Environment - Case Studies

Howard Simms

Infantry Major Howard, 35, left the Army after a ten-year career, serving in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Africa, South East Asia, Norway, the Americas and Central Asia. He ‘wanted a stable family life, to seek new challenges and establish a second career. I had achieved all I wanted within the Forces.’ He left with ‘confidence in own abilities, people management skills, self-discipline, initiative and motivation to succeed’; as well as a graduate diploma in management.

A Career Transition Workshop focused him ‘on leaving and gave me time to think about what to do.’ A ‘well run and useful’ tree surgeons basic training course at Kingswood Training Centre gave him ‘all the basic tickets I needed to secure employment in the tree industry as soon as I had finished the course.’ His first job, found through ‘networking and perseverance’ was as ‘a part-time groundsman with a commercial tree surgery company through a recommendation following the course. An interlude of nine months in Iraq as a security contractor and programme manager, enabled Simms to set up his own business with his wife as ‘a professional tree surgeon in Kent.’

Two years later he deals with: ‘All aspects of domestic and commercial tree surgery, including team management, customer relations, accounting, systems management and operational delivery. Jobs range from very simple domestic work to commercial jobs involving industrial plant, large scale operational planning and logistical challenges – whatever the weather.’

He loves ‘the outdoor life, physical challenges and being my own boss but dislikes incredibly long hours, no time off and lack of sleep; most important is uncertainty of income.’ His salary is considerably reduced as he builds the business.

Published April 08