Bulldozer operators really do have a grand life. They work outdoors, get to master complex heavy equipment and often become a part of a great work team building relationships that last a lifetime. At the same time they are helping to build roads, bridges, houses and other construction projects that are designed to last well past their own life time. There are many bulldozer operators that can drive through an area and point to the many projects they worked on – always with a hint of pride.

Although the economic climate has looked bleak, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) has forecast a growth of at least 8% over the next decade. With an aging population there will be more operators retiring than commencing over that period, which will inevitably lead to labor shortages – a factor now being recognized by many sections of the construction community.

One area where labor shortages could have an impact is on wages. According to Salary.com, the median salary for bulldozer operators is currently around $38,285. There are highs and lows across the nation with those working in more isolated areas earning a much higher salary. If there does become a shortage of qualified bulldozer operators then salaries could climb even higher as employers outbid each other for talented operators.

One of the great things about a career as a bulldozer operator is that it is open to almost anyone. You don’t need to be a high school graduate to commence training as training is open to all ages. In fact, some employers actually prefer mature aged operators, this doesn’t mean the young miss out since there are plenty of opportunities for all.

Training to become a bulldozer operator is not difficult. Good hand-eye coordination, a desire to work outdoors, and the ability to work as part of a team are three of the most important factors. If you wish to train to become a bulldozer operator then there is no time like the present to get started. There is a whole world of opportunity waiting for freshly qualified and eager bulldozer operators.

The introduction of new equipment and new technology can often bring operational difficulties. This is particularly true for heavy equipment like bulldozers, excavators, and graders. The introduction of GPS is one such technology that was discussed in yesterday’s post. Other technologies include the introduction of computer systems, particularly those that help to monitor and optimize hydraulic fluids.

Many businesses are able to take up training offers made by the manufacturers of these machines. Others are either not in a position to take up any offers, find them too expensive, or, in many cases, are simply not offered any training – they are just handed instruction booklets.

Associated Training Services has a specialized division – ATS Specialized Training – that offers specialized training to businesses across the nation. Your employees can be trained at either one of ATS’s training schools or at the employee’s workplace. Training is designed to meet the particular needs of the business taking into account the type of equipment used and the type of work undertaken by that equipment.

Employees can also be assessed using nationally accredited assessment criteria. These criteria have been set by organizations such as the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), OSHA, and MSHA. For crane operators, they can be assessed using NCCCO criteria to become certified crane operators. This is a compulsory requirement in some states.

Specialized heavy equipment training is not for every employer. However, when undertaken as a workgroup, it can increase productivity and decrease accidents and downtime. Contact us at 1.800.678.8120 or through our website for more information on specialized heavy equipment training.

California is one of the largest states when it comes to construction and public highways. Believe it or not, current employment levels in the construction industry are down around 4% compared to last year – however, there are still almost 700,000 people employed in that one industry sector. You have also got to take into account the budget problems that Big Arnie is having so many of the projects forecast to start this year are still on the drawing board. This means of course that the demand for heavy equipment operators has not reached its peak yet, and probably won’t until the end of summer.

If demand is still growing then now is the time to consider your future. Have you had passing thoughts of working as a heavy equipment operator? Have you ever stopped and watched in awe as bulldozers of front end loaders ply their trade? They can certainly move a lot of earth in fairly short time.

Associated Training Services have two training establishments in California, one in Victorville and one in Eldorado Hills. Bulldozer training is undertaken as part of a heavy equipment training program where you also receive instruction on other earth moving equipment such as front end loaders and excavators.

Demand for suitably qualified heavy equipment operators is on the rise across the nation. When California hits its peak and starts looking for operators, they will not be able to rely on those coming from interstate as they have in the past – they are too busy on the projects underway in their home states. We are going to need freshly trained and qualified operators, preferably with a little experience behind them, even if it is for only a month or two.

Start and complete your heavy equipment training now and make use of the growing demand to gain experience for those big projects when they start. You may never get a better opportunity to enter this well paid sector of the work force.

I am sure you have heard of GPS in cars and trucks. Those little devices that sit on your dash and tell you where to go – in the nicest kind of way of course. At least, they give you driving directions, tell you which roads to avoid, where the traffic snarls are, and the quickest way to get to your destination. Pretty clever little devices really – in fact, there is so much more to GPS than just helping you get to your destination.

The construction industry is starting to rely on GPS in a big way, however, they are stuck with one big problem – there are not enough trained GPS operators in the industry. If you already work as a heavy equipment operator, or if you have a yearning to drive one of those big monsters, perhaps now is the time to consider training in something like GPS training for heavy equipment operators.

Ever wondered how they started a bridge from both sides yet met perfectly in the middle? What about these highways? They are often working on four or more sections at once, yet they all meet exactly where they are meant to. The answer in the past was hours of very careful surveying. Now, surveyors work with GPS to map out a route and the heavy equipment operators take over – again using that same data determined by the surveyors.

Associated Training Services have a network of heavy equipment training centers for you to choose from. If you are interested in GPS training for heavy equipment operators then our training school located in Ohio has just the course to satisfy your needs. The demand for specialist operators is growing and, being a specialist field of employment, often attracts a much higher wage – you can’t say no to that.

There are a lot of trucking companies that are now starting to feel the pinch from the economic downturn, however, it’s not quite what you think. Rather than having to tighten their belts and perhaps put off drivers, they are starting to feel the strain of not having enough truck drivers to keep up with demand. These companies are now looking towards truck driver training schools in a bid to recruit the best from each training group before they hit the labor market.

The economic stimulus package is behind this problem as literally thousands of package driven projects start to get under way, all at the same time. The logistics can be a nightmare for many companies, particularly the smaller owner operator companies. We are reaching a point where trucks are being used 24/7 to deliver building materials, road construction materials like road base, and heavy equipment.

If you are looking for a career change and truck driving appeals to you, now is the time to act. Whilst truck drivers in the construction area are kept busy, there is more good news for drivers just around the corner. Construction is labor intensive. This means more people working, more people with pay checks, and more people spending. Where do they spend? The majority of people spend their money on housing, food, utilities and in the retail sector.

The retail sector is where the next jump in demand for truck drivers will occur. Retailers have tended to run their stock down over the last 12 months but as people start to spend, they are going to need more stock – quickly. This will only add to the demand for more truck drivers. The question is, will you be ready to take advantage of this increase in demand?

Associated Training Schools has over 45 years of experience training individuals to become successful truck drivers. Their truck driver training program takes individuals through a training program that includes in-class instruction, vehicle maneuvering and on road driving and prepares them for the Commercial Drivers License (CDL) test required to obtain a truck drivers license. If you’re looking for a career in truck driving – now is the time to act.

There are heavy equipment training centers scattered throughout the country and whilst they may not be ‘at your back door’, there is always going to be one fairly close to you. Besides, who wants noisy heavy equipment operating all day at their backdoor?

Associated Training Services (ATS) has training centers in a variety of locations offering a wide range of training. Whether it is truck driver training, grader training or training across the types of heavy equipment used in mining and construction, you are likely to find a training center to suit.

Training with ATS can be facilitated with assistance in finding temporary accommodation close to a training center if your residence is too far for the daily commute. Add to this the assistance to find payment terms to suit your situation; time, money and distance can all be removed as barriers to commencing training.

Training centers located in:

• Sun Prairie, WI
• Columbus, OH
• Brentwood, NH
• Rapidan, VA
• Pelzer, SC
• Lecanto, FL
• Wills Point, TX
• Watkins, CO
• Victorville, CA, and
• Eldorado Hills, CA

As you can see, Associated Training Services have the national covered in both length and breadth and while there may not be a center in your state, you most likely have one just across the border.

The quality of our training is second to none so to find a training center close to your location, contact us on 1-800-383-7364 or via our contact page on our training site. Heavy equipment training is a lot closer than you think so there is no excuse for not considering a new career as a heavy equipment operator.

There are lots of people in the United States that are looking for a new job at the moment and for those that stop to look at the options presented to them, heavy equipment training stands out as one one of the best ways to get that new job leading to a successful future. Of course there will be many of these people who know nothing about backhoe training or grader training, so they’ll need to get together with a firm that can supply them with the best in vocational training for these jobs.

And there are a few things that they’ll need to look for.

First off, they will need to look for a company that has the best reputation in the field, a firm that has the right credentials and has been recognized in some positive way by the industry it works in. As well, there should be a place reserved on their website for testimonials from the students that have used the service and then gone on to be successful.

Of course the training itself should be at the top of the list for things that need to be scrutinized. A firm that can supply saftey training as well as instruct you on the operator of the machines is best, and of course if they have financial aid available they should be all the more attractive.

If it sounds like there’s a lot of ‘digging’ that you’ll need to do before you find the right place to get the heavy equipment training you need, that’s not the case at all. Associated Training Services meets all of the criteria mentioned.

You if you want to stay afloat as America emerges from this recession, one of the first things that you’ll need to do is get with the new way of doing things and crane training is a great option. Everyone who is looking toward starting over needs to get the right heavy equipment training that is offered, but you need to be careful and compare shop to get the best deal possible.

And that generally means that you need to get together with the experts at Associated Training Services. These are the people that have everything that you need in the best vocational training possible and the list of features that they supply is remarkable.

1. Comprehensive Courses. The professionals At Associated Training Services want to make sure that you get the best heavy equipment training possible so that you can become the kind of responsible efficient operator that the construction industry needs. And to that end they offer a wide variety of training possibilities that includes the saftey training that makes for confidence on the job.
2. Placement and Financial Aid. These are the people that can get you a little help when cost is a problem and they’ve also got a system in place to help you find a job when you’re finished your lessons.

Remember that getting the best in crane training is just one of the options that you get to look through at Associated Training Services. Regardless of the courses you pick , you can rest assured that you’ll get the best vocational training possible.

When you’re looking for a new job in today’s economy, there’s no doubt that things are tough but the smart worker knows that the change that heavy equipment training can get you will make all the difference. And you’ll want to get the best training that’s provided and that means you’ll want to shop for the best.

It’s your future, so you’ll want to make sure that you get off to the best start possible.

And that’s why you need to look at what the experts at Associated Training Services have to offer. These are the people that take an interest in all their clients and that personal touch shows right from the beginning when you look at their website and see the testimonials from all the past students who were only too happy to share their good luck.

There are several reasons why ATS is the best place you can go to get the best in heavy equipment training.

1. They have the best credentials. The construction industry is a serious business that does serious work. When you see that ATS has been given the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) accreditation that means the industry is paying attention.
2. They’re a family run business that’s lasted for a half century so far. And that speaks for itself and tells everyone that they’re doing something right.

When you need the best in heavy equipment training you need to go to the best and the best is at Associated Training Services. Period.