Archive for the ‘Financial Aid’ Category

One of the frustrations that confront millions of people around the nation is the cost of training to either start a career, or to change careers. Training isn’t free unless you can hook into a government sponsored training program. In some rare situations, employers will sponsor those undertaking training, however, that often comes at a price, for example, agreeing to pay for the training if they don’t employ you, or agreeing to pay for the training if you leave your job before a certain time period has elapsed. So how do you undertake training for a career when money is tight?

There are a number of solutions. Some people are eligible for government funding, especially those who have served in the military. You could save – however, that is difficult these days. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools tries to remove some of the financial hurdles that face many people. We have several financial assistance processes that prospective students can access, all offering the opportunity to train now.

It is also helpful to undertake a cost-benefit analysis. Training to become a heavy equipment operator can be completed in as little as three weeks. This means you could be working in your new career in weeks, not months or years. Heavy equipment operators earn a good income, especially as you gain experience. This increase in income will pay for your training quite quickly making the cost of your training a good investment – certainly higher than the interest rates currently on offer for savings.

Cost should never be a barrier to a new career so we do everything possible to help remove that barrier. If you are considering a career as a heavy equipment operator (or as a crane operator or truck driver), then talk to us. We may be able to help you find solutions that could have you training in next to no time – and with our career service assistance, into a new job.

America’s heavy equipment school is offering a special discount on financial assistance or a possible $500 discount for those enrolled in the November 14th class. For those individuals that are not enrolled in the November 14th class, don’t worry you will still have time to do so. You can fill out an enrollment application online or give one of our representatives a call at (800) 383-7364 and they will gladly do an application over the phone with you. This offer will end on November 15th so you must hurry to take advantage of ATS November discounts.

Undertaking a training program to commence a new career is always a costly process. Some training programs are more costly that others, especially if you take into account the real costs of training. You could decide you wanted to become a doctor, but we all know that takes years of dedicated study and your income potential during that time is minimal – yet you still have to live. Even shorter training programs lasting only six to twelve months come with hidden costs. Your limited ability to earn during this time while still maintaining your normal life can be difficult. Is heavy equipment training the same?

The reality is a definite no! Unlike many other training programs, learning to operate heavy equipment can be achieved in as little as three weeks. On completion, you are ready for entry level employment in the industry as a heavy equipment operator – effectively, you are getting a return on your training investment very quickly. If you compare the wages of heavy equipment operators to many other careers, you will find that not only are you getting a quick return on your investment, your investment in heavy equipment training will be repaid quite quickly.

Since heavy equipment training is such a short program, you are not committing to a long period of learning with little in the way of income. You are also not struggling to find casual evening work to maintain you for six or twelve months (or more depending on the training). Heavy equipment training is short, sharp, and focused on developing skills in all the areas necessary to become a successful operator.

If you undertake your training through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, we can help you arrange finance for your training, deliver high quality and well respected training, and provide a wide range of assistance to help you find that first job. If you assess the real costs of heavy equipment training, you’ll find they are far lower than many other training programs – and the reward is a great career once you have completed that training.

There are a lot of factors to consider when undertaking training for a new career. There’s the matter of funding to pay for your training, the loss of income while attending training, and for some students, finding accommodation as well. Fortunately, ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have thought of these problems and we have solutions to help students overcome them.

When it comes to funding your training, we have some sound advice on this blog (see posts on financial aid here) and on our website. You can even apply for financial assistance online through us. When it comes to loss of income, we have developed our training programs in such a way that students can be trained and ready for employment in the shortest time possible.

Housing assistance is always the difficult option. Do you stay at home and travel each day, or do you try and find accommodation closer to the training school? With gas prices the way they are, travel can be expensive, not to mention a time-hogging option. ATS have resolved that problem as well. For students wishing to train at our Sun Prairie training school, we can arrange finance at the local Water Tower Inn. This is a very comfortable establishment that is only four miles from the training school, and withing easy walking distance of restaurants, grocery stores and shopping centers. We even offer financial assistance to help cover the costs of your accommodation.

With your accommodation taken care of, you can start to concentrate on the more important issues – studying to become a heavy equipment operator – and we’ll be there all the way with you.

Current and former members of the military can access a range of benefits to help them undertake heavy equipment training for a new career. There are several restrictions on the type of training that can be undertaken. For example, the training organization must be approved to deliver these services.

When you served and for how long you served will also affect the level of benefits available. In some situations, you are also able to transfer benefits to a direct family member. The types of benefits available include:

• Montgomery GI Bill – There are a number of eligibility criteria for this bill and you are better off talking to a VA vocational counselor as to your eligibility.
• Post 9/11 GI Bill – Provides assistance for training and housing. You can transfer some of your entitlements to dependents.
• VetSuccess Program – Rehabilitation and employment program for veterans with service-connected disabilities
• Survivors & Dependents Assistance – Provides education or training assistance to spouses and their children following the death of their partner whilst on active service.
• Active Duty Personnel – May be eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are approved for the use of Veterans Educational Benefits. You will need to check with the respective government departments to see whether or not you are eligible for any assistance under these programs. You may also be eligible for state-based military education benefits so check with your state’s web site for more information.

Heavy equipment operations are a perfect opportunity for those who have been in military service. The camaraderie that operators have with each other has been likened to the military as has the need to work with precision. Former service personnel also find that continuing to work outdoors a lot more satisfying than trying to adapt to an inside job. If life as a heavy equipment operator appeals to you, and your have been involved in the military in some capacity, then you may be eligible for assistance to help you with your training.

Career moves often come with the expense of training and this is often a stumbling block for many people. It shouldn’t be since there are so many different financing options open to people these days. Heavy equipment training prepares individuals for careers operating heavy equipment, most often in the construction industry. This industry offers good wages, often with the opportunity to work extra hours and so boosts a pay packet.

Heavy equipment training has one major benefit compared to many other career choices – your training is a relatively short three-week program. This means you could be working in your new career within a month of commencing training. That’s a quick turn around when compared to many other career choices, some of which take six to twelve months of training (or much longer) with much higher costs for training (not to mention living expenses for that period).

If you are considering a career change, and heavy equipment operations is one option on your list, consider these avenues for financing your heavy equipment training:

• Career Loans – There are many banks that offer their customers career loans. With a quick turn around from training to working, you will be surprised at how receptive these banks are to granting a career loan.
• USA Finance – You can make a down payment on your training and have USA Finance pay the rest. The size of your down payment will depend on how much USA Finance are prepared to lend.
• State and Federal Grants – There are a lot of state and federal grants available. Your eligibility will depend on your circumstances or that of your families. The families of service personnel often have access to a range of training benefits.
• ATS Options – You can apply online through our finance application process. We have a number of financing options that may be accessible to potential students.

All finance applications do need to meet standard lending criteria to include credit checks and credit scores. If your credit is not at its best, then consider applying with a co-signer whose credit is in good order. Who knows, you could develop a new well-paid career while helping to rebuild your own credit history – a win-win in the long run.

There are many options for financing training – if you are really struggling, then talk to one of our admissions personnel. They may have a few ideas you haven’t tried yet. A career as a heavy equipment operator is certainly worth the effort.

Employment-related training is rarely free these days. However, for certain sections of the community, most if not all of the cost could be covered by one or more government programs. These days there seems to be state or federal programs related to every sector of our community, and if you meet the requirements for just one of those programs you could be attending a heavy equipment training program at no cost and on your way to a lucrative career as a heavy equipment operator.

Some of the government programs 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)
• Active Service Personnel
• Guard and Reserve Members

These programs are changing all the time so you will need to check with the relevant bodies to determine your eligibility and the size of the grant. If you are eligible, you may be surprised at how much is available for employment-related training.

In some cases, you may not be eligible for a grant in the normal sense. For example, you may not be a veteran, but there are some benefits that are available to the spouses and children of veterans or currently serving personnel. This is why it is important to look closely at what benefits are available right now.

If you are eligible for a tuition grant, talk to one of our admissions staff members about how you can enroll into one of training programs using that grant. Heavy equipment is a career where demand is on the increase and new operators always welcome.

Obtaining finance for heavy equipment training has never really been difficult for those who have reasonable credit histories. For people who are out of work or disadvantaged in other ways, there have been government-funded programs to pay for training. There are even training benefits available for the service personnel and their families. As with every society, there are probably individuals who have fallen between the cracks, not eligible for government-funded programs, and not having a sound credit history.

Credit is becoming a little easier and financial institutions are again realizing the worth of career loans, especially those that lead to viable employment relatively quickly. That is one of the benefits of training in areas like truck driving, heavy equipment, and crane operations – the training can be completed in as little as three weeks and graduates ready for entry level employment almost immediately. For lenders, the sooner the lender is in the workplace earning, the sooner the loan is repaid.

If you may be worried that your credit history could make a loan difficult, you have a number of options. The first is to request a copy of your credit history – with that in hand you can verify its accuracy and perhaps determine whether or not there are negative reports. Your second option is to fill in our application for credit – we will have an answer back to you within 48 hours (perhaps a little longer over the holiday period).

Financing heavy equipment training is not that difficult. We at ATS endeavor to do as much as possible to make your funding options easier so talk to us if you have any concerns.

Career Education or career training loans are offered by many different lending institutions. While many have specific criteria for lending, the purpose of these loans remains the same – to help students get through their training. One criteria that is fairly common is that your training has to be undertaken through an accredited training organization. Heavy equipment training through Associated Training Services fits that criteria, so prospective students do at least qualify to apply for a loan.

Why should you choose a career loan? There are number of reasons, and while each lending institution will differ, some of the benefits include:

• Generally lower interest rates
• You can often apply online or by phone and sometimes receive instant pre-approval
• If your credit score is good you won’t need a cosigner
• Some loans offer repayment terms of up to 15 years
• Some loans allow you to borrow to pay your tuition plus any other school-related expenses
• Some career loans offer a six or twelve month deferral before you have to start making payments

Financial aid for heavy equipment training can be difficult, however, career loans are often a little more relaxed in their lending criteria compared to buying a home or a car. If you are going into full time study, then having a full time income is not generally practical – this is taken into account. One of the pluses when studying through ATS is that our training courses are only three weeks in duration. This means you could potentially be employed a month after starting your training. This can be an important factor when your financial institution is considering your application.

If you feel that a career loan is not for you, contact us at ATS and we may be able to help you find alternative financial aid. You never know, you may be entitled to assistance through the many programs being run by state and federal governments.

Career re-training has become an important option for many as working opportunities start to dry up and unemployment in some sectors starts to grow. Heavy equipment is one area where spending is increasing, especially in areas involving public infrastructure such as roads, bridges and schools. Whether operating heavy equipment has been seen as too hard, or perhaps individuals feel they are too old, re-training to start a career as a heavy equipment operator has not been a top priority for many.

Often, the biggest hurdle is the perception of cost. Any form of training places an impost on a family’s budget, especially if you have to stop work during training. However, today, you don’t have to stop work and the cost of training certainly shouldn’t be a heavy impost. And as for new recruits being too old, or finding the training too hard, you’re never too old and learning to be an operator can be completed in three weeks – so it’s certainly not ‘too’ hard.

If you are unemployed, or perhaps a war veteran, then there are a variety of government programs that you could be eligible for. We have available information related to military benefits and general government financial assistance for those who feel they may qualify. Other options include looking at education or training loans through lenders.

ATS can help you to source training funds through loans and you can facilitate the process if you complete our online finance application. I mentioned earlier that you don’t have to stop work to undertake heavy equipment training – and you don’t. One of the best options when it comes to funding your heavy equipment training is to break the costs down. For example, if you study part of the training program from home, you can continue to work and receive an income while paying a much smaller fee for the distance learning component of your training.

This is ideal for those who are still not 100% sure that heavy equipment is for them as you can test your own interests and abilities before committing to more advanced training. If you’re interested, check out our page on distance heavy equipment training – it could be the perfect answer to your situation.

If you are really interested in undertaking heavy equipment training then talk to us. Like age and gender, cost is not a barrier as there are many ways for a prospective student to fund their way through our training. If you’re ready to start – we’re ready to help.