Sometimes news stories have ramifications that go beyond the initial story. An article in the Equipment Trader Online magazine from early March discusses the proposed move by Caterpillar of their excavator construction arm from Japan to the States. That, of course, will be a big plus for local workers in the manufacturing sector with production expected to triple. What does it mean for local excavator operators?

Local production could lead to an increase in the number of excavators being sold and with it an increase in the number of operators required. Local production should lead to lower prices, or at least more competitive prices. With local manufacturing, parts and servicing, their products will certainly create greater interest. There is a real possibility that Caterpillar will also require a small team of operators to test equipment as well. That could make for an interesting job, trying all the new models before they hit the market.

Excavators are becoming extremely versatile in the number of different roles they can play in construction. They are by no means restricted to just digging trenches these days. For operators, staying up to date with the latest in technology is almost a necessity and online magazines like Equipment Trader Online (its appears it will be free from May 1) can be ideal places to see what is happening in the world of excavators and heavy equipment in general. Of course, you could just keep coming back here as well.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have always kept an eye on what is happening in the world of heavy equipment and the new technology that is being released. Our heavy equipment training courses are designed to ensure that graduates are able to move straight into employment after graduation with most graduates having long and successful careers. If a career as a heavy equipment operator sounds interesting, contact us for details on training options available.

A commercial drivers license is like having a license for a lifetime career – so long as you keep renewing it. The next time you are out on the road, check out the truck drivers around you. If you are observant you will notice a couple of things. The drivers range in age from early twenties right through the late fifties and early sixties (at least, they look it). They also come from a variety of backgrounds and, if you’re lucky, you may even catch sight of the rare (but growing in numbers) female truck driver.

Trucks of today are a little like our modern cars. They come with power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, cd/radios, you name it. They have the latest in modern conveniences. Check inside a big rig and you will see a mini-apartment complete with bed, television, refrigeration and microwave oven.

Of course, those are the modern trucks. There are still plenty of the older style trucks around but very few of the old dinosaurs that require muscles the size of Hulk Hogan’s to steer – thankfully. You can gain your commercial truck drivers license at virtually any age (so long as you meet the various state driving requirements) and gain employment in trucks ranging from the smaller local delivery trucks up to the large interstate transporters.

Believe it or not, it all starts with a basic three week training program that prepares you for your commercial drivers license (CDL) testing. ATS has a truck driving school that has over 40 years experience in the field of truck driver training. Our course prepares students for the CDL test using both in class and behind the wheel training. Important maneuvers like reversing and driving in traffic are also well practiced. Looking for a lifelong career opportunity? Consider obtaining your commercial drivers license – it only takes three weeks yet it opens up a lifetime of opportunities.

So what do bulldozers and Agatha Christie have in common? Not a lot apart from the town of Luxor in Egypt. Now I know Luxor is a long way from here, but for some, it’s not that far. Agatha Christie found a lot inspiration for her books in Luxor and now the whole area is to be turned into a giant open-air museum based around the ancient city of Thebes. This is where the bulldozers come in – they are currently hard at work leveling much of the city of Luxor in order to reveal that ancient city.

Now I know what you are thinking. What does Luxor in Egypt have to do with heavy equipment training here at home apart from the association with bulldozers? At ATS Heavy Equipment Schools, we train our students in a range of equipment and prepare them for the workplace. Heavy equipment is one field of employment where your skills are valuable everywhere – and when I say everywhere I do mean worldwide.

The team of bulldozer operators clearing the way in Luxor is somewhat of an international effort with operators being employed from all parts of the world. There are several US citizens who are currently working as bulldozer operators in Luxor and several local operators owe their skills and knowledge to US operators who trained them.

One of the benefits of training on a range of heavy equipment is the multi-skilling that occurs. You walk away from your training with the skills to operate many different types of heavy equipment, not just a bulldozer. Naturally, you will specialize on one particular machine, but it you keep your skills updated across the board you will find employment opportunities everywhere, including overseas. For younger people just setting out in life, and perhaps wanting to see the world first, training as a heavy equipment operator is definitely an option. Who knows, you could end up in Luxor pulling down one of Agatha Christie’s old haunts.

Show me a construction site and I can almost guarantee that the busiest piece of equipment is a loader. They are versatile pieces of equipment capable of moving material like dirt, sand or debris from one place to another, loading trucks, or carrying anything heavy. Life as a loader operator is just as busy and it takes someone who can remain extremely alert to safely operate one.

Safety on a construction site is always important and it is particularly true of a loader operator. Their equipment is fast compared to most other equipment. Loaders are also fairly nimble, often able to get into places that other equipment cannot. Because of that speed and versatility, operators cannot afford to become complacent. They can quickly come upon an area busy with workers who themselves may be oblivious to the loader’s presence.

Being able to operate a loader in a busy environment is just one skill that an operator requires. They also need good depth perception when emptying a load into a truck. Without that depth perception, they could empty half the contents back onto the ground.

Loaders are one of the pieces of equipment that ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools includes in its heavy equipment training program. This training program is undertaken over three weeks with students gaining sufficient knowledge and skills to be in a position to commence employment as operators. There are not many careers that can start with a three week training program and have you work ready. If you are looking for a change in career and you think you can handle the hustle and bustle associated with being a loader operator, contact ATS and we can discuss your loader operator training options.

Crane operators can lead a boring life sometimes. You sit through your crane operator training, find a job on a construction site, then spend day after day lifting the same old stuff. Compare that to a mobile crane operator and things are completely different. In fact, the working life of a mobile crane operator can be quite an adventure – you just never know what tomorrow may bring.

Of course, the biggest difference between a mobile crane operator and a fixed construction crane is that a mobile crane is on the road. Every day brings a new job, a new location, new people and something entirely different to lift. In fact, much of your time is spent on the road, grounding the crane or packing up ready to move on.

Mobile crane operators do just about everything. They help with the laying of pipes; help to right overturned vehicles, especially big trucks; they even help to lift plant and equipment into homes and buildings. Mobile cranes have been called upon to lift giant wheels from earth-moving equipment when a change is needed out on site.

Operators of mobile cranes are multi-skilled requiring the skills and licensing of a truck driver whilst on the road, and the skills and certification of a crane operator while on the job. Operators also need to be able to make quick assessments of the job at hand to determine how best to perform the lift given the environment they are in.

You can undertake a fully accredited mobile crane operator training program through ATS Crane Operator Schools and following completion of the three week course, undertake the certification process through us as well. There’s nothing boring about a mobile crane operator’s job – in fact, every day brings something new. If this is the career for you, contact us for more information on the latest training schedules.

Demolition sites are one place that backhoes really do earn their keep. Being one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment in use today, they can do everything from pulling down walls to breaking up concrete and then finish the job by loading it all on to dump trucks. I have seen backhoes do a complete demolition job on houses without the help of any other equipment.

Working with a backhoe on a demolition site really does test out a wide range of backhoe operator skills. Pulling walls down is not that difficult. However, changing attachments and using them to complete other tasks is another matter. Breaking up concrete using the equivalent of a large jackhammer is one task, using grabbers to lift large items into dump trucks is another. Backhoe operators are possibly the most multi-skilled of any heavy machinery operator – they are at least on a par with excavator operators who use similar attachments.

Training to become a backhoe operator is not that difficult. In fact, at ATS Heavy Equipment Operators Schools we can have you trained and ready for the workplace in as little as three weeks. That includes training on a range of equipment including a backhoe.

Demolition work is not easy. It requires skills and the ability to foresee problems that may arise. Safety is always a big issue with demolition sites often having higher injury rates than construction sites. If demolition work is a field that you would like to enter, consider training to become a backhoe operator. It’s a field of work where your learning never stops.

Have you heard the joke about the heavy equipment operator that refused to do any safety training? No? Neither have I! In fact, it really isn’t a joking matter. Heavy equipment safety is serious, deadly serious you might say, since, as an operator, you have the lives of a lot of people in your hands.

Bulldozers can do a lot of damage. Have you seen the footage of the person who stole a bulldozer and drove through a suburb with police giving chase. He certainly destroyed a lot of property – it was very similar to the person who stole an army tank and went on destruction mission. Another operator who had lost half his house in a property dispute with his ex-wife, drove his backhoe through the front door and proceeded to cut the house in half – what a mess.

As you can see, heavy equipment can be quite destructive. Off course, those operators went out of their way to be destructive. Operators that fail to follow safety procedures can do just as must damage just through sheer negligence. On many of today’s construction sites, operators are not allowed on site unless they have completed some form of accredited heavy equipment safety training.

All nationally accredited training programs now include heavy equipment safety components. This is to ensure that, over time, all operators in the nation are working to the same set of standards. This all means that all operators know what they can expect from other operators or workers who are working nearby. If everyone is following the same set of safety precautions then work is more predictable and less accidents likely.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools delivers nationally accredited training that includes heavy equipment safety training. If you are looking to undertake training in this field, make sure the company delivering the training is also accredited. Better yet – just contact us.