The Trainee Programme under the Urban Forestry Support Fund encourages employers to engage and train arboriculture and tree management graduates to become quality arborists, tree risk assessors, tree work supervisors, tree climbers and tree climber cum chainsaw operators to support tree management and maintenance work in Hong Kong.

As commissioned by the Government, the Construction Industry Council administers the “Urban Forestry Support Fund - Trainee Programme” and follows the “first-hire-then-train” principle. The programme will provide a training allowance of about 30 per cent of agreed monthly remuneration levels to the trainees through their employers, as well as a bonus of $34,000 and $24,000 at maximum upon their acquisition of recognised arborist / tree risk assessor / tree work supervisor and tree climber and tree climber cum chainsaw operator professional qualifications respectively. The training period for arborist trainee, tree risk assessor trainee and tree work supervisor trainee are three years. The training period for tree climber trainee is 18 months and that for tree climber cum chainsaw operator trainee is 24 months.

Eligible employers are invited to participate in the Trainee Programme to take in arborist, tree risk assessor, tree work supervisor, tree climber and tree climber cum chainsaw operator trainees at agreed or higher remuneration levels (including the training allowances provided under the programme). They are also required to provide structured training that meets stipulated requirements.

*The specified minimum monthly wages and training allowances are subject to change upon review by the Construction Industry Council / Hong Kong Institute of Construction with considerations of factors including inflation.

For details, please refer to the Framework Document.

Eligibility Requirements for Employer

For an employer to take up Arborist Trainees, Tree Risk Assessor Trainees or Tree Work Supervisor Trainees, he/she must meet the following requirements:

(a) As a consultant or a contractor undertaking active tree inspection and/or tree work related contract(s) for the Government or the private sector with duration not less than one year; OR as a tree management party (e.g. government department, utility company, property management company, large corporation such as theme park company, etc.) possessing/managing a substantial amount of tree asset; AND

(b) Directly employing at least one professionally qualified arborist who meets the requirement for the training tutor of Arborist Trainee, Tree Risk Assessor Trainee or Tree Work Supervisor Trainee as given in Section 5.6.2 of the Framework Document.

For an employer to take up Tree Climber Trainees or Tree Climber cum Chainsaw Operator Trainees, he/she must meet the following requirements:

(a) As a consultant or a contractor undertaking active tree inspection and/or tree work related contract(s) for the Government or the private sector with duration not less than one year; OR as a tree management party (e.g. government department, utility company, property management company, large corporation such as theme park company, etc.) possessing/managing a substantial amount of tree asset; AND

(b) Directly employing at least one professionally qualified tree climber who meets the requirement for the training tutor of Tree Climber Trainee or Tree Climber cum Chainsaw Operator Trainee as given in Section 5.6.4 of the Framework Document.

Eligibility Requirements for Trainee

(a) a Hong Kong resident and have permit to work in Hong Kong*；and

(b) a graduate of local arboriculture and tree management programmes at HKQF Level 4 to Level 5 (for being an Arborist Trainee), a graduate of local arboriculture, tree management, tree risk assessment programmes at HKQF Level 3 to Level 5 (for being a Tree Risk Assessor Trainee/Tree Work Supervisor Trainee), tree work and tree climbing programmes at HKQF Level 3 to Level 4 (for being a Tree Climber Trainee/Tree Climber cum Chainsaw Operator Trainee) or equivalent in an appropriate discipline; and

(c) not possessing any recognised professional qualifications as follows (Refer to Section 5.2 of the Framework Document): 

(d) Trainees who have participated in the job category (i) or have obtained recognised professional qualifications of job category (i) can still participate in job category (ii) under the training programme. Similarly, trainees who have participated in job category (ii) or have obtained recognised professional qualifications in job category (ii) can still participate in the job category (i) under the programme. However, trainees must still meet the requirements specified in 5.2.1(a) and (b).

*If a trainee is to work in a construction site, he/she must be at the age of 18 or above in accordance with Cap. 59I Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations.

Requirements on Training Tutor’s Qualifications

Training Tutor of Arborist Trainee / Tree Risk Assessor Trainee / Tree Work Supervisor Trainee

For the training tutor of an Arborist Trainee, Tree Risk Assessor Trainee or Tree Work Supervisor Trainee, he/she must be a registered arborist under the Registration Scheme for Tree Management Personnel managed by the GLTMS of the DEVB or practicing qualified arborist professional, who meets the following requirements:

Academic Qualifications

(a) Professional certificate/higher diploma or above qualifications in arboriculture, tree management, tree risk assessment, landscape management, up to or above the standards of Level 4 in the HKQF; or equivalent in an appropriate discipline; AND

Professional Qualifications

(b) (i) Certified Arborist, Certified Arborist Utility Specialist, Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist or Board Certified Master Arborist of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA); or

(ii) Technician Member, Professional Member or Fellow Member of the Arboricultural Association of the United Kingdom; or

(iii) European Tree Worker or European Tree Technician of the European Arboricultural Council; or

(iv) General Member of the National Arborists Association of Australia (issued on or before 31 Dec 2010); or

(v) Registered Qualified Arborist, Registered Practicing Arborist, Registered Consulting Arborist or Registered Consulting & Practicing Arborist of the Arboriculture Australia; or

(vi) Accredited Arborist of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects; or equivalent; AND

Training Qualifications

(c) (i) Completed and passed Comprehensive Tree Risk Assessment and Management Training Course with assessment or Refresher Course with assessment organised by the Tree Management Office (TMO) of the GLTMS; or

(ii) Completed and passed training programmes in tree risk assessment recognised by the TMO, such as Tree Risk Assessment Qualification by the ISA, Professional Tree Inspection by Lantra Awards, Certificate of Training in Professional Tree Inspection and Risk Assessment by Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Tree Risk Assessment Course with Assessment by Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi), Certificate in Professional Tree Inspection by TCHK ; AND

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Training

(d) Received relevant training in occupational safety and health relating to tree work operation covering hazard identification, risk assessment and supervision; AND

Work Experience

(e) With at least 7 years of work experience in tree care and familiar with tree risk assessment and management.

Assistant Training Tutor of Arborist Trainee / Tree Risk Assessor Trainee / Tree Work Supervisor Trainee

For the assistant training tutor of an Arborist Trainee, he/she must be a registered Tree Risk Assessor or registered Tree Work Supervisor under the Registration Scheme for Tree Management Personnel managed by the GLTMS of the DEVB. For the assistant training tutor of a Tree Risk Assessor Trainee, he/she must be the relevant registered Tree Risk Assessor. For the assistant training tutor of a Tree Work Supervisor Trainee, he/she must be the relevant registered Tree Work Supervisor.

Training Tutor of Tree Climber Trainee / Tree Climber cum Chainsaw Operator Trainee

For the training tutor of a Tree Climber Trainee or Tree Climber cum Chainsaw Operator Trainee, he/she must be a registered tree climber under the Registration Scheme for Tree Management Personnel managed by the GLTMS of the DEVB or practicing qualified tree climber professional, who meets the following requirements:

Training Qualifications

(a) Received basic training in occupational safety and health relating to tree work operation; AND

(b) (i) Completed training or vocational assessment in tree work operations (including tree climbing (rope access), use of chainsaw and aerial rescue) by recognised institutions or industry organisations; or

(ii) be a “Certified Tree Worker Climber Specialist” of the ISA, those having taken Professional Diploma Programme in Arboriculture of the Chinese University of Hong Kong or equivalent or above; AND

Work Experience

(c) With at least 3 years of work experience in tree care and tree climbing.

Assistant Training Tutor of Tree Climber Trainee / Tree Climber cum Chainsaw Operator Trainee

For the assistant training tutor of a Tree Climber Trainee, he/she must be a registered Tree Climber under the Registration Scheme for Tree Management Personnel managed by the GLTMS of the DEVB. For the assistant training tutor of a Tree Climber cum Chainsaw Operator Trainee, he/she must be the relevant registered Tree Climber or registered Chainsaw Operator.

For details, please refer to the Framework Document.

Participation in this Programme follows the “first-hire-then-train” principle. The employer shall first employ the trainee with a proper and signed employment contract, then submit the application form with supporting documents to CIC for approval. The employer is required to arrange a qualified training tutor to provide structured on-the-job training that meets stipulated requirements to the trainee.

Phone: +852 2100 9000

Email: ufsf-tp@cic.hk