If you thought the economy was on the slide and that employment in areas such as heavy equipment was on also on the slide, think again. If you ever wanted a career in construction, including a career as a heavy equipment operator, then now is the time to get your training over and done with.

According to a report on the Associated Construction Publications website titled “Economic Stimulus Coming to State Highways”:

This added work will once again underscore the shortage of U.S. workers in the construction fields. There aren’t enough skilled welders, equipment operators, electricians, plumbers, and other tradespeople out there.emphasis added

Everyone has heard of the Obama Administration’s Economic Stimulus Plan but how much will this actually pump into construction. The report estimates that close to $160 billion will be allocated to construction over the next two years – that’s $80 billion per year and almost $1.5 billion per state. Now we are talking about billions, not millions, here and where this effects the employment sector, including heavy equipment operations, is that it is all being spent simultaneously.

This places a heavy demand on skilled workers. Under normal circumstances projects commence on a rolling basis and workers move from one site to the next as they complete their tasks. In the past, a bulldozer operator, for example, would clear the ground on site A then move onto size B while the next work crew started the next stage of site A. With this financial injection, sites A, B and C will all start around the same time. We now need three bulldozer operators instead of one. (And I am being conservative here, you could probably multiply that by 50 or 100 around the nation.)

That is a lot of work to be done; a lot of heavy equipment operators required; and right now, a lot of heavy equipment training required to prepare the workforce. The conditions have never been better for the recruitment of new heavy equipment operators. At least one sector of the work force can look forward to a lucrative future. Are you ready to be a part of it?

As a general rule backhoes are machines that have an excavator type tool at one end and a front end loader type tool at the other end. If you undertake front end loader training then are you are completing the requirement for a front end loader as well as the loader tool on a backhoe. You will only need to undertake the excavator component of backhoe training to competent then to operate both machines.

Front-End Loaders are generally used for the movement or loading of sand, dirt, gravel, mud and other lose materials in a variety of work situations. Machine may be a traditional loader or loader end of a backhoe. Loaders can be used for digging but they are generally not efficient in that role. Loader training will take you through the various jobs that can be performed using a loader. As Mentioned in the preceding paragraph, loaders also form one half of a backhoe so it could be advisable to undertake backhoe training at the same time.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools we take that concept one step further. We include loader training, backhoe training and training on a variety of other heavy equipment in to the one training package. This means that at the completion of your training you will be skilled in a variety of heavy equipment machinery.

Having the skills in a variety of heavy equipment has a couple of advantages. The first is that your employment options wide open. You are not looking for work for one type of machinery. Just as importantly, you may have decided that operating a loader was the job for you. However, with some training companies, fees are not refundable so once you start a loader training course, you have to complete it or lose your money – bad luck if you decide half way through that you don’t like loaders and that perhaps a backhoe training course would have been preferable.

Through ATS you are covered across the broad spectrum of equipment. From bulldozers through to excavators, from loader training to backhoe training. If you decide that loader training wasn’t really for you – no worries because tomorrow you may be doing backhoe training, or bulldozer, or excavator. You have to admit that is a great way to start a career in heavy equipment – find which equipment suits you by experiencing all of them – don’t we call that multi skilling?

Although motor grader operators need to work within strict guidelines to obtain the final finish required for any project, you don’t need specialist grader training to get a start. Many grader training programs come as part of wider heavy equipment training programs.

Being able to operate a variety of equipment can be a real plus when it comes to employment, however, what is equally important is understanding what each piece of heavy equipment is capable off. If you know what a scraper and bulldozer does and what state they leave the ground in when they have completed their rough finishing, you will have a greater understanding of your role in fine finishing. This is where the grader training component does become important.

Heavy equipment training schools such as ATS deliver training programs that cover a variety of machines with grader training included. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools include loaders, backhoes, tractors, scrapers, rollers, bulldozers, excavators and motor graders in their training programs.

Students gain an understanding of each piece of equipment, what it is capable of off and how to operate them. As I mentioned earlier, graduates then have an opportunity to determine which equipment they are most suited to. What ever their choice, they will have the skills ready to commence work in that field. For those wanting more advanced skills, specialist training such as specialist motor grader training could be sort. They will however be employable in a wide range of heavy equipment roles which can be important during quiet employment periods or while they are waiting for that specialist job to come along.

To become a top grader operator you require patience, a keen eye and an understanding of the way various materials move when worked on by a grader. Of course, a lot of this comes from experience which can only be found on the job. You will never get the chance to gain that experience unless you undertake some form of grader training in the first place.

CDL training gives you the best chance of obtaining a license. But why do you need one? If you are looking for a career as a tractor-trailer driver, in other words a semi-trailer driver, then you are required to hold a valid Class A Commercial Driver’s License commonly known as a CDL.

The CDL was introduced by an act of Congress known as The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986. The aim of the act was to improve highway safety and to provide a minimum set of standards across the nation. Each state has retained the powers of assessing and issuing the licenses.

Holding a CDL has been compulsory for driving large trucks since 1992. So, to obtain your CDL, you will need to pass a knowledge based and practical skills based test administered by your state. CDL training should first take you through all the requirements needed to pass your written and practical tests.

Your training doesn’t finish there. CDL training could also include areas such as air brake knowledge, (T) Double/Triple Trailers, (P) Passenger transport, (N) Tank Vehicle, and (H) Hazardous Materials. If you pass the tests associated with those specialist areas your CDL will be endorsed with the appropriate letter. This means you can operate vehicles involved in that specialist area. Hazardous materials (H) is one of the most common endorsements.

ATS’s CDL training program involves both classroom and behind the wheel training. In the training room, student truck drivers are instructed in the procedures and techniques to safely operated a tractor trailer. You will be trained in all areas that will be tested on including topics such as proper log book practices.

AT ATS, your practical time is just that, time behind the wheel. We pay particular attention to some of the trickier skills such as turning, shifting and reversing. The student also spends time on the open road gaining skills and confidence around traffic. This provides the student with real world driving skills. CDL training is a must if you intend becoming a professional truck driver.

Heavy equipment training requires a huge investment and I am not talking about dollars. The main reason a person undertakes training is because they are looking for a career in that field. By definition, a career is a life long job so with that in mind, if you are looking for a career in heavy equipment, you should be seeking out the leaders in that field and undertaking your training through them.

What makes one organization a leader and another a follower? It can be hard to quantify exactly what makes a leader in the field of heavy equipment training. However, there are some criteria that certainly help.

• Employer respect. You can be the very best in the field but if employers don’t agree with that assessment your graduates will never find employment. Having the respect of employers is vital in any field of training, it is more so when it comes to heavy equipment training – peoples lives could be on line.
• Peer respect. Having the respect of other training organizations is another mark of leadership. This respect is developed through years of quality service and the membership and participation of various industry related bodies.
• Accreditation. There are many different components to look for when it comes to accreditation. The heavy equipment training school should be accredited as a training school; the training programs they deliver should be nationally accredited; the school should be accredited to undertake assessments and awarding certificates; and the school should also be accredited through government departments such as the Boards of Education.
• Success. Nothing beats being successful in your chosen field. For heavy equipment training, success is measured by the number of students who develop successful and happy careers in the field of heavy equipment.

How does ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools measure up? All I can say is Success. We have been respected by employers and training providers for several decades. We are accredited to deliver, assess and certify students in a wide range of heavy equipment training programs. We are also licensed by state boards of education in six states across the nation. Are our graduates successful? They certainly are and they are happy to tell the world about it through our student feedback area.

If you are looking for a successful career as a heavy equipment operator then you owe it to your future to find the very best heavy equipment training provider in your area. ATS have ten heavy equipment training schools across the nation – there is bound to be one near to you.

Crane operator training has come a long way in the last decade. There are many states now that require all crane operators to be formally trained and certified before they can even be employed. This has been brought about in the main because of the number of workplace accidents involving cranes. As the effects of formal training and certification begin to make a statistical improvement in these accidents, more states will join the push for certification.

If you have been considering a career as a crane operator then your first step has to be to find a training organization that can deliver accredited training. Even if your state doesn’t require certification at present, there is a good chance that in the future they will – will you be caught out unprepared?

One of the benefits of formal crane operator training is that it prepares you for the certification assessments. These involve both a practical and theory component and you need to pass both. This means you could be the very best crane operator in the country, but if you fail the theoretical component you will miss out on certification.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools conduct specialist crane operator training that prepares the students for their certification assessments. In fact, ATS is accredited to conduct these assessments once your training has been completed.

Your crane operator training is divided into three levels and cover both practical and theoretical components. Some of these components include: crane operating safety, rigging, verbal and non-verbal communication, preventative maintenance, and advanced techniques just to name a few.

By undertaking a formal accredited course and gaining your crane operator certification you will ensure you will always have a career as a crane operator. Get trained on the side by a friend or relative and the chances are they will fail to train you to the level required for certification. Crane operator training completed through an accredited training establishment is the only way to go.

Excavator training has been a growth area for many years particularly as equipment manufacturers broaden the range of their models. Businesses can now buy excavators that range in size from small units suited to tight work spaces to huge machines that work in the mining industry.

It is not just size that has changed over the years. Like many of the different heavy equipment types, excavators come with a wide range of attachments designed to do a variety of jobs. Excavator training is no longer about digging trenches. Excavators can come with jack hammer type attachments, demolition attachments and a variety of bucket types. There are plenty of other attachments that I haven’t mentioned as well.

In today’s workplace, having a machine like an excavator that can do a variety of jobs is a big bonus. Having an operator that can work with each of those attachments is a must. Quality excavator training will introduce you to the various attachments, and, just as importantly, how to actually attach them. You would be surprised how many people will teach you how to use an attachment without teaching you how to attach it.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools are accredited to train individuals on a range of heavy equipment including excavators. Their excavator training component includes basic skill requirements like walk-around inspections, workplace safety requirements and of course, how to the various attachments are fitted.

Being accredited training means that upon successful completion of the course you will be issued with a nationally recognized certificate – as you can see – there is more to excavator training than just digging holes.

If you want to enter the workplace as a bulldozer operator then it may pay to check out what accredited bulldozer training is available in your area. Employers are increasingly looking operators who have undertaken formal training. One of the key reasons behind this is the increased push for workplace safety and the huge fines that can be issued for poor workplace safety practices.

Of course that is only one reason. Bulldozer training that has been accredited means that it complies with a set a of guidelines that has been laid out by industry. The old fashion bulldozer training involved jumping into the cab and either learning from a friend (and picking up their bad habits), or teaching yourself. That can be fine when it comes to the actual operation of the bulldozer, however the role of a bulldozer operator goes far beyond that.

Employers rely on their operators to their best to keep their equipment on the job for as long as possible. This means as little time in the repair shop as possible. Part of an operators bulldozer training program includes minor maintenance and preventative maintenance measures.

Maintenance measures include ensuring fluid levels such as hydraulic and engine oil are always at the correct level, Keeping the equipment clean and free of mud, sand or debris, and daily walk around inspections to check for damage. Operators that have not had formal bulldozer training often miss these maintenance factors.

There are several establishments around the nation that deliver accredited bulldozer training. One of the largest both in size and in history is ATS Heavy Equipment Operator School. They have over 45 years of training experience and provide training in over 10 centers around the nation.

When selecting your bulldozer training company make sure the company is accredited and that the training they deliver is also accredited. ATS is accredited as a training organization through the National Center for Construction Education Research (NCCER). ATS heavy equipment Operator Schools are also accredited to deliver training and for students to be nationally certified by NCCER and receive certifications and credentials from NCCER. This makes ATS the perfect solution for bulldozer training.

You can attempt to gain a commercial drivers license with little or no training but the chances are you will fail. CDL training can also be done in an ad-hoc way – perhaps by hopping in the drivers seat with a parent or friend showing you the way. The problem is, you will pick up their bad habits whilst not learning all the road rules required to pass your licensing test.

The only way to gain a license, and with it a lucrative job within the trucking industry, is by undertaking CDL training through an industry recognized training organization. Employers favor those training organizations that deliver quality training and provide graduates who don’t just ‘pass the test’, they provide graduates with a good base of skills ready to become productive immediately.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have been involved with truck driver training for more than 45 years. During that time they have developed a reputation for quality training across a wide range of vehicles from dump trucks to tractor trailers. Graduates have found employment in jobs as varied as equipment transporting, dump trucks/trailers, sand and gravel, paving, concrete/asphalt, mining, freight haulers, construction materials and driving tankers.

Graduates from ATS receive all the licensing permits, endorsements, and driving test needed to obtain their Commercial Drivers License. The CDL training program includes classroom based training covering road rules, safety and safe operation of equipment. Hands on training includes backing and other close quarter maneuvers, pre-trip inspections, coupling and uncoupling, and actual highway and city driving.

ATS has forged a network of over 10,000 trucking companies nationwide all providing employment to graduates when vacancies arise. If you want a career as a truck driver then ATS has everything you need to make a start. Contact ATS for information on the CDL training program.

Now that winter is officially over it is time to start preparing for summer especially if you are a bulldozer operator. It may still be cool (alright freezing) in some areas, other areas start to warm up quite quickly – too quickly for some. Heat, particular when accompanied by warm winds, can turn a lush woodland into a tinderbox within days. We all know what horrors summer can bring when it comes to bush fires – if you need a reminder then check out the devastation witnessed in Australia of the last month.

One tactic that has been used for 100’s of years is the establishment of firebreaks. For some, they are scars on the landscape, for others, they are life savers. Firebreaks can be 100-200 yards wide and are generally devoid of any inflammable materials. Whilst in the past firebreaks where created by hand – many hands in fact, these days they can be built and maintained in a fraction of the time. This is one area where the humble bulldozer comes into its own.

Bulldozer are perfectly designed for building fire breaks. The have the strength and power to knock down trees, level the ground so that fire services can gain access, and generally keep a fire break totally free of vegetation and other combustible materials.

The next two months will see bulldozer operators busy building or maintaining these fire breaks. Fancy getting out and building fire breaks but don’t know how to operate a bulldozer? Never fear, ATS is here. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools provide accredited training on a wide range of heavy equipment including bulldozer. We can have you in the cab operating a bulldozer like an old hand in a matter of weeks. What you do from there is up to you.