Do you enjoy spending time outdoors, getting lots of fresh air and sunshine? For those who aren’t interested in working indoors all the time, a career in a primarily outdoor trade could be a great fit!

When deciding to pursue a trades career where you will mostly work outdoors, there are a few things you can ask yourself to figure out if this is the right path for you.

Do you:

• Prefer being active, rather than sitting for long period of time?
• Enjoy being outside in nature during the different seasons?
• Like to do physical work to stay healthy?
• Want to experience lots of different environments and activities?

If your answers to these questions are “Yes,” then you should consider a career in an outdoor trade! There are lots of options, including some that you might not realize are skilled trades careers.

Arborist

If you love being around trees, then a career as an arborist might be ideal.  Arborists are tradespeople who are responsible for cultivating, managing, conserving and studying trees and shrubs. They work to improve the health of trees, will assess damage and trim or cut down trees if required, and pursue conservation efforts.

The job of an arborist can involve using harness systems to climb trees in order to inspect them, operating power tools such as hand saws, chain saws, and drills to trim branches or take samples, and assess trees on public or private property for safety and health.  Arborists can be employed by the government, such as the Ministry of Natural Resources, or by landscaping companies, parks, schools, greenhouses, farms and nature conservatories.

Most of the arborist’s job takes place outdoors, but there are some indoor tasks including writing reports on assessments, maintaining project records, calling clients to arrange service visits or consulting with clients on the safety and wellbeing of their trees.

Heavy Equipment Operator

This is a great trades career as you can choose the industry to match the amount of time you wish to spend working outdoors.  These tradespeople operate the heavy equipment used in many industries, including mining, forestry, construction, oil and gas, and civil infrastructure.  Depending on certifications and training, these heavy equipment operators can operate cranes, bulldozers, backhoes, forklifts, excavators, tractors, skidders, dump trucks, steamrollers and many other large machines.

Many of these machines are common to more than one industry, which means you can choose whether you want to be outdoors all year, or only part of the year, depending on the seasonal schedule of the work.  Where you live in Canada will also have an effect, as some industries will not operate in the winter in certain parts of the country.

For example, in Toronto or Vancouver the winters are often mild with limited snow, meaning construction projects are active all year round. In contrast, some mining or forestry operations in the far north parts of Canada will shut down or significantly reduce their activity through the winter.

Horse Groom

While there are parts of the country where this would be an uncommon profession, horse grooms are needed wherever horses are kept.  These tradespeople work closely with the horses themselves, maintaining their health, nutrition, grooming, exercise and training.  They will also oversee the care and maintenance of stables, stalls, and riding and grooming equipment.

This career is ideal for those who both love working with horses, and want to work outside a significant amount of their time.  Grooms are employed by racing tracks, farms, recreational riding stables, and private horse owners.

Most training in this trade comes through apprenticeships and work experience in a variety of stables or farms, though college or trade school courses in animal handling, animal grooming, and veterinary medicine can be required for specific employers.

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arborist

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_equipment_operator

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca (Job Market Report by Occupation)

http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/career-resource-center/outdoor-careers/

http://talentegg.ca/incubator/2016/03/07/10-jobs-didnt-skilled-trades/