The real work horse on any construction site has to be the dump truck. They work tirelessly all day every day carting loads of rubbish, building materials and rocks and placing it where it belongs. They may be called dump trucks, and they certainly do ‘dump’ their load, but their nothing careless about the way they do it.

Driving a dump truck takes some skill. At times you may be required to undertake a measured release of your load, for example when dumping stone, sand or gravel along the length of a new stretch or road. The more controlled and measured the release, the less work for the rest of the team.

Dump trucks are the beasts of burden. They bring in building materials at the start of a job. The work to move earth and rock that has been excavated from the site and when the job is almost completed, they are involved with the removal of all the rubbish and building materials that have been left behind.

Being a dump truck driver is probably every little boy’s dream (many girls too). You see them as children driving their dump trucks in their sand pits. Driving a real one is very similar, they are just so much larger.

To gain the skills to drive a dump truck you need training and the best place to acquire that training is through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools. We will provide you with all the skills required to obtain your commercial driving license.

We have often mentioned the heavy equipment training that ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools offer. One of the best advertisements for any product comes from the mouths of those who have used a product.

Our past students have found the training to be not only comprehensive, but also delivered in a way that creates an environment to bring out the best in people. These students have been appreciative of the trainers, the facilities and the equipment used.

Being happy with the training is one thing. Being able to put that training into practice is the most important aspect – in other words, gaining employment in the heavy equipment field using equipment that they were trained to operate. In many cases, this involved obtaining licenses from third parties – for example, a CDL license.

The training provided by ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools is accredited and complies with set standards. Our students are ready to start work the moment they finish their training. If you would like to see what former students have to say about our training then visit our student feedback page and see what their feedback is.

Heavy equipment is often thought of as big bulldozers or motor graders, however the term could be applied to a variety of different machines. The backhoe loader is just one of them.

Backhoe loaders are very versatile machines and can be found on many construction sites. Despite their size, they play many roles and can be used to dig, to load and to carry items. Backhoe loaders are two-faced mini beasts. I call them mini as some can be dwarf when compared to heavy equipment like a bullbozer. The backhoe loader has a small digging (or backhoe) bucket at one end that is often used for digging holes and trenches. At the other end is a wider bucket that can be used to carry items or to load materials onto trucks.

Compared to heavy equipment like excavators or bulldozers, backhoe loaders are more compact and easy to handle on a construction site. Being wheeled, their travel speed allows them to be taken on the road instead of having to be loaded onto a trailer for transport.

Having both the backhoe and loader function on one piece of equipment is very convenient and a time saver. The operator can dig and load without having to switch from one piece of equipment to another. Heavy equipment training provides the skills required to operate a backhoe loader.

If you fancy yourself as a backhoe loader operator then consider ATS Heavy Equipment Training School for the best in heavy equipment training.

There are time when you may look at a training program and say ‘I wish’. Sometimes it may look daunting, you may feel you don’t have the skills or for some, they feel they don’t have the high school or college education required to get accepted into a heavy equipment training program.

The truth is, it is not what you know now, or what you have learned in the past, it is what you are capable of learning and what you are capable of doing that is important. Heavy equipment training isn’t a walk in the park. It can be fairly heavy going at times. However, if you have a little dedication and a little determination you can succeed.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are not so much interested in your past. The future is what counts so we will work with you to help you achieve your goals. Applying for training is straightforward. Our heavy equipment training online application form is a standard contact form. Once we receive your application we will review it and one of our admissions representatives will call you back to discuss the options.

Heavy equipment operators are in heavy demand right now so now is the best time to start your training for a new and lucrative career.

Move over guys, there is a new breed of heavy equipment operators and they are just as good as you. One of the strongest growth areas for women in traditionally male careers is in the the heavy equipment industry.

Women have had success as truck drivers for many decades and some women have taken on the role of bulldozer and excavator operators. However these have been few and far between. In fact the construction industry may have held an intimidating atmosphere for many women. Not today.

The opposite is probably now true. Many males feel threatened by the surge of women into this arena. Years ago heavy equipment operation was tough going. It often required brute strength to handle the controls. Now everything is designed to make life easier for the operators.

Controls are now much easier to operate. Power assistance in steering means you can steer single handed – some power steering mechanisms are so sensitive they can be operated with one finger.

If you are a woman looking for an outdoor career and the thought of operating a bulldozer, excavator or motor grader appeals to you then consider your training options at ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

Having spent the week reviewing the latest Department of Labor stats on the future of employment in the heavy equipment industry, perhaps it’s time to review how we can help you get started into a great career as a heavy equipment operator.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have their own job placement assistance service for anyone wanting to start a career in the industry. There are hundreds of employers in the database all wanting to employ trained and competent heavy equipment operators.

Through the database you can locate employers in specific geographical locations throughout the United States. The goal is to assist our graduates in finding employment opportunities.

Each campus has a job placement assistance director. Their role is:

Your campus has a job placement assistance director that you can talk to about job placement. From the very first day the School will emphasize job placement assistance as a cooperative effort where the School and the student work together to achieve a common goal: SUCCESSFUL JOB PLACEMENT.

Our assistance commences during your first week of training and continues until you are successfully places. We also follow up to ensure that everyone is happy with the job placement.

The heavy equipment field is strong and growing and requires freshly trained recruits to add the work pool. You can get your start to a career by contacting ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

One of the fastest growing heavy equipment careers is that of a class A truck driver. With the cost of fuel soaring, many businesses are turning away from air freight and resorting once more to road freight.

You would think that even road freight would suffer with higher fuel prices – and it does. However the industry is so competitive that most freight companies are reducing profits rather than hiking prices – price rises are certainly lower than those imposed by airlines. There are other reasons as well- all of which result in a demand for more trucks and with it more drivers.

In the past, many trucks would drive from A to B at only 75% or even less capacity. They are now moving with 100% capacity and there are still insufficient vehicles and qualified drivers to move freight. A career as a class A truck driver can be rewarding. One of the benefits of truck driving is that, once you leave the depot, you are virtually your own boss. You drive the truck and there is certainly no foreman sitting behind you yelling instructions – its you, your truck and the open road.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with the relevant in class and on road training to help you gain your class A commercial driving license.

Once you get your start in the field of heavy equipment operation you may find that what you are doing is not quite enough. Training is the start of a career and ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can help there.

Getting your first job operating a heavy equipment machine is your next step; and of course we can help you there as well. As you gain more experience you are going to start to eye of some of the larger more technical machines. How do you get behind the wheel of one those?

There are several options available. The first is to simply approach your employer and see if they are willing to let you spend some time in the cab alongside a regular operator. This may not suit all employers as this time is unproductive. However, the heavy equipment operator may be willing to spend a little time with you during a meal break or before or after work.

A better option is to gain further formal training through a heavy equipment training school. They may be able to provide hands on training in larger machines or machines more suited to ambitions. If you have undertaken training as a dozer operator then it is fairly easy to gain training as a motor grader operator or similar.

Once you have finished your training and gained employment, the future is wide open. As we have pointed out in the last few posts, demand for operators is rising and with it the pay checks. A career in the heavy equipment industry is challenging yet very rewarding.

Heavy equipment is normally associated with construction and often with just land clearing and road building. There are however many other areas where heavy equipment operators are required. These include farms, forestry, mining and cargo ports.

The Department of Labor is expecting strong growth in the requirement for heavy equipment operators in these areas. Growth ranges from a strong 10% in mining to 4% in forestry with farming and cargo around the 7%.

Wages in these occupations range from around the $11 for rural/farming occupations to $18 for crane operators working in our ports.

Truck haulage is expect to rise significantly as the cost of fuel impacts on the airline industry. Growth is difficult to asses given the option of rail versus road. If road continues to expand then employment growth to reach 12-13% in coming years.

Wages for truck drivers vary greatly with local drivers receiving a little over $15 per hour. Long distance drivers are being paid per trip rather than per hour and wages vary according to the distance traveled.

As we have seen with this weeks posts, the requirement for heavy equipment operators is growing strongly in all sectors of our economy. The wages are also growing at a rate comparable to inflation with conditions for workers improving all the time.

Given the new technology and ability of employers to do more with less, the increase in labor in these sectors is significant. Economic downturn normally calls for cuts in the workforce. This is not so in the heavy equipment skills area.

To join the heavy equipment work force you need the appropriate skills. We keep pace with modern trends and employer requirements and offer training that is relevant to these needs. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools would be happy to discuss your training needs and provide you with the opportunity to kick start you career.

If you are in the heavy equipment operator sector then your paychecks are growing quite strongly as the demand for your skills grows.

Latest figures from the Department of Labor show the median hourly rate for heavy equipment operators at $17.74 with some as high as $23.98. These rates were for those in the construction industry. Sector breakdowns are as follows:

Highway, street, and bridge construction $19.88
Utility system construction $18.62
Other specialty trade contractors $18.00
Other heavy and civil engineering construction $17.63
Local government $15.95

Heavy equipment operators in the paving, surfacing, and tamping areas received a slightly lower median of $15.05 with some earning as high as $19.71. Sector breakdowns:

Other specialty trade contractors $15.26
Highway, street, and bridge construction 15.11
Local government 14.86

Median hourly earnings of wage and salary piledriver operators were $22.20 with a top rate of $31.65. Sector breakdowns:

Other heavy and civil engineering construction $28.60
Highway, street, and bridge construction 22.50
Other specialty trade contractors 20.60
Utility system construction 18.62

Compared to many other industries the growth in paychecks for heavy equipment operators is still strong and growing annually.

Tomorrows post will look at other heavy equipment sectors such as mining and forestry. Careers in the heavy equipment sector are strong so if you are looking for a start – visit ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.