There are times when people become confused over the term ‘heavy equipment’. The confusion is often related to the size of the equipment when, in reality, size has little to do with it.

In the early days, this equipment was referred to as ‘heavy earth moving equipment’ – in other words, equipment that could move a lot of earth quickly. The comparison was made to a group of people doing the same job by hand. An excavator with quite a small bucket can still dig a hole much faster than any team of manual workers could. This equipment did the ‘heavy’ work, hence the term ‘heavy equipment’. Those who operate these machines where then referred to as heavy equipment operators.

If you want to operate machinery that is designed to move earth, then you need to undertake training to make you proficient in that machinery. These days, heavy equipment is fairly straightforward to use so it doesn’t take long to learn how to operate a range of machinery. This range could (and should) include road graders, loaders, bulldozers and excavators. It is also handy to learn how to operate a backhoe -essentially a combination of loader and excavator. Smaller equipment like a skid steer loader is still considered heavy equipment since its main role is to move earth quickly.

Heavy equipment operator training should be designed to cover three aspects. These are – the skills to operate that equipment; heavy equipment safety operations; and the all-round skills and knowledge that make you work ready. That latter may sound obvious, however, there are many training organizations that will train you to operate heavy equipment, however, they fail to provide training on aspects such as grade reading, soil identification, site layout management, laser levels or heavy equipment maintenance. These are areas that employers expect to see proficiency in when it comes to new recruits.

When looking at heavy equipment operator training, be sure to select a training program that is well rounded and which prepares you well for the workplace. If you don’t, you may struggle to build a successful career as a heavy equipment operator.

If you are looking for a career as a crane operator, then your first step is to decide on what type of crane you want to operate. Crane operations is a large field and includes those monstrous cranes that climb a building as it’s being constructed all the way down to small cranes, which sit on trucks that are used to off-load the cargo. The most popular crane in use is the mobile crane, however, that too comes in a wide range of sizes and configurations.

Don’t even contemplate walking into a highrise fixed crane. You need years of experience to win a job in one of those cranes, and given how few highrise cranes there are, competition for vacancies is fairly intense. Mobile cranes are the better option for novices – they are relatively easy to learn and there are often a lot of job vacancies for these operators. When considering a career as a mobile crane operator, you can look at:

• swing cab boom cranes
• rough terrain boom cranes
• fixed cab cranes
• fixed boom trucks
• lattice boom cranes
• articulated cranes (aka knuckleboom cranes)

To operate a crane, an operator must be certified to gain certification. You need to pass crane operator competency tests. The best way to prepare yourself for these tests is through crane operator training undertaken through a training school that runs a recognized crane operator training program.

ATS is well known throughout the industry as one of the leaders in crane operator training and certification. We are one of the largest and oldest training schools in the nation and deliver training programs that not only prepare students for their certification tests but prepare them for work as well – and there is a big difference. If you’re interested in a career as a crane operator, contact us for details on our up-and-coming crane operator training programs.

Sometimes it can be hard to watch the news on television each night, especially when there are disasters that dominate that news. We are used to the annual scourge of tornadoes and hurricanes, the occasional passenger plane that crashes, and highway pileups. The recent explosion at a fertilizer plant is another in the long line of disasters to strike in recent years, however, there was one scene that really stood out on news bulletins, and that was the line of trailers loaded with heavy equipment ready to go in and clean up.

There were bulldozers, loaders, excavators and backhoes, all ready to do their part to clean up the scene ready for possible rebuilding. There’s no doubt that excavators and backhoes are being cautiously used to remove rubble in an attempt to find those who are still reported missing. Whilst these disasters take the news, heavy equipment operators work in other areas such as firefighting and even in the military. You can join the military and become a fighting bulldozer operator. Yes, you’re a soldier, however, your main job is to operate a bulldozer building runways, bridges, or just clearing land for new buildings.

That’s just part of the diversity of heavy equipment operators, and whilst these jobs may be at the extreme edge, they are important and require highly skilled operators. The best platform for a career as a heavy equipment operator is through a thorough training program that includes plenty of in-the-seat training and well-designed classroom training that ensures you not only have the skills but you also have the knowledge – and that’s important in today’s world where safety and new technology are high on the agenda.

If you think that heavy equipment operations is boring, think again. It can be interesting, very challenging, and often fraught with danger. If you are looking for that sort of challenge in life, then be sure to undertake the right heavy equipment operator training. Then use that platform to gain as much experience as possible.

This week’s jobs include two that reinforce our belief that heavy equipment operators should have a commercial drivers license. There are two employers who are looking for truck drivers and heavy equipment operators – if you can fulfill both rolls, it makes it much easier to find employment. This week’s jobs on our jobs website include:

Truck Drivers
Bainville, MT
DUAL TRUCKING is hiring drivers (they are also looking for operators)

Heavy Equipment Operators
Bainville, MT
DUAL TRUCKING is hiring heavy equipment operators (they are also looking for truck drivers)

Truck Drivers
Mobridge, SD
Employer now taking applications for spring hire of truck drivers with CDL-A

Heavy Equipment Operators
Mobridge, SD
Employer now taking applications for spring hire of heavy equipment operators

Heavy Equipment Operators
Evergreen, CO.
Employer hiring HEAVY Equipment Operators

Last week’s focus was on truck drivers, and the trend continues. Truck driving jobs from last week include vacancies in:

• Lynchburg, VA
• San Antonio, TX
• Williston, ND
• Claremore, OK
• Southern, WI.
• Madison, WI.

If you’re looking for a new career, then heavy equipment operations and truck driving are two that are in constant demand. We can have you ready for a career as a heavy equipment operator in as little as three weeks, a little longer for truck drivers that undertake the full truck driver training program.

The world of construction is constantly changing, especially when it comes to legislative requirements. It seems that every year there is a new set of requirements and, in recent years, these changes have had significant effects on crane operators and riggers/signal persons. Crane operators now need to be certified whilst riggers/signal persons need to have formal acknowledgement of their skills and knowledge.

For riggers and signal persons, this is by undertaking either a qualification or certification program. The certification program is of a higher level and does take a little longer to complete. After completing this program you will be certified at Rigging Level One. If you complete the qualification program you will receive a qualification compliance card, the minimum standard for riggers and signal persons.

Employers have been encouraged to have their work crews trained and either qualified or certified in groups. At ATS, we deliver training to work groups, either in our training school or at an employer’s work place – whichever is best suited to individual employers. We can also design our rigger/signalpersons training to include workplace-specific skills whilst still covering the standards set by the relevant authorities.

If you are not either certified or qualified, then you shouldn’t now be working as either a rigger or signalperson. The onus is on employers to ensure that their workers meet all the requirements set down by OSHA – failure to do so can lead to huge fines. If you don’t meet these requirements, or you’re an employer who has workers who don’t meet these requirements, contact us to discuss the best training options available.

Heavy equipment operators who can operate a range of equipment are always in high demand. If you have commercial drivers license (CDL) and some experience transporting heavy equipment on flat bed tractor trailers, then you’ll be in even higher demand. Commercial construction companies are always looking for ways to cut costs, and being able to employ one person who is able to do a range of tasks is always going to be cost effective.

The downside for operators is that you can expect to be moved from equipment to equipment as the demand arises. This movement is seen as a big plus to many heavy equipment operators as it adds variety to their working life. Having a CDL often means there is no waiting around as well. Once you complete one job, you load your equipment onto the trailer and move on to the next task.

When you think about it, completing the required training to become a heavy equipment operator and completing the requirements for a CDL makes a lot of sense. There’s three weeks training to become a heavy equipment operator and as little as two weeks training to gain a CDL (if you work on the theory side of your training at home). If you want the complete CDL course, then you’re looking at an extra three weeks – however, that’s eight weeks in total and you have all the skills that employers are looking for.

If you are already a trained heavy equipment operator, then adding a commercial drivers license to your repertoire could be the boost your career needs. Finding work will be easier and you may even find your wage rates are a little higher. You’ll certainly find your work more diverse and far more interesting.

The jobs market is as fickle as ever this week with almost every job listed on our dedicated jobs website being for truck drivers. It does make for a change since we have seen a domination of heavy equipment operators during the last month. If you are interested in any of these jobs, or want more information, then visit our jobs website. Keep a close watch as new job opportunities are coming in all the time. The latest jobs include:

Truck Drivers
Lynchburg, VA
Dedicated Truck Driver with a Class A CDL is required by Schneider National, Inc

Truck Drivers
San Antonio, TX
Truck Driver CDL A or B with Boom. Full time work as a local truck driver/logisics.

Truck Drivers
Williston, ND
Truck Driver with CDL is required by Deer Valley Trucking in Williston, ND:

Truck Drivers
Claremore, OK
CDLA truck driver required in Catoosa/Claremore – wage rates from $14 per hour

Truck Drivers
Southern, WI.
Lycon is hiring local truck drivers – be home every night

Truck Drivers
Madison, WI.
Badger Coaches is hiring drivers for local work – be home every night

You can expect to see an increase in the number of truck driving jobs on offer in the coming years. We are losing drivers (through retirement) faster than we can recruit new trainees, so if you’re looking for an in-demand career, then consider truck driving. As you can see from today’s list, even local drivers are in demand. You only require five weeks of truck driver training to be in a position to gain your commercial drivers license, and from there, the roads are yours to conquer.

There is such a huge focus on heavy equipment safety these days that you could be excused for thinking it was the number one priority. For government agencies like the Department of Labor, it is. For employers, safety is obviously an issue, however, it is not necessarily their number one priority. For employers, it is more of a holistic approach.

What employers are looking for is an operator who can get a job done quickly, accurately, and safely. In fact, safety and skills are linked – if you are not operating your equipment safely, then there is a good chance you’ll have an accident, and this will lead to down time, possibly an investigation, and the job not being completed on time. In today’s construction industry, not completing a contract on time can lead to penalties, which reduce the income a construction company receives. On the flip side, if a contract is completed ahead of time, there could be bonus payments available, and since money rules the business world, you know what an employer’s preference is going to be.

When training to become a heavy equipment operator, it is important to focus on all aspects of your training. Skills are obviously important, however, safety should not be ignored or underestimated. As a student, there is not one priority learning area – in short, all of your training should be your priority.

A well-trained heavy equipment operator who can work safely whilst getting the job done on or ahead of time will always find themselves with work. These operators gain reputations that make them highly employable and sought after. Operators who have a tendency to take short cuts, have accidents, and be generally unreliable will soon find themselves unemployable – the grape vine is very strong in the field of heavy equipment and your reputation, good or bad, will quickly filter through the system. Start off on the right foot by being a competent and safe operator.

There has long been an argument surrounding the best form of heavy equipment operator training. There are those who believe that a long (as in 12 month) apprenticeship type of training is best, and then there are those who believe that informal training by a parent or friend is best. Sitting in between is a formal training program that can be completed in weeks rather than months and an on-the-job training regime that some employers offer. Which then is the best type of training? We believe the short formal training program that we offer delivers the best results for those looking to start a career as heavy equipment operators, however, other training programs do have their positives and negatives. Today we’ll look at the short formal training program and compare it the informal training that used to be the norm.

Formal Heavy Equipment Operator Training

Pros

• Training is completed in as little as three weeks,
• Students are trained to operate a range of heavy equipment,
• Students are provided with a wide range of skills, including modern technology,
• Employers are showing a preference for graduates from reputable heavy equipment training schools,
• Recognized training certificate issued once a student completes all the training requirements.

Cons

• Cost can be a problem for those on a tight budget,
• Time off work for those who currently have a job can also be a problem,
• Difficulty in accessing reputable training schools.

Informal Heavy Equipment Operator Training

Pros

• Cost – this training is often free,
• You generally know your trainer well,
• Very flexible training.

Cons

• Lack of employer support for informally trained heavy equipment operators,
• Incomplete training, particularly when it comes to new technology,
• Students are generally only trained on one type of heavy equipment,
• Training can take months if only done on an ad hoc basis.

There are several important points to note from this comparison. The most important is the employer’s preference. They are more likely to employ someone who is well trained through a recognized heavy equipment operator training school than someone who is employed informally – there’s no ‘checklist’ of skills trained in with informal training. When it comes to the cons of formal training, these can often be overcome if students are prepared to work with their training provider. We can help students access loans to cover training costs, we can offer accommodation to ease the difficulty of access, and we even offer alternatives to full-time training to help those in work. Short formal training does stand out as the better option, and being a short training program, it means you are able to transition into a new career very quickly.

On Thursday we mentioned how positive the jobs outlook for heavy equipment operators is as we head towards 2020. The number of jobs to come into our jobs website over the last month certainly supports this positive outlook, and with summer almost upon us, job vacancies will only increase. Now is a great time to undertake heavy equipment training – you’ll be finished just in time for the late spring/summer hiring season. Some of the heavy equipment operator jobs listed over the last month include:

Heavy Equipment Operator
Tampa, FL
Primary Heavy Equipment Operator required.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Mobridge, SD.
Heavy Equipment operators required.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Stillwater, OK
Operates heavy equipment at a transfer station, recycle and/or landfill for the purpose of transferring, spreading, covering, loading and/or compacting waste or soil in a productive and safe manner.

Primary Heavy Equipment Operator II
Pompano Beach, FL
Primary Heavy Equipment Operator required for work in sunny Florida

Heavy Equipment Operators
Cleveland, OH.
North Coast Ferrous hiring backhoe operators for Iron recycling, Attachments Shears, Magnets

Heavy Equipment Operators
Florida
Lots of Heavy Equipment jobs available in Florida, many with immediate starts

Quarry Heavy Equipment Operator
La Coste, TX
Heavy Equipment Operator position available near Castroville, Texas. Please only apply if you already live in or around the San Antonio, Texas area, there is no relocation for this position and we are looking to hire someone immediately.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Ghent, KY
Position will be operating a front end loader, skidsteer loader, fork truck, track mobile, or excavator, providing services to a steel mill. Other duties as required by the Operations Supervisor or the Terminal Manager.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Murfreesboro, TN
Operates heavy equipment at a transfer station, recyclery and/or landfill for the purpose of transferring, spreading, covering, loading and/or compacting waste or soil in a productive and safe manner.

If you’re looking for a career change, then heavy equipment operations is worth a closer look. It only takes three weeks training and you’re ready for a career that’s well paid and in growing demand.