You don’t have to scan the heavy equipment job listings to know that job opportunities are opening up all over the country. Our aging population means many members of the Baby Boomer generation are retiring. It’s going to be that way for the next 20 years. Younger people looking for work in the heavy equipment industry have had no better time to find work than right now. Here are this week’s job listings in heavy equipment:

• JOHNSON CREEK, WI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• WAUSAU, WI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• NETT LAKE, MN hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• LIVONIA, MI hiring mobile crane operators.
• JANESVILLE, WI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• GREEN BAY, WI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• FLINT, MI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• WHITEWATER, WI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• ARTESIA, NM, hiring mobile crane operators.

If you’re wondering why there are so many Class-A CDL truck driver jobs listed, it’s because there are a lot of truck drivers who have reached retirement age. They are now ending their careers and moving on to a life of leisure. This is your big opportunity to learn a new skill and develop a career that you will enjoy for the rest of your life. It starts, of course, with the proper training.

Truck drivers can be men or women. Race is no issue either. All you need to do is enroll in a truck driver training course, get the proper qualifications, take your state driving test, and secure a Class-A CDL driver’s license. After that, you’ll be eligible to start your truck driving career.

If you want to become a mobile crane operator, you’ll need to consider getting your crane certification. Of course, there are a few ways to get that certification. You can enroll in a heavy equipment training school like Associated Training Services, or you can have the training school come to your place of employment and train all of your workforce at once. That way works when you have a crew of construction workers already employed and you want them trained on the mobile crane.

The certification authority is the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). They set the standards for certification.

NCCCO is recognized internationally as the authority on certification and crane operator training. To become a certified crane operator, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be medically fit
• Comply with NCCCO’s substance abuse policy
• Pass NCCCO written exams
• Pass a practical exam within 12 months of passing the written exam
• Comply with the NCCCO code of ethics

Rather than receive the full certification, if your work entails you to specialize in a particular type of mobile crane operations, you may receive a restriction on your certification that allows you to operate that particular type of crane.

To learn more about mobile crane certification, visit the NCCCO website, and feel free to contact Associated Training Services to learn more about our training programs.

If you’ve been working as a heavy equipment operator and are looking for ways to increase your income, have I some ideas for you. The surest way to increase your income is to specialize in a particular skill. Here are 5 particular heavy equipment skills you can specialize in to increase your work income.

1. Mobile crane – Become a mobile crane operator and you’ll immediately be in demand. That’s because this special skill requires additional education. Get the training to become a mobile crane operator and you’ll see your pay increase.
2. Rigging – Riggers are highly sought after on the construction site. Their job is to ensure safety and to come up with the best ways to lift heavy loads. Riggers can specialize in a particular type of equipment or loads, or they can work in construction at the general level. The higher your specialization the more likely you are in demand for the big bucks.
3. Truck Driving – Truck drivers are highly paid on the construction site, as well. That’s because it’s a special skill with a special license requirement.
4. Get a CDL – Just by holding a commercial drivers license, you make yourself more employable and can demand a higher salary. It’s good that you know how to drive a dump truck. It’s better if you have a CDL to prove it.
5. Become A Certified Signalperson – OSHA has very strict requirements for signalpersons. If you can get your certification, you’ll demand higher pay right off the bat.

There is no substitute for skills and certification. Whether you seek a license or certification, if you specialize in a heavy equipment skill, then you’ll demand higher pay.

Training to be a heavy equipment operator is not something you could take lightly. As Baby Boomers begin to retire, more positions for operators will open up. Now is the time to start your equipment training if you want a lucrative career in heavy equipment.

But you should know that there are different types of heavy equipment and, therefore, different types of heavy equipment training.

Here are 4 types of heavy equipment training. Pick the one that is right for you.

1. Heavy equipment – First off, let’s define what we mean by heavy equipment. On the typical job site, you’ll run into these types of big machines — Backhoes, wheel loaders, scrapers, excavators, bulldozers, road graders, dump trucks, skid steers, and forklifts. At Heavy Equipment School, you’ll learn how to operate them all.
2. Mobile crane – Mobile crane operators are a different breed. You’ll learn how to operate fixed and swing cab hydraulic cranes, lattice booms, articulated booms, and get your rigger/signalperson certification.
3. Rigging – If you desire to become a rigger or a signalperson, then you can take training and receive certification just for that career position. Riggers make darn good money and enjoy a long, fulfilling career–especially if they excel at the job.
4. Truck driver – Finally, if you have any desire to be a long haul truck driver or a construction site driver, then you can get your CDL license and be a huge asset to any work crew. No construction site can do without a truck driver, and these positions require special certification so they pay more.

You can start your career as a heavy equipment operator on the right foot with the right training.

There are several categories of job openings this week. That’s because the springtime construction season is upon us and a huge variety of jobs are out there. At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School, every one of these positions has a training program and gets you prepared to make money right away–whether it’s as a mobile crane operator, rigger, CDL Class-A truck driver, or heavy equipment operator. The Employment Assistance department works with students to make sure you connect with the jobs that are a good fit for your goals.

Here are this week’s job listings:

MAPLE GROVE, MN — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

MADISON, WI — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers and heavy equipment operators

WAPAKONETA, OH — hiring mobile crane operators

BATON ROUGE, LA — hiring heavy equipment operators

MARSHFIELD, WI — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

HENRICO, VA — hiring mobile crane operators and riggers

KNAPP, WI — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

RICHMOND, VA — hiring heavy equipment operators

AVON, MN — hiring mobile crane operators

HOUSTON, TX — hiring mobile crane operators

WILLISTON, ND — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

Another great benefit of ATS is free to access to Total Resources Network, a job site that truly does offer all the resources you need to network in the skilled trades industries.

One of the heavy equipment jobs that almost always is on the top of the pay scale is the crane operations. There’s a lot that only a crane can do, so this position is in high demand, too. But the reason crane operators get sought out and get paid well is that they do a dangerous job that takes a lot of skill. Crane operators need to be certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) because that ensures the operator meets high standards of knowledge and skill.

Crane Operator Certification

Crane operators get their NCCCO certifications by passing both written and practical exams, just like you got your driver’s license by passing both a written test and a driving test. The reason both kinds of testing is required is that operating a crane is every bit as potentially dangerous as driving can be.

When you go through the Certified Crane Operator Programs at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School there will be a lot of both types of learning; knowledge and practical. You become familiar with a lot of things depending on the program:

Mobile Crane Operations – 1

• Beginner Level Curriculum
• 3 Weeks, Monday through Friday
• Fixed Cab (small hydraulic or boom truck) Mobile Cranes
• Swing Cab (large hydraulic or rough terrain – RT) Mobile Cranes
• NCCCO Preparation, Testing & Certification

Mobile Crane Operations – 2

A student must have successfully completed Program -1 to enroll in this program.

• 3 Weeks, Monday through Friday
• Lattice Boom Cranes
• Articulated Boom (Knuckleboom) Cranes
• NCCCO Preparation, Testing & Certification

In addition to these programs, there are custom training options, rigger/signalperson certification programs, and more. Each one will give you the preparation you need to go on to the next step in your career as a skilled craftsman who is in demand.

One of the questions that pops up from time to time is: “What makes a good heavy equipment operator?” And then it gets a little more specific and turns into “What makes a good mobile crane operator?”

There’s some overlap, but there are a few differences.

Things Heavy Equipment Operators Need

All big machinery, no matter what it is, needs an operator who knows what is happening around them and isn’t afraid to stop when things get dangerous. Good heavy equipment operators have these qualities:

• hand/eye coordination
• certifications from trusted schools
• respect for the safety rules
• a feel for their machine’s location and operation
• an eye on their surroundings
• knowledge of their machine’s operation
• rehearsed emergency procedures for instant response

Heavy equipment is hard to stop once it gets going, and everybody is safer when the operator is a professional. But the mobile crane operator has some added factors:

Things Mobile Crane Operators Need To Add

All of the above applies to a mobile crane operator, but the fact that there are additional NCCCO Certified Crane Operator Programs tells you that things get racheted up with the whole overhead-lifting thing. Loads to be hoisted have to be rigged correctly or they’ll fall, and it won’t be pretty. The momentum of a big machine is multiplied when that big machine is swinging a big load around.

Crane operators function as part of a team, and communication is really important. They need the strength to ignore pressure to hoist unsafe loads, even if the boss is giving them a hard time. They need to know what is safe and what is not safe, and it’s a good idea to know why so you can explain your refusal clearly.

Mobile crane operators are heavy equipment operators who have gone into a specialized field and done the training to earn specialized certifications in that field. They have great responsibility and are up to the task.

One of the big differences between a mobile crane operator and a fixed crane operator is the need for extra skills. Crane operators in general need to know how to stabilize their cranes, and they need to know how to operate their cranes according to local conditions and with a shifting load. Mobile crane operators in most cases also need to have truck driving skills backed up by a commercial drivers license.

As the name implies, mobile cranes are just that – mobile. The crane is a separate unit that has been fixed to the top of a truck. These trucks generally exceed the limit for a standard drivers license, so a commercial drivers license is needed before the crane operator can move their crane from job to job. Whilst an employer could employ two people to do the job – a crane operator and a truck driver – it makes economic sense to have one person who has the skills to do both.

Mobile crane operators may find themselves doing two or three or more different jobs each day, and these jobs will be in different locations. Being able to drive the crane from job to job is therefore a required skill, as is being able to quickly set up their crane so it can safely undertake the job. Setting up includes placing the truck in the best place, anchoring the crane using special lifts – this may lift the truck off its wheels to prevent any rolling and to ensure the crane is working from an even plane. The smallest tilt in the crane will be magnified at the end of the boom, making for a potentially dangerous situation.

When training to become a mobile crane operator, be sure the training includes the skills necessary to gain a commercial drivers license. Without that commercial drivers license, you could well be an unemployable mobile crane operator.

Crane operators have an interesting career. At first glance, you may think that a crane operator’s role is fairly repetitive. However, that thought really doesn’t take into account how complex a crane operator’s role can be. Take a fixed construction crane. Sure, they spend all day lifting (or lowering) building materials, however, every lift is different with environmental factors like wind playing a big role.

A mobile crane operator’s working life is very different to that of a fixed crane operator. As the name suggests, a mobile crane is frequently on the move, going from one job to another, and it’s rare for any two jobs to be the same. A mobile crane operator may find themselves on a construction site today, in someone’s backyard tomorrow as they help install an in-ground swimming pool, and out on the highway the following day helping to retrieve a car or truck that has run off the road.

Each and every job is different, and a mobile crane operator’s skills are put to the test whilst still in the truck driver’s cab – they have to pick the best position to locate their crane (taking in all environmental factors). They then need to stabilize their crane off the wheels – you don’t want to be rolling whilst in the middle of a lift. Finally, they need to do the actual work. The irony often is that setting up can take longer than the actual lift, and once completed, the whole set-up process needs to be reversed.

Crane operators do lead an interesting life, especially if they are in control of a mobile crane. Mobile crane operators are paid well, and there is always demand for crane operators somewhere. If you’re considering a career change, consider a career as a crane operator – it only takes a few weeks of crane operator training and you’re ready to start work.

There is a certain fascination with working as a crane operator. Everyone wants to reach the lofty heights of a highrise crane operator, and I do mean lofty heights. Some of those cranes “walk” their way up the building as it grows below them. The problem is, while it may seem to be an exciting career, there’s a certain monotony to the job. You spend the whole day lifting the same objects, often to the same place – there’s not a lot of variation of challenges in these positions. At least, until it’s time to move your crane.

One of the advantages that mobile crane operators have is variety. Because their crane is mobile, it can be sent around the region at a moments notice, and the range of jobs performed is endless. Think of a task where a heavy object requires a lift, and a mobile crane will most likely be called in (unless it’s a high rise building of course).

Mobile crane operators require several skills. They need to be truck drivers, since their crane is effectively mounted on a truck – this also requires a commercial drivers license. Mobile crane operators may also require rigging skills in order to set up their crane ready for use. Of course, they also require crane operating skills in order to do the actual task. Add to that record keeping skills that their employer requires to bill clients, and time management skills in order to complete tasks on time, and you have a highly skilled operator.

Training to become a mobile crane operator is not taxing and can be completed in as little as three weeks. Mobile crane operators are always in demand and they can attract good wages, especially those with plenty of experience. If you want a job that isn’t boring, is well paid, and can often offer challenging situations, consider a career as a mobile crane operator.