The most valuable employees in any business are the ones that can multi-skill. These days, when employers are forced to lay off workers, the last to go are generally those that are multi-skilled. It makes sense, of course. If you have a truck driver, a mobile crane operator, and bulldozer operator, but you only have enough work to keep these three operators busy for a short period each week, the easy way out is to sack those three operators and to employ an operator that can operate each piece of machinery.

However, if you are skilled in all three areas then you will be the last to be dismissed. The employer can use you wherever needed thus keeping you busy all the time. Gaining skills in all three areas may seem daunting, yet it isn’t. If you’re a truck driver then adding mobile crane operator training to your skill set is fairly easy. Likewise, if you are a heavy equipment operator then adding a commercial drivers license is not that difficult. That is the first step – that provides you with two skill sets that are important to employers.

Of course, if you are already a mobile crane operator then you will already have your CDL so it’s only a matter of adding heavy equipment training to your skills list. We are currently in an environment where multi-skilled workers are being held in high esteem. They are an important asset to any business. From the workers point of view, they have always got a range of options when it comes to seeking employment.

Associated Training Services has over forty years experience training truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, and mobile crane operators. We are in effect your one-stop shop when it comes to acquiring the range of skills that most employers find valuable. If you are involved in just one of those areas, consider up-skilling and improving your employment chances.

If you start a career off on the right footing, you will often find there are many directions you can take. Heavy equipment careers are one good example. A thorough grounding in a range of machinery can prepare you well for diverse employment opportunities. Backhoes, excavators and loaders are a prime example of this.

Excavators and loaders are very different machinery. Excavators are normally stationary and are generally used to dig holes and trenches. Loaders, on the other hand, are always on the go and used primarily to carry material. They are very effective at lifting loads of sand and gravel into trucks. What do they have in common? The backhoe! The backhoe takes the best of both machines and incorporates it into one machine.

The front of a backhoe looks very much like a standard loader. There is a good reason for that since that is exactly what it does. Backhoes, when used as loaders, can generally do everything that a loader can do, and just as nimbly as well.

At the rear of a backhoe is an excavator tool that is used in the same manner as an excavator. It does the same work, digging holes and trenches. Over the past 20 years or so both have seen the introduction of attachments such as slab breakers, augers and just about any other digging or breaking tool you can think off.

Being trained in all three machinery means you are able to pick and choose workplaces. You are also more attractive to potential employers since they will then have the flexibility of using your skills across a range of machinery. Rather than approaching a career as an operator of one piece of machinery, take advantage of training that provides heavy equipment operator skills across a range of machinery. It can certainly give your career a boost.

Obtaining a commercial drivers license (CDL) opens the door to a wide variety of truck driving careers. That one license covers drivers for many different types of trucks ranging from the humble dump truck to the large interstate rigs you see on the highways. Truck driving careers range from local deliveries to working on long haul interstate trucks, even cross country trucks. You can also find truck drivers crossing borders between the US and Canada and the US and Mexico.

Truck driving work includes driving:

• tankers filled with anything from milk to fuel oil
• mining trucks filled with mineral bearing ore
• flatbeds loaded with heavy equipment
• dump trucks filled with sand or gravel
• trucks transporting general freight

Of course, that list only touches the surface. Every single product, including water, gets delivered by truck at some point in its journey to your home – you could also add the building materials that went into building your home. The only food items that aren’t affected by a truck in some way is what you grow yourself.

There is more to learning to drive a truck than just sitting in the driver’s seat. To complete the CDL test requirements you will need knowledge of Department of Transportation rules, safety and safe operation of equipment, and CDL regulations. You will also need more than just basic driving skills. You will need to demonstrate your ability to drive safely in public, reverse (not an easy task when driving articulated vehicles), and couple and uncouple your vehicle.

Training is important and should be undertaken by competent and qualified truck driving instructors. It also helps if you undertake your training through an organization that has a history of great performance and is well respected in the industry. ATS Truck Driver Training Schools fulfills all of those attributes – and you can complete your training is as little as three weeks. Truck driver training – it opens up a world full of opportunities.

For the last couple of months there has been a lot of interest in the events involving the miners trapped in Chile. It’s these types of events that bring home the real need for workplace safety. Heavy equipment safety goes beyond simple workplace safety – the equipment itself is a deadly tool if not operated within limits. Did you notice what they used to raise and lower the ‘Phoenix’ rescue capsule? It was a large mobile crane. What probably hasn’t registered with most people who followed these events was the safety aspect of that crane.

Having drilled through to the trapped miners, rather than plowing ahead and trying to free them, they tested every safety aspect possible. The crane double and triple checked to ensure it was on a stable footing. The crane was positioned precisely so that it could raise and lower the rescue capsule with ease. In fact, they practiced the raising and lowering dozens of times before they were happy to perform the rescue. Did you watch the rescue? If you did you will have seen the speed of the cable constantly changing – this was at the instruction of the rescue foreman. This means their communications were spot on as well.

This is a rare and unusual situation. However, the rescue itself, from the crane operator’s perspective, was just another job (albeit with half the world watching and men’s lives at risk). That operator’s training, together with the training of those on ground, was integral to the success of that rescue. For most heavy equipment operators, the job is far more mundane than rescuing people. However, the heavy equipment safety that is required is no less. When looking at heavy equipment training, don’t forget the events of Chile – be sure your training has a strong safety aspect to it.

When I suggest you can sit in the seat of a bulldozer for free, I am not talking about joy rides. I am talking about real down-to-earth experience and when I say ‘free’, I really do mean free. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have been conducting highly successful one day workshops in heavy equipment and truck driving with entry to these workshops totally free.

If you decide to attend one of these workshops, you will be able to participate in the training module, “Introduction to Heavy Equipment”. You will also be able to participate in a range of training-related activities including:

• Meeting instructors and current students to get a feel for the campus
• Meeting admissions counselors and discussing training options
• Experiencing training in real time by attending actual training sessions
• Gaining hands-on experience, and that means climbing all over the equipment and sitting in the operators seat

While bulldozers are one of the most popular machines, you can also get a feel for a range of equipment including:

• backhoes
• graders
• loaders
• cranes
• excavators

And that is just a short list (the equipment available will vary from campus to campus). What is important for anyone considering a career as a heavy equipment operator is the chance to gain a real feel for the industry. By attending these workshops you will gain a better understanding as to whether or not this is the best career option for you – at no cost. The no-cost component is important because it really is free. These workshops are offered free of any obligations – no contracts, no expensive agreements and no commitment required to undertake any further training.

If you are interested in attending one of our workshops, check out our website for further details on where and when our free heavy equipment workshops are being conducted. We currently have workshops scheduled through to early December and since numbers are limited, booking a place is essential. If you’re ready to discuss booking a place, call us on 1-800-383-7364 and reserve your spot. If you’ve never been in the seat of a bulldozer, or any other heavy equipment, then do yourself a favor; call us and give it a try – it could be the start of an interesting career as a heavy equipment operator.

Dump trucks come in all shapes and sizes and are generally found around construction sites. When thinking about a dump truck, the image generated is generally of a large vehicle with a deep tray on the back that can be tipped to empty the load. The tipping action gives rise to the use of the word ‘dump’ in the truck’s name. However, they are not the only vehicles used – there is one vehicle that is very important in construction, especially when it comes to road building, and that is the water truck.

Water trucks, while different in shape and size to dump trucks, are no different when it comes to operating skills. Dump truck drivers need to learn how to ‘dump on the go’ – this is the process of tipping back the tray then driving down the road as the contents are spread behind them. Water trucks, whilst not tipping, are required to operate at a steady pace as they ‘water’ the road. Why water the road?

There are several reasons why water is used on new road constructions – or general construction for that matter. One is very simple – dust control. Wet ground does not kick up dust. The second use of water, particularly in road construction, is the damping, holding and lubricating effect it has on certain soils. By wetting the area before running a heavy roller over it, the soil compacts better thus providing for much harder and more stable surface to lay the finishing surface too.

Because the skills used to operate a water truck are similar to those used by dump trucks, experienced drivers can often move between the two vehicles. You will need a commercial drivers license to operate either vehicle and this will require training. Dump truck driver training covers both vehicles and should prepare students for their commercial drivers license tests. Look for a truck driver training program that includes plenty of hands on driving experience, especially in areas such as reversing and driving in traffic. Dump trucks may be the backbone of most construction sites, but water trucks ensure they are as dust free as possible.

The US economy is still going through turbulent times with unemployment high across many sectors. This is a situation that creates numerous problems, one of which is the nervousness of those looking to change careers. A lot of money is being poured into construction by the government so one would expect that careers such as heavy equipment careers could be worth chasing. But are they?

There is a lot of talk by many people in the industry, particularly training providers, that there are thousands of jobs on offer. Receive training today and walk into a job tomorrow is their mantra. The reality is the opposite. Despite a lot of money being poured into construction, jobs are still hard to come by. This makes a move into a heavy equipment career very risky – and individuals ought to be a little nervous about making such a move.

The long term outlook is bright, however. We have an aging population and many of those currently employed as heavy equipment operators are nearing the end of their working life – you could say their use-by date is almost up. This will leave a vacuum in the field of experienced heavy equipment operators. I use the word ‘experienced’ because it is a key for those looking at a successful long term career as a heavy equipment operator.

Opportunities are there now for new operators to enter the market to gain experience. However, to be in a position to take up these opportunities, you need to have two key ingredients. The first is versatility. You need to be in a position to operate a range of heavy equipment. Employment could be patchy and you will most likely start with very basic operations. Having a secondary skill such as a commercial drivers license could be ideal. You may start as a transport driver picking up and delivering heavy equipment to construction sites. With heavy equipment training, you will most likely also load and unload this equipment. As you prove your worth, you will gain more opportunities to operate this equipment. What is important is that you are employed in the industry, and you are gaining experience – and this is just one example of having versatile skills.

The second component is probably more important and revolves around your training. When an employer looks at a job application, especially from someone who is new to the industry, they will be looking to see where that applicant undertook their training. It is imperative in today’s market that training is undertaken by training companies that are well respected by employers. Find a well respected heavy equipment training organization and that’s half your battle won.

Starting a heavy equipment career is not going to be a piece of cake. However, do it right and you will make life a lot easier on yourself. Industry expects a skill drain in around five years and they say it takes five years to become recognized as experienced in this industry. Start now and you will be right at the pointy end when your skills will be in high demand and you will be considered experienced. Wait a year or two and it could be too late – you won’t have gained the necessary experience. One suggestion well worth following up on is to talk to heavy equipment career services personnel to find out what options are available to you in your area right now.

Heavy equipment careers seem to wax and wane in popularity, and it normally doesn’t relate to demand. In fact, it can often be more location-based than national. This has been evident in areas where there has been a lot of heavy construction over the last year. Seeing heavy equipment being used on a daily basis seems to trigger a desire to ‘give it a go’ by people from that area. Motor graders are one piece of machinery that is seen for extended periods of time. If you’re interested in a motor grader career, the path is not that difficult.

To gain an entry level job as a grader operator, you need to have completed a heavy equipment training program. These training programs can take from three weeks to three months depending on how many hours of instruction are delivered each week. Some training establishments also stretch training programs to the max in order to justify higher fees. When looking at a heavy equipment training program, there are several factors that should be covered. These include:

• hands on operation of a wide range of heavy equipment,
• safety training,
• basic preventative maintenance skills,
• technical skills such as laser levels and grade reading,
• soil types and how they react when worked, and
• site layouts.

Finally, look for a tried and trusted heavy equipment training provider. These are training organizations that have a long history in the business and that have good reputations with employers. When talking to your training provider, ask if you can visit the training site prior to signing on the dotted line. Normally, after three weeks training you should be ready to accept entry level employment as a grader operator. The path is easy, if you find the right training provider to begin with.

Loaders come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. There are dozer loaders than run on tracks like a dozer, but use a shovel like a traditional loader; backhoes that have an excavator at the rear and a shovel at the front; and wheel loaders which, as the name suggests, run on wheels. However, as you can see from this image, there is one area in their operation that can throw students.

Wheel loaders are generally articulated. There’s nothing new in that, there are many different types of articulated machinery – in fact, if you have towed a boat or trailer then you have been in a form of articulated vehicle. The difference between a normal articulated vehicle and a wheel loader is that the operator is sitting in the back half of the articulation. To put that in an everyday situation, that would be like the driver sitting in the trailer when driving down the road.

This makes for some interesting maneuvers when students first climb aboard. It can take a while to become accustomed to the way the vehicle handles, particularly the steering. Once you get the hang of it, the rest becomes easy. The best way to master a wheel loader is to start with good quality hands on training. A good grounding means you enter the workplace with sufficient skills that driving a wheel loader is second nature. You will need experience to learn some of the finer points of loader operations, but the fact the vehicle is articulated should hold you back.

Wheel loaders can be difficult to master, however, the right heavy equipment training will soon bring out the master in you.

If you have a commercial drivers license but you’ve become a little jaded with truck driving, why don’t you consider adding a mobile crane operators certification to your repertoire. Mobile crane operators combine truck driver skills and crane operator skills to become in demand operators that can be called upon to do a wide range of tasks.

Mobile cranes fill a void between the need for a fixed long term crane, and small lifting machines like excavators and fork lift trucks. Mobile cranes can lift very heavy objects yet have the mobility to move from job to job at a moment’s notice. Fixed cranes can take weeks to dismantle and reassemble in another location while excavators and fork lifts often don’t have the lifting capacity required for large objects.

You can find mobile cranes working in a wide range of jobs. In construction sites, they may well be called in to help raise and/or lower a fixed cranes components. Mobile cranes are also used to raise or lower large objects like air conditioning units and other machinery. You could also find mobile cranes at the scene of road accidents, particularly where large trucks and tankers have overturned.

Having your commercial drivers license is a good start for a career as a mobile crane operator. Don’t worry if you don’t have one; that can soon be arranged. Receiving quality crane operator training is essential for a number of reasons. The first is that quality training is the only way to give your self the best chance of successfully completing the requirements for certification as mobile crane operator. This is a requirement in most states now. The second reason is just as important – training organizations have reputations so you want to ensure you receive your training through a well recognized training company.

If you think a career as a mobile crane operator is a good fit for you then contact us at ATS Crane Operator Training Schools to learn more about our next crane operator training program.