BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasTree Trimmers and Pruners

O*NET · 37-3013.00

Tree Trimmers and Pruners

Using sophisticated climbing and rigging techniques, cut away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs to maintain right-of-way for roads, sidewalks, or utilities, or to improve appearance, health, and value of tree. Prune or treat trees or shrubs using handsaws, hand pruners, clippers, and power pruners. Works off the ground in the tree canopy and may use truck-mounted lifts.

Also called Arborist · Brush Clearing Laborer · Bucket Operator · Bucket Truck Operator · Climber · Climber Trimmer · Climbing Arborist · Diagnostician
23 more

Grape Pruner · Grounds Worker · Groundsman · Groundsperson · Laborer · Line Clearance Trimmer · Line Clearing Tree Trimmer · Plant Health Care Technician · Pruner · Sales Arborist · Tanbark Laborer · Timber Cutter · Tree Climber · Tree Doctor · Tree Expert · Tree Pruner · Tree Specialist · Tree Surgeon · Tree Trimmer · Tree Worker · Trimmer · Utility Arborist · Vine Pruner

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional3.09
  • I Investigative2.13
  • S Social1.79
  • E Enterprising1.22
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma57%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent37%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate2%
  • Some College Courses4%
Related work experience
None (22%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (30%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (21%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operation and Control3.83.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Operations Monitoring3.63.0Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Monitoringbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Complex Problem Solving3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Coordination3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Instructing3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Speakingbasic3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Active Listeningbasic2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Service Orientation2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Equipment Selection2.92.1Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Time Management2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
Show the other 23
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Quality Control Analysis2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Equipment Maintenance2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Troubleshooting2.82.3Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Social Perceptiveness2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Active Learningbasic2.62.1Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Writingbasic2.52.5Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Persuasion2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Negotiation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Repairing2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Systems Analysis2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Systems Evaluation2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Mathematicsbasic1.91.4Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Management of Financial Resources1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Sciencebasic1.80.9
  • Technology Design1.60.6
  • Operations Analysis1.40.4
  • Installation1.3—
  • Programming1.0—

Tasks

15 core · 9 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Operate boom trucks, loaders, stump chippers, brush chippers, tractors, power saws, trucks, sprayers, and other equipment and tools.4.4
  2. Operate shredding and chipping equipment, and feed limbs and brush into the machines.4.4
  3. Clean, sharpen, and lubricate tools and equipment.4.3
  4. Cut away dead and excess branches from trees, or clear branches around power lines, using climbing equipment or buckets of extended truck booms, or chainsaws, hooks, handsaws, shears, and clippers.4.3
  5. Hoist tools and equipment to tree trimmers, and lower branches with ropes or block and tackle.4.3
  6. Supervise others engaged in tree trimming work and train lower-level employees.4.1
  7. Climb trees, using climbing hooks and belts, or climb ladders to gain access to work areas.4.1
  8. Trim, top, and reshape trees to achieve attractive shapes or to remove low-hanging branches.4.1
  9. Load debris and refuse onto trucks and haul it away for disposal.4.0
  10. Inspect trees to determine if they have diseases or pest problems.4.0
  11. Provide information to the public regarding trees, such as advice on tree care.3.9
  12. Trim jagged stumps, using saws or pruning shears.3.9
Show the other 12
  1. Collect debris and refuse from tree trimming and removal operations into piles, using shovels, rakes, or other tools.3.8
  2. Clear sites, streets, and grounds of woody and herbaceous materials, such as tree stumps and fallen trees and limbs.3.8
  3. Cable, brace, tie, bolt, stake, and guy trees and branches to provide support.3.4
  4. Plan and develop budgets for tree work, and estimate the monetary value of trees.4.1
  5. Prune, cut down, fertilize, and spray trees as directed by tree surgeons.4.0
  6. Remove broken limbs from wires, using hooked extension poles.3.7
  7. Water, root-feed, and fertilize trees.3.6
  8. Scrape decayed matter from cavities in trees and fill holes with cement to promote healing and to prevent further deterioration.3.4
  9. Spray trees to treat diseased or unhealthy trees, including mixing chemicals and calibrating spray equipment.3.3
  10. Transplant and remove trees and shrubs, and prepare trees for moving.3.2
  11. Apply tar or other protective substances to cut surfaces or seal surfaces and to protect them from fungi and insects.3.2
  12. Split logs or wooden blocks into bolts, pickets, posts, or stakes, using hand tools such as ax wedges, sledgehammers, and mallets.2.5

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Mechanical3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Public Safety and Security2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Production and Processing2.82.9
  • Education and Training2.73.1Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Transportation2.73.0Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • English Language2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Administration and Management2.52.8
Show all 33
  • Law and Government2.52.3Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Mathematics2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Physics2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Biology2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Administrative2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Economics and Accounting2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Sales and Marketing2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Engineering and Technology1.91.9Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Geography1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Psychology1.81.6Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Building and Construction1.71.7Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Computers and Electronics1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.60.7Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Chemistry1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Design1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • History and Archeology1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Telecommunications1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Communications and Media1.4—
  • Foreign Language1.4—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.4—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.4—
  • Fine Arts1.3—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.3—
  • Food Production1.2—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Control Precision4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Manual Dexterity3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Multilimb Coordination3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Problem Sensitivity3.93.3Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Reaction Time3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Thread a needle
  • Extent Flexibility3.84.0Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Static Strength3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
Show all 52
  • Oral Comprehension3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Near Vision3.53.3Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Trunk Strength3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Dynamic Strength3.43.4Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Selective Attention3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Deductive Reasoning3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Far Vision3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Gross Body Equilibrium3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Walk on ice across a pond
  • Stamina3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Climb 6 flights of stairs
  • Depth Perception3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Operate a crane to move materials from a truck bed to the ground
  • Finger Dexterity3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Inductive Reasoning3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Oral Expression3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Visualization3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Follow a diagram to assemble a metal storage cabinet
  • Auditory Attention3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Listen for your flight announcement at a busy airport
  • Flexibility of Closure3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Gross Body Coordination3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Information Ordering3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Rate Control3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Keep up with a car that changes speed
  • Spatial Orientation3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Speech Clarity3.02.8
  • Speech Recognition3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Category Flexibility2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Response Orientation2.92.9Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Time Sharing2.92.9Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Written Comprehension2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Fluency of Ideas2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Perceptual Speed2.52.4Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Peripheral Vision2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Written Expression2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Originality2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Sound Localization2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Glare Sensitivity2.02.1Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.01.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Speed of Closure2.02.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Memorization1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Number Facility1.90.9Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Hand pick a bushel of apples from a tree
  • Explosive Strength1.80.9
  • Night Vision1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.75.1Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment4.64.5Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.25.5Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Getting Information4.13.8Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.05.4Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.04.5Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.83.9Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
Show all 41
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.84.7Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.54.2Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Training and Teaching Others3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.23.4Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.12.8
  • Thinking Creatively3.13.3Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Develop the plan to complete the merger of two organizations over a 3-year period
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.92.0Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Processing Information2.92.9
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.82.8
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships2.72.9
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.72.6
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.72.4Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.62.8
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.62.7
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Developing and Building Teams2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.42.8
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.31.9Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.32.1Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.11.9Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Performing Administrative Activities1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Working with Computers1.41.0Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.9
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.5
  • Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals4.4
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.4
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.4
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.3
  • Contact With Others4.2

Technology

4 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (4)

  • Facebook
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Word

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Fallers
  2. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers
  3. Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
  4. Forest and Conservation Workers
  5. Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
  6. Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
  7. Agricultural Equipment Operators
  8. Construction Laborers
  9. Logging Equipment Operators
  10. Highway Maintenance Workers

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.