.

Build your climbing skills and broaden your capabilities.

Designed for developing arborists who want to build on their existing experience and add key climbing and technical skills to their toolkit.

Ideal for: Arborists looking to develop their climbing skills

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active arb foundations

The knowledge behind the practical skills

Arboriculture is about more than knowing how to undertake practical tree work.. Understanding the underpinning principles that instruct the work is key in your development into a knowledgeable and professional arborist

Active Arb Foundations is our dedicated classroom-based learning experience, exclusive to career pathways.

Covering topics including tree identification, legislation and risk assessment, tree biology, fungi, biomechanics, tree characteristics and modern pruning standards, Foundations gives learners the knowledge they need to better understand the work they're doing.

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online progress reviews

Support that continues beyond training day

Your development doesn't stop when you leave the training yard.

Every Active Arb Training Pathway includes dedicated one-to-one Online Progress Reviews, strategically placed between practical training courses.

These sessions give you the opportunity to discuss your progress, receive personalised feedback, ask questions and talk through any challenges you've encountered while putting your skills into practice.

It's time to consolidate what you've learned, identify areas for improvement and make sure you're ready for the next stage of your development.