Certified crane operators are in strong demand around the nation. However, in most states, you cannot operate a crane without that piece of paper that says you are certified. Thousands of people have worked as crane operators in the past before moving on to other careers, or perhaps other heavy equipment. If you’re one of these people and have been considering changing back to a crane operator career, the news is good.

To re-enter the workplace as a crane operator requires three steps. Undertake the safety components for crane operator and take some type of refresher course to ensure your knowledge is up to date and your skills current. The final step is to undertake an assessment of your skills and knowledge. If you pass these assessments then you will be officially recognized as a certified crane operator.

You may argue that you have twenty years experience behind the controls of a crane. Many would argue it was twenty years of developing bad work habits - which of course you would deny, and I don’t blame you. Certification is a way of proving to others you do have current skills and knowledge. With that certificate no one can say you have twenty years of bad habits - you have had twenty years of skills building.

Certification is also used to ensure that every crane operator has the same set of foundation skills and knowledge. Those working around a crane will know that, no matter who the operator is, the crane will be operated in a safe and almost predictable way. This makes for a much safer workplace and, over time, a more efficient workplace.

Becoming a certified crane operator is not that difficult with companies such as ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools offering comprehensive training and follow up assessments. You get the complete package at ATS - crane operator training and formal certification - or in the case of a former operator, refresher training and certification.

Backhoes are everywhere and range in size from small toy-like machines to huge monsters, but have you wondered how they got their name? Let’s have a look at a backhoe and see if there are any clues.

The most common backhoe in use today is a backhoe loader. These machines have a large wide loading scoop at the front and a smaller digging bucket at the rear. These vehicles can perform various roles with the front scoop predominantly used to move material such as sand, earth and gravel. The digging bucket at the back (also called a hoe - now is that a clue?) is used to dig holes, traditionally trenches.

There are other types in use as well. The skid loader is a very small version of a front loader. However, the front scoop can be removed and a backhoe attachment fitted. The backhoe attachment works in exactly the same manner as a traditional backhoe.

Now, hang on - a backhoe goes at the back of the machine, doesn’t it? That is why it is called a backhoe. That is the popular misconception. A backhoe is not called a backhoe because the bucket is at the ‘back’ of the machine. The answer is just as straightforward, however.

If you think about the front loader, or a bulldozer, they move earth and dig by scooping the dirt forward, away from the machine. The backhoe digs by moving the earth towards the machine. In other words, it moves dirt backwards rather than forwards. So, that is where the backhoe derived its name.

It is perhaps a useless piece of information unless you’re looking to work as a backhoe operator. However, you would be surprised at how many people would not have known. It would be an interesting question to put to all new students before they commenced their backhoe training - I am sure we could catch a lot of them out - unless of course they have read this post.

Bulldozers come in all shapes and sizes but one thing almost always stays the same - the tracks that keep them on the go. Because of their size, weight and the jobs they have to do, bulldozers use tracks similar to those found on military tanks rather than wheels. Have you ever wondered why they need tracks and not wheels?

I say most bulldozers because there are one or two models that have wheels instead of tracks. Tracks have several distinct advantages over wheels. If you think about the type of work and the kinds of environments that bulldozers operate in you may have a better understanding.

Wheels come with one major problem - they tend to get stuck whenever the surface is a little soft. This could be mud, sand or just soft ground. A bulldozer’s claim to fame is its strength and a lot of that strength comes from its actual weight. Bulldozers are built close to the ground and convert the power of their engine into strength, which then allows it to use its own weight to push (or pull) heavy objects or gouge out the ground.

Tracks are a major component in this power conversion. These tracks distribute the weight of the bulldozer, particularly around the engine itself. With wheeled vehicles, the weight is distributed at the four corners and in the very center - of course, there is no wheel in the very center of the vehicle so that power conversion is lost.

So to answer the original question - bulldozers have tracks that help them stay above the ground rather than sinking into it and these track help the bulldozer convert engine power into pushing and pulling power. Without tracks a bulldozer would not be as effective in the work it performs.

If you undertake bulldozer training you will get a better understanding of tracks and their importance. You will also be trained in how to perform basic inspection and maintenance task on these tracks - after all, without those tracks, you don’t have a bulldozer.

One comment that appears time and time again when discussing heavy equipment careers is that the equipment looks to be so complicated that it must take months to learn. Nothing could be further from the truth. Learning to operate a bulldozer or front-end loader is not difficult and doesn’t take that long at all - learning to master it and become an expert will take a little longer, of course - but that is true for any skill.

You can actually kick start your career by undertaking training online. You may wonder how it is possible to learn to operate a large piece of machinery like a bulldozer from an online course. Think about learning how to drive a car. Sure, you require time behind the wheel learning to ‘drive’. However, there is quite a lot that should be learned away from the driver’s seat.

Basic maintenance, road rules and, for heavy equipment, safety, are all issues that can be learned online. Some basic operating aspects can also be taught online. These include ‘tours’ of the cab, learning the role of each of the peddles, levers and instruments. This familiarization tour ensures that when you do actually get to sit in the operator’s seat, nothing looks strange or foreign.

Online training has been popular for over a decade now and it is spreading across a wide range of skills - heavy equipment being just one of them. We have reached a point where computers are used in almost all aspects of our lives. To get a drivers license now, the road rules test is generally undertaken on a computer.

Are you interested in a heavy equipment career? Perhaps you should consider an online training program to get you started. If I told you it was free - would that help? Yes? Then check out the FREE online heavy equipment training program available through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools.

If you have trained and worked as a heavy equipment operator then it may be time to consider adding a commercial drivers license (CDL) to your list of skills and qualifications. You would be surprised at how many employers jump at the chance to employ heavy equipment operators that can truck their equipment to the work site.

We live in a period where employers are looking to be competitive when tendering for projects. One of the biggest costs to any business is the cost of labor. For every worker they employ, the actual cost to the business can be as much as double their pay packet. If you are on $40,000 per year, chances are it is actually costing the business $60-80,000 each year by the time you look at training and insurance and the multitude of little costs associated with employment.

If a business can employ someone with more than one skill, particularly where those skills are complementary such as a truck license together with experience as a heavy equipment operator, then that is one less pay packet. If a business can complete a project with ten less employees, that is the equivalent of over half a million bucks. The business can submit a tender for a lower price which will improve it’s chances of winning that tender. The more tenders the business wins, the more employment for you - think about it.

This situation is not restricted to heavy equipment operators. You may already be employed as a truck driver, or at least hold an A class CDL. If that is the case, you can undertake training to become a heavy equipment operator. Once again you have multiple skills that complement each other - a sure fire road to a long and successful career.

There are many individuals who investigate heavy equipment careers but their approach is often focused on a single piece of equipment. Bulldozers are always a popular choice, possibly because they are one of the most visible pieces of heavy equipment in use. However, specializing in one area can have its down sides.

We now live in a world in which diversity is becoming the key to success. If you place yourself in the position of an employer, who are you going to put off during tough economic times? I will give you a choice - a bulldozer operator or an operator that can work with three or four different types of equipment. Common sense says to dismiss the bulldozer operator.

The employee that can operate a diverse range of equipment is far more valuable to the employer. In fact, as much as I hate to say it, the chances are that two or three specialist operators will get their marching orders since the employee with diverse talents can replace all of them - although not at once.

At present, there is a strong demand for heavy equipment operators across the full range of equipment. The trap is that many new operators will decide to specialize as an operator on one machine. They will certainly find plenty of work over the next 12 to 18 months - but what happens then? If there is another downturn in the construction industry, they may well find their heavy equipment careers grinding to a stop.

In the meantime, those with diversity are able to either find or maintain their employment because of the value they offer to an employer. There is a simple long term lesson to gain from this - if you are looking at heavy equipment careers, maintain as much diversity as possible and this starts by undertaking your heavy equipment training on a range of machines.

Sure, you can specialize in one area if you wish, but whenever you get a chance to operate other pieces of equipment, grab it and keep your diverse skills up-to-date. If your employer knows you have this diverse range of heavy equipment skills, your value to them will increase and with it an assured career as a heavy equipment operator.

Everyone knows we are going through tough times financially, yet a well paid career as a heavy equipment operator could be the financial turning point in your life. The problem is finding the money to pay for the training - it’s the old business adage that ‘you have to spend money to make money’ all over again. There are many options to financing your heavy equipment training - here are just a few.

Finance Your Training Through Government Grants

There are many different government grants available at present, although access to them will always depend on your current situation. Some of the grants available include:

• Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
• Department of Workforce Development
• Trade Adjustment Act (TAA)
• Displaced Workers
• Displaced Farmers
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Tribal Education (BIA)
• Veteran’s Benefits (VA)

Using Bank Financing To Fund Training

Most of us have bank accounts. And most banks have credit facilities to help pay the costs involved with career training. Your ability to access these funds will depend on things like your credit history and your ability to repay.

There are other financial institutions that offer credit using similar guidelines. You need to be aware that some lenders will charge much higher interest rates if your credit worthiness is impaired in anyway. Banks and financial institutions often also require guarantors if they feel the loan needs extra security.

Finance Your Heavy Equipment Training Through ATS

One of the easiest ways to find finance for your heavy equipment training is simply by asking us. We have been in business for over 40 years and during that time we have helped many students access some form of finance.

The easy way is to simply fill in our online finance application for heavy equipment training and sit back and let us do some of the work. If you have issues with transmitting personal information online then you can fill in the application and either snail mail it or send it by fax. Finance is never guaranteed, of course, as there are always going to be a range of credit checks.

Once approved, your finance may be used to fund your tuition, accommodation and living expenses. Yes, You do have to spend money to start a new career. However, you don’t have to break the bank to cover the costs. Financing heavy equipment training is as simple as filling in a form and waiting for us to get back to you - often within 48 hours.

The life of a mobile crane operator has to be one of the most varied and most interesting out of all heavy equipment operators. These cranes are mobile for a reason - they go from job to job, often performing a handful of lifts every day.

You may see these vehicles on the roads from time to time. They look like a truck with a crane tower hanging over the cabin. The operator drives the vehicle from one job to another, quickly setting up and doing the job required. They then move on to the next job and each job can be so totally different to the last.

These cranes also serve a special role in our lives, which most of us hope is never called upon. In an emergency they can be the difference between life and death. Motor vehicle accidents, truck rollovers and even train derailments. These often require the services of a mobile crane operator and his rig.

In these situations, they need the immense lifting power of a crane, but they are often limited to the amount of space available to work in and the need for speed. Mobile cranes can quickly lift heavy objects clear of danger or, in the case of truck rollovers, right the vehicle so it can be towed away and the roads cleared.

Mobile crane operators used under these circumstances need to be highly skilled and extremely patient. They also need to be able to listen to, and to follow, orders from those in charge of the situation. More importantly, they need to be able to respond quickly to instructions from those on the ground as the lifting is undertaken. There are times when stop really does mean stop - an extra inch and you may cause even bigger problems.

Of course, mobile crane operators learn the basics of their trade through training establishments such as ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools. Once they have finished their mobile crane training it may take many years before you have acquired the skills and experience that is required in an emergency. Then again, in emergency situation, you may be the only person in a position to respond. Are you ready for it?

In years gone by, the cab of most heavy equipment was, to say the least, pretty bare. In fact, for some equipment there was no cab, only a set of roll bars, if you were lucky. Today’s cabs are a far cry from those early days.

If you thought modern cars had it all, you’re wrong. The cab of some heavy equipment, for example an excavator or grader, is full of gadgets, dials and mod cons. Let’s start with the cab itself. Gone are the roll bars and mesh sides. Now you have a fully enclosed cab with broad and often deep windows. As an operator, you have a complete 360 degree view, yet the machine itself maintains a safe posture when it comes to a roll over.

The modern seat has all the aspects of a luxury car - plus some. Height adjustment, seat angle and lumbar support are just some of the features. Some seats can rotate a full 360 degrees. Some even have internal heating for those cold winter days. Talking about heat - how about full reverse cycle air conditioning? - climate control at that.

We haven’t even got to the controls yet. Steering is, of course, power steering. Brakes are the best in the business, power assisted where necessary. You have a wealth of dials letting you know oil pressures, hydraulic pressures and - oh yes, your speed as well.

The cab of today’s heavy equipment could almost fit into the luxurious category. I have seen cabs with small coolers to keep your drinks cool. Radio, CD and GPS are almost standard along with a two-way radio system to stay in contact with fellow workers.

All things considered, its no wonder that heavy equipment operation is becoming a popular career choice. Can you imagine undertaking some of your heavy equipment operator training in that sort of environment? Of course, there are still quite a few of the old machines around for those that truly love the outdoors. If you ever get the opportunity - take a tour and marvel at how good the cab of most modern heavy equipment is.

There is a misconception surrounding heavy equipment that focuses employment wholly and solely in the construction or mining sectors of business. This is so very far from the truth. I mean, even farmers use a range of heavy equipment each day on their farms.

It is true that construction and mining probably do require more heavy equipment operators than most other sectors, however, areas such as forestry also have a strong demand for qualified operators. They are not the only areas. You can add landscaping, shipping and even warehousing to that list.

Warehousing and heavy equipment? I see your raised eyebrows. It does of course come down to the size and type of warehouse. Most warehouses use cranes of some description to help move products. I have seen some warehouses that use bulldozers or loaders to push certain products around.

It is a similar story in the shipping industry with crane operators being in high demand along with experienced bulldozer operators.

It is the forestry industry that is perhaps the most surprising. They don’t require heavy equipment operators in a normal sense. This industry uses equipment that has been created for a specific task. A good example is the stump cutter - designed to totally remove old tree stumps. There are special machines used to prune back trees so they grow tall and straight with no side growth.

What forestry does have in common with other sectors of business is the need for suitably trained heavy equipment operators. If you have experience and knowledge on a range of heavy equipment then those skills can be sold to a forestry company. The skills are very easily transferred to new specialist machines.

Heavy equipment training takes you through the basic skills required to be successful in a wide range of career opportunities. Don’t just narrow your focus on the obvious. If you want to be a stump cutter then start by undertaking some basic heavy equipment training - it may just open some doors for you.