Some bulldozers are quite small and are great for landscaping and other small jobs such as finishing work. There are other bulldozers that are huge – generally used in open cut mines and forestry. These machines are equipped to push tonnes of dirt around with a single thrust.

This bulldozer is only a small to medium size piece of heavy equipment. No matter the size, all operators start out the same, learning the basics along with all safety requirements. From there all operators get out in the field to learn how to handle the ‘dirt’. That is the one lesson that all operators continue to learn throughout their operating careers.

Bigger just means more grunt and more dirt being pushed around. Smaller means less grunt, less dirt, but more finesse as the bulldozer ‘finishes’ the job.

Careers don’t just happen, you need to make them happen. Whether you want to operate one of those massive open cut mine bulldozers, or one of those small landscaping machines, you need to get some basic training, and that all starts by enrolling at ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

Get into the drivers seat of bulldozer and start to carve out the ground. The power you have in your hands is amazing. Look at a paddock full of scrub at the start of a job then look back at a completely bare patch of ground ready to build on – you did that – all it took was a foot in the door created by an accredited training school.

Learning to operate heavy equipment is not that difficult – I wont say it is easy either. There are many different levels of training with each level designed to teach you certain skills. The also form the backbone of the next level in training.

Comprehensive training in heavy equipment operations is required to perform well in any given situation. At ATSN Heavy Equipment Training Schools with try to provide that level of training. Students are taken through three different levels.

Level 1
Level one introduces a student to heavy equipment and concentrates on safety. Heavy equipment includes backhoes, tractors, loaders and dump trucks. There is also an introduction to reading with blue prints and other site related documentation.

Level 2
Level two builds on level one and focuses on scrapers, rollers and bulldozers and their function with heavy earth moving. Once you have completed level two you will have a fairly good knowledge of heavy equipment operations.

Level 3
Level three builds on those skills introduced in levels one and two. Level three looks at advanced operational techniques including finishing and grading. Once you have completed level three you should be ready to start work and get some experience in the real world of heavy equipment operations.

The key to good training is the way each component is introduced and then steadily built upon. Rather than throwing you in with a sink or swim attitude, you are gradually taken through each of the levels as you gain confidence and an understanding of the capabilities of the heavy equipment.

Heavy equipment training can be easy once you accept that every training component is logically timetabled to provide the best possible training – and it all starts with you.

People undertake heavy equipment training for a variety of reasons. Some come to us because they have an employment opportunity – they just need the training. Others come along because they want to learn a new piece of heavy equipment. The majority of students want to learn so they can start their new career.

For those in the last group, the real fun begins once they have completed their training and obtained any licenses required. Now its job hunting time and one question always asked, where do I start?

The are a thousand and one places to look for employment opportunities in the heavy equipment field. The first place should be our Job Placement Database. We do help those who complete one of training courses to find employment. We cannot guarantee any jobs of course – but we can put you in touch with employers looking to recruit new operators.

Employers continue to come to us looking for good new operators – perhaps they recognize the quality of our training, or our ability to match suitable recruits with a potential employer – hopefully it is both. For whatever reason, we can provide links to employers wanting recruits.

Our aim is not just training. Our aim is to train and see you successfully employed in a position that suits your skills, life style and aspirations. You need to complete your training and present yourself in the best possible light when talking to prospective employers. As I have mentioned – we cannot guarantee the job – ultimately you have to sell yourself as a reliable and effective heavy equipment operator.

If you can do that, we can provide the employment links and your career as a heavy equipment operator will get a kick start. Your training begins by contacting us at ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

One of the biggest problems with heavy equipment in the past has been accuracy. These machines do a great job of moving, digging, scrapping and grading. However there is often a need for either smaller equipment or hand tools to finish of the job.

Enter science and the role of the computer, or at least the computer chip. These days, new heavy equipment come complete with small on board computers and laser levels to help with the fine details of a job.

Take a bulldozer is equipped with lasers. This enable the operator to undertake very accurate grading. The more accurate the operation can be, the more productive the job. If the bulldozer can complete more of the grading fine touches, less manual labor will be needed to complete the job. This is of course a cost saving which is extremely important in this modern age.

The bulldozer’s laser works by emitting a beam of laser light that rotates around the work area. It is generally mounted just above the bulldozer tractor to avoid any obstructions. The bulldozer’s blade is also equipped with a receiver so as the bulldozer blade moves, the receiver sends information back to the operator with corrections to keep the blade as accurate as possible.

Increasing the bulldozer’s accuracy is a great help on many job sites. The work is faster, the grading levels are more precise and less manual labor is needed. Of course, the heavy equipment is only as good as the operator and the operator is only as good as the training and experience received.

Gain the right sort of training through an organization like ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools and you could find yourself in the driving seat operating a laser guided bulldozer.

Heavy equipment such as front end loaders can be manufactured with either wheels or tracks. The wheeled variety generally have large wheels that can stand shoulder high. Each type has its own use and its own breed of followers. Many prefer the track style whilst others have a preference for the wheeled style.

Front end loaders with wheels are are used on farms, with utility companies, in road construction and in heavy industries. Wheeled front-end loaders offer higher travel speeds than tracked models but do not have as much traction – an important consideration when working in slippery and uneven areas.

When working on slopes or in wet and slippery conditions then a tracked model can be the safer option. It has to be remembered that tracked front end loaders can often damage the ground they operating on. For this reason wheeled machines will need to be used on finished surfaces such as rounds or construction site clean ups.

Both machines operate in similar styles, the only major style being the method of propulsion. Heavy equipment training is similar for both machines although some extra training may be required on tracked vehicles to get a firm understanding of steering – wheeled machines are generally operated through a standard steering wheel. Tracked machines turn by controlling the speed and motion of each of the tracks.

If operating a front end loader is your preferred heavy equipment job, visit ATS Heavy Equipment Driving Schools to get a firm start in your career.

You can get training on heavy equipment in a lot of different ways. You can go and jump on a machine and learn by trail and error – if you survive. You can learn from an old hand who can stand alongside you and teach you everything he knows – including his bad habits. Or can get accredited training from a professional group of training instructors.

What makes accredited training more important than those mentioned? One aspect of accreditation that many people don’t understand is the standardization that occurs to maintain that accreditation.

This means that all training schools with the same accreditation for the same training program will have the same outcomes. Everyone is being taught the same information and this is generally a standard set by the industry itself, in this case, the heavy equipment industry.

It is important to find a training establishment that is accredited to teach the skills required to be a heavy equipment operator since this will mean that you have the standard of training and skills base required to work in the heavy equipment industry.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are accredited to delivery training so can be assured of receiving quality training that meets the needs of industry.

If you like the job of pulling everything down then perhaps working as part of a demolition team is for you. Heavy equipment is not only used to build new structures, it plays an important role in pulling them down again.

From the old cranes with swinging steal balls to modern bulldozers pushing over walls and clearing rubble, there is a heavy equipment machine in use somewhere on a demolition site.

If you think you can just jump into a heavy equipment machine and start knocking things down, then think again. Demolition these days is organized and played out according to plan. Safety is a big concern, not just for the workers and onlookers. The safety of other structures and vehicles must also be considered.

This is where careful training and the ability to follow instructions comes in handy. First your need to be capable of operating that piece of heavy equipment and operate it safely. Then you need to follow instructions and plans and work to those plans, always on the lookout for any possible problems.

Once a site has been demolished, more heavy equipment is required to clear it. Front end loaders and bulldozers are used. The bulldozer to push material into piles, the front end loader to lift it all into trucks. At times cranes may also be used to lift heavier items into a truck.

Fancy yourself as a demolition expert. Get the training on a piece of heavy equipment first and your on your way. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can get you started in your career as a demolition worker – just sign up and complete your training first.

You have to wonder about the mentality of some operators. Of course, accidents do happen, but if you take care and you are aware of your environment then these accidents wont happen. Check out this heavy equipment operator:

Obviously wasn’t taught how to operate his equipment by ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools. Get the right training first then hope aboard your heavy equipment and stay safe.

Being a heavy equipment operator is one thing, knowing how to transport it is another thing – and it is often one thing that is never taught. Let’s face it, we don’t need to move our equipment that often, we leave it to the professionals.

Of course, if you ever get to own your own heavy equipment then you are going to find more cost effective to move it around yourself. The first tip to tying it down, read the manual. Heavy equipment will almost always have tie down points.

If you cannot find any tie down points then there is a second simple rule, all four corners, and each blade. For a bulldozer with a rear bucket, this would require six points tied down. For a front-end loader, five points.

When in doubt, contact the manufacturer or your local transport department, they are the ones who will issue the fine if you get it all wrong.

Of course, you could always ask your instructor while you are undertaking your training. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools provide comprehensive training on heavy equipment.

Have you ever seen a piece of heavy equipment with two seats in the cabin? No! Didn’t think so. It is extremely difficult to ‘teach’ someone how to operate any equipment. We can teach you safety features, and we can teach you basic maintenance, teaching you operate is a different story.

The real issue is not so much what we teach, but what you learn. When it comes to heavy equipment you will learn more by doing than by watching. Once you start operating the equipment we can provide advice on what you are doing right, what you are doing wrong, and what areas you could do a little differently. You job is take the advice as part of a lesson, not as a form of criticism.

In education, there is an old saying that goes something like this:

“The teacher is present when the student is ready to learn.”

In other words, unless you are willing to learn, a teacher is useless – we cannot teach a brick wall to do anything. This is very true when it comes to heavy equipment. We provide you with the opportunity to learn how to operate the equipment. We cannot help you at all unless you are ready to learn, not from a blackboard, but from sitting in the seat and doing.

For some students, it all comes naturally. For others, they need to keep practicising until they get it right. Operating heavy equipment is a combination of eyes, hands, feet, and, believe it or not, your backside. You need to feel the equipment – become one with it. You will soon learn that what you feel with your hands and feet is what is happening now. What you feel with your backside has already happened.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools give you every opportunity to learn to operate equipment. If your ready to start learning, we are ready to start your learning.