If you decide to take on a career as a heavy equipment operator then you need to be ready to accept the responsibility of the position.

Every depends on the heavy equipment operator doing their job and doing their job effectively. In fact it all starts with the operator actually turning up for work – trust me – I have seen days lost simply because a grader operator didn’t show up for work.

Having the right training and being able to complete a job according to plan is the second major area of responsibility. Most construction teams have a set plan that includes the what and when of a job. As a heavy equipment operator you are expected to get your part of the job done on time so that the rest of the team can continue the job smoothly.

Being a heavy equipment operator has a high level of responsibility. Anyone can use a shovel, not everyone can use a bulldozer to shift a boulder. Receiving the right training will give you the skills to not only operate a piece of heavy equipment, it will also give you the skills to know how to tackle a given job to complete the task on schedule.

Heavy equipment operator training through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools will give you that range skills required to complete the job.

Bulldozer’s have been around since the early 1920’s and were one of the concepts behind the design of the first military tank.

The first bulldozer was a modified Holt farm tractor. Once their versatility and ability to move earth (as against plowing) they grew quickly in popularity. The design transformed from that farm tractor into what we see today, bulldozers with caterpillar traction and a variety of blades and tools for moving earth, shifting boulders and removing tree stumps.

Originally known as bull graders, the term bulldozer came into effect in the early 1930’s – one of the early definitions was “bulldozing” which meant using a big force to push over or through any obstacle – hence the name bulldozer.

To quote from Wikipedia:

By the 1920s, tracked vehicles became common, particularly the Caterpillar 60. To dig canals, raise earth dams, and do other earthmoving jobs, these tractors were equipped with a large thick metal plate in front. This metal plate (it got its curved shape later) is called a “blade”. The blade peels layers of soil and pushes it forward as the tractor advances. Several specialized blades have been developed: for high volume loads such as coal, rakes to remove only larger boulders, or blades with razor sharp edges to cut tree stumps. In some early models the driver sat on top in the open without a cabin.

From the humble farm tractor grew the mighty bulldozer and where would we be today without them. The millions of man hours they have saved by doing mechanically in one day what often took weeks for a team of laborers to achieve.

A career as a bulldozer operator is a satisfying one, particularly as you drive down a highway and say to your children, ‘I helped build this road’. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can help you achieve a career as bulldozer operator.

Safety is one of the most important requirements in any work place and is even more important when operating any form of heavy equipment. The operators safety is important, however there are often many other people in close proximity and their safety is of equal importance.

One area of safety that needs to be addressed during training is your heavy equipment and the pre-shift safety checks that must be carried out prior to starting any job. Along with the pre-shift safety checks, the operator needs to constantly aware of the heavy equipments operations ensuring that any possible safety issues are immediately addressed.

If you do not receive training in these areas then you are not going to know which safety check are required or what to look for when making an inspection. There are legal requirements to safety checks and in states where operator licenses are required, testing of your safety knowledge will undertaken prior to you receiving an operators license.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools pride themselves on the thoroughness of their training including all safety aspects. Students who pass through the school have the required knowledge to pass safety examinations where required for licensing. If you are keen to undertake a career in heavy equipment operations then you can be assured of the training through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

Graders are a reasonably simple machine when it comes to design and function. At least, that’s what it looks like to an untrained eye. The grader is one of the most important pieces of equipment to a road building crew.

The action of the grader is to use an angled blade that scrapes the surface and, through the angle of the blade, force the excess material to the side of the vehicle. The blades angle can be altered along with the depth of the scraping blade.

After all the work has been done, clearing rocks, tree stumps and other debris, the grader comes in to provide a level foundation for the proposed road surface. This is done by driving over the proposed road in several passes, each pass scraping more and more until the surface is not only level, but has the required to camber for the proposed road. [photo MathKnight cc WikiCommons Gallery]

Away from the road crew, graders have been used to clear snow from roads. The angled blades push the snow off the road surface and to road verges. At time of heavy snow falls, an essential piece of equipment to keep our roads open.

The attached picture shows a typical road crew with a grader, heavy roller and water truck. Working as a grader operator is a real team job. Bulldozer operators remove the excess heavy material. Grader operators clean the surface and provide a level base. The combination of watering and heavy roller create a packed solid base ready for the road building material.

If the opportunity to work as part of a team to build and maintain our highways sounds attractive, consider a career as grader operator. Professional grader training through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools could open those doors for you.

Construction equipment operators use heavy equipment to move construction materials, earth, and other heavy materials at construction sites and mines. They also operate heavy equipment to clear and grade land in preparation for the construction of roads, buildings, and bridges.

As a construction worker you may also be required to use machines to dig trenches to lay or repair sewer and other pipelines and hoist heavy construction materials. There is also the opportunity to work offshore constructing oil rigs

Before commencing a days work, you may also be required to set up and inspect the equipment, make adjustments, and perform some maintenance and minor repairs. Heavy equipment operators control equipment by moving levers, foot pedals, operating switches, or joysticks all of which require good coordination and of course, training.

Construction equipment can be more complicated to use than it was in the past due to the introduction of new technology such as Global Positioning System (GPS) which is now being used to help with grading and leveling activities.

Does this sound appealing to you. If so you should consider training as a heavy equipment operator through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

ATSN can guarantee you financing if you are unable to secure financing through the standard processes. In case you are not aware, the standard financing streams are:

State & Federal Grants

You may be eligible for financing through a number of State of Federal options:

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

Career Loans

• Loan Option 1: Each School in the network has relationships with national lending institutions which offer loans to our students. The School can recommend a lender if requested.
• Loan Option 2: USA Finance may make a loan to an individual for tuition and in-school housing. The student makes a down payment upon starting class and the balance of tuition and housing can be financed. The down payment amount is determined after the USA Finance Credit Application is received and reviewed.
• Loan Option 3:Many national banks offer “Career Loans” to their customers. Students should talk with their local bank about a “Career Education” loan.

GUARANTEED FINANCING

If you have not been successful in obtaining financing through any of the above streams then perhaps our guaranteed financing option could be considered.

Guaranteed: Up To 50% of Your Tuition in Financing

All you need to do is come up with half of your tuition. Call our admissions counselors at 1.800.678.8120 as this is a time limited offer.

This may give you the opportunity you need to get started in some of America’s best paying skilled trades – heavy equipment operation and truck driving.

Receiving training is one thing, and it is very important, however having a job to go to when you have finished your training is a real bonus.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools pride themselves on their effective job service. To quote from their website:

Job placement assistance is a priority at all ATSN Schools. All graduates are eligible to receive job placement assistance. Listed below are different aspects of the job placement assistance program. The School’s placement database contains hundreds of employers who hire graduates right out of our school.

Through their database you are able to search for potential employers by state, city, or zip code. If you have a particular region where you would like to work, check out the area on the database. There is nothing more frustrating than developing the skills and being ready to start work only to have spend days and days trying to arrange an interview. ATSN Schools can certainly help you out.

The job coordinator will start working with you from day one of your training course providing you with all the necessary information to find that perfect job. There is also a website where you can advertise your skills and preferred work locations.

Training is only a part of the service. Gaining on the job experience is also necessary to maintain and build your skills. Finding employment is an essential component and ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are well prepared to help you.

Wages for construction workers are varied depending on where you are working, who you are working for and what sort of conditions you are working under. The following figures are 2006 statistics and, unless otherwise stated, represent the medium pay scale.

• Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators $17.74.
• The middle 50 percent earned between $13.89 and $23.98.
• The lowest 10 percent earned less than $11.54, and the
• Highest 10 percent earned more than $30.83.

• Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators $15.05
• The middle 50 percent earned between $11.98 and $19.71.
• The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.97, and the
• Highest 10 percent earned more than $25.30.

• Piledriver operators were $22.20.
• The middle 50 percent earned between $16.31 and $31.65.
• The lowest 10 percent earned less than $12.83, and the
• Highest 10 percent earned more than $37.28.

These are generalized of course and should only be used as a guides to expected returns.

Are you interested in timber construction? A career in carpentry puts you on the ground floor erecting timber frames for homes amongst other jobs. If you have ever seen a house being built then I am sure you would have seen the timber skeleton. That could be you helping construct that skeleton.

There are so many new homes being built that finding employment in this field is not going to be difficult. The first thing you need to do is get some quality training in the area of carpentry. ATS Heavy Equipment Training School has the perfect training program to get you the skills required for entry employment.

The carpentry training includes:

Carpentry is one of those skills that are always going to be in high demand. The added bonus is you are learning a skill that can also be so useful around the home.

I recently read that statement and it has stuck with me ever since. Operating a crane takes a degree of finesse, dexterity and certainly plenty of coordination – a little like to trying to herd cats.

Imagine yourself 140 feet up in the air trying to lower a concrete block into 40 foot hole in the ground. The directions you have is from some guy on the ground flapping his arms is a variety of gestures, all having a particular meaning, and a meaning you need to follow. Why? That concrete block could weigh a couple of ton and they want it placed precisely where it is needed. A little like trying to fit a jigsaw puzzle piece exactly into place, from 140 feet in the air.

Yet crane operators do this all day everyday and they slot that jigsaw puzzle piece in first time, every time until that building is fully constructed – then it’s off to the next construction site to start all over again. boring you say, never. When you have to be that precise, you don’t get the chance to be bored.

Learning to operate a crane is definitely a challenge, but a challenge worth taking on if you are interested in getting into the construction in well paid position. If this all sounds exciting to you then consider training to be a crane operator through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.