Academy Trained
Our Story
The Birth of Academy Trained: A Movement to Elevate Tree Care
In 2019, two lifelong friends, Phil Rogacki and Jared Abrojena, sat down and asked themselves one life-changing question: “How do we fix this industry we love?” Between the two of them, they had decades of experience—Phil as a Certified Arborist and business leader, and Jared as a World Champion Arborist who built his family’s tree care business from the ground up. They had seen it all: the triumphs, the struggles, and the moments that could make or break a worker. They knew the industry was full of opportunity, but it was also broken. And if things didn’t change soon, people would keep getting hurt—or worse.
“The way things were done, it was like rolling the dice with people’s lives,” Phil recalled. “We knew we had to do better—for the workers, for the companies, and for the entire industry.”
Tree care had long relied on an outdated system. New workers with zero experience would show up, knock on the right door at the right time, and if they got hired, they were handed a company t-shirt, a hard hat, and a rake. From there, they were thrown into the field, expected to learn on the fly. The lucky ones might catch a few tips from a foreman—if he wasn’t 40 feet up a tree, halfway through his own job. The rest were left to figure it out on their own. Most never lasted. They would quit, frustrated and exhausted, often before they even had the chance to learn the ropes.
“We watched good people walk away from the industry because no one took the time to train them properly,” Jared said. “The way we were doing things just wasn’t working—and it was dangerous.”
Jared and Phil had already seen what could happen when workers received the right training. Over the course of three years, they helped a small family-owned tree care company, founded in 1982, grow from 30 employees to over 350. The transformation was incredible, but they knew that helping just one company wasn’t enough.
“If we were going to make a real difference, we had to do it for the entire industry,” Phil explained. “This had to be bigger than one company. This had to be a movement.”
The First Class: The Start of Something Special
In the fall of 2019, Phil and Jared held the very first Academy Trained class. They invited 25 participants from nine different companies—a mix of seasoned professionals and total newcomers who had never held a chainsaw in their lives. Over the course of five grueling days, they would push these participants to learn, grow, and transform.
“This wasn’t going to be your typical training class,” Jared said. “We wanted it to be hands-on, real-world, and immersive. This was about learning by doing.”
From 6 AM to 10 PM every day, participants climbed trees, ran bucket trucks, practiced rigging, and mastered the art of precision cutting. The weather was a blend of cold nights and sunny days, but the participants never stopped. They were hungry to learn, knowing that every new skill could make them better, safer, and more effective in the field.
“I’ve used chainsaws my whole life,” one participant admitted. “But today, I learned a way that works so much better. It felt like learning everything again—only the right way this time.”
Mistakes weren’t just allowed—they were welcomed. If someone struggled with a skill, the trainers were right there beside them, grabbing another rope, harness, or saw and walking them through it again. “Fail here, in this safe space, so you don’t fail out there,” a trainer told them. “In the real world, failure can cost lives.”
Between sessions, participants sat down together for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sharing stories, swapping tips, and building friendships that would last a lifetime.
“This wasn’t just about teaching people how to do the job—it was about building a community that would raise the standard for everyone. The camaraderie was just as important as the skills.”
The Moment Everything Changed
On the final day of the class, something happened that no one expected. Five grown men—some of them veterans with years in the industry—stood in front of the group with tears in their eyes. These weren’t just tears of exhaustion. They were tears of gratitude, hope, and pride.
“This isn’t just for me,” one of the participants said, his voice cracking. “I’m taking everything I learned here back to my crew. We’re going to get better, together.”
At that moment, Jared and Phil knew they had created something far greater than a training program. They had sparked a movement. This wasn’t just about teaching people how to climb, cut, and rig. This was about saving lives, building leaders, and creating a future where every worker, no matter their role, could thrive.
Building the Academy and Beyond
After the success of the first class, Jared and Phil opened two training centers—one in California and one in Colorado—where workers could continue to learn in real-world environments. But they knew that in-person training alone wouldn’t be enough. To truly revolutionize the industry, they needed to leverage technology.
That’s when they built Academy Trained Online (ATO).
ATO is more than just an app. It’s a digital training platform where workers can access on-demand courses, certifications, and CEUs anytime, anywhere. ATO also includes a social platform where tree care professionals can connect, share experiences, and support each other, creating a global network of learners and leaders.
“ATO isn’t just about education,” Jared said. “It’s about building a connected community that can lift the entire industry.”
Partnering to Push the Industry Forward
To build the strongest training program possible, Academy Trained partnered with leading manufacturers and industry experts. These partnerships ensure that participants have access to the latest tools, equipment, and techniques, preparing them to excel in the field and raise the bar for the entire industry.
The Future of Tree Care Starts Now
Phil and Jared’s vision goes far beyond just training workers. Their goal is to get the tree care industry out of the top five most dangerous professions and build a future where every worker can grow, thrive, and go home safe at the end of the day.
“We’re not just teaching people how to climb trees or run chainsaws,” Phil said. “We’re building leaders, transforming companies, and raising the standard for the entire industry.”
The movement has only just begun. With new training centers opening across the country and ATO expanding globally, Academy Trained is creating a future where every tree care professional has access to the best education, the strongest community, and the tools they need to succeed.
“This is more than a program,” Jared said. “This is a revolution in tree care.”
Join the Academy Trained Movement
From that first trial class to a global network of learners and leaders, Academy Trained is raising the standard of tree care—one worker, one team, and one company at a time.
The journey has only just begun. The revolution is here—and we’re just getting started.