The traditional role of an excavator was to dig trenches. There have been times when all an operator did was dig mile after mile of trenches – sometimes deep, sometimes shallow. The laying of pipes around the nation has been important for our development. Whether it’s waste water, fresh drinking water, or services such as power, gas, or cable TV – without an excavator to dig the trenches we would still be struggling along using man power.

Today, while excavators can be found in diverse roles such as mining, forestry and dredging, their expertise still lies with digging trenches. The modern excavator is very different from those of 20-30 years ago. Today, they use lasers and GPS to help guide them; the operator sits in air-conditioned comfort, often with a cd player and two way radio for communication. Excavators can now dig trenches to within the finest of measurements, and in a quarter of the time of the older equipment.

While the work may have become easier, that shouldn’t undervalue the skills of the operators. Yes, you can be trained and work ready in as little as three weeks, but your training doesn’t end there. Like most heavy equipment, once you have completed your basic heavy equipment training, you are ready for a life time of on-the-job training with every situation holding some sort of lesson.

As our population ages, the real problem in the future may well be a shortage of skilled operators. If you have considered a career in the heavy equipment industry, who not look a little closer at excavators. Operators are amongst the best paid heavy equipment operators and there is rarely any shortage of work available.

Adults often start their working life in careers that are not of their choosing. Our parents and those around us have a heavy influence on career decisions when we are young, and by the time we hit forty we are feeling a little out of sorts with our position in life. Statistics show that most Americans go through several career changes with the predominent age being between 35 and 40. Heavy equipment careers are well worth considering if you’re in this group and you may even find that employers prefer you to much younger new recruits.

Mature aged workers have several advantages over youth. They are more stable in their life, often having homes with mortgages and children at school. Compare this with younger workers who are often single with no children and no real commitments. This allows them the freedom to move around at will, picking jobs in areas that suit them. The more mature worker is also much more likely to remain in a job for longer periods.

Mature aged students often find that heavy equipment training is easier to handle as well. There is nothing like ‘life’ to teach one lessons when it comes to safety and the proper handling of equipment. Younger students often hold no fears and, while not necessarily acting recklessly, don’t always have the same appreciation of safety and proper workplace practices.

If you are in the mature aged category and going through a career crisis, consider heavy equipment training. You can be trained and ready for entry level employment in as little as three weeks. The opportunities are there, the pay is good and working conditions are well suited to those who enjoy a little freedom and working outdoors.

When it comes to big boy toys, bulldozers still lead the way. Not to appear sexist, they are also one of the most popular choices for female operators as well. There are many reasons for their popularity, the chief one being the amount of machinery in use around the country. They are not only the most popular when it comes to new operators entering the industry, they are the most frequently used unit of heavy equipment.

One of the benefits for new operators is the broad use of bulldozers. They are used in agriculture, especially when it comes to land clearing and dam building; in road construction, often as the first tool to clear the way; and in general construction, again to clear the way for housing, commercial and industrial developments. Bulldozers, or modified versions of a bulldozer, can also be found within industry with grain handling being one example. Snow plows are often modified bulldozers as well and generally require bulldozer operator skills.

Because there is such a broad range of opportunities available to bulldozer operators, it can be fairly easy to obtain sustainable long term employment. Wages and work condition are good with most operators finding employment within easy traveling distance of their homes. Training to become a bulldozer operator can be completed in as little as three weeks with students ready for entry level positions on graduation.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have a long tradition of providing quality operators to industry. ATS regularly consults with industry to ensure that our heavy equipment training is up to date and that students do graduate with the skills required to succeed. If you are interested in a career as a bulldozer operator, or any other unit of heavy equipment, contact ATS for details on our next training program. We have training centers in many parts of the nation with courses commencing on a regular basis.

GPS is everywhere now – from use in the average car for navigation to arm bands in our children to check on their location, you name anything that moves and I’ll show you a GPS device that can be attached. When it comes to heavy equipment, GPS devices have been in use for several years as a security measure – should a piece of equipment be stolen, the GPS unit will quickly help police identify its location. More sophisticated GPS units are also used in heavy equipment like graders to increase productivity and safety.

Using a computer system attached to a GPS 3D unit, the blade of a grader can be set to extremely fine settings. These settings ensure that each pass of the grader is done to exact measurements, thus cutting the time taken to grade a particular area. In the past, it may have taken three or four passes to complete a job to a surveyor’s satisfaction. A GPS system (known as GPS Machine Control) connected to a computer also means the grader can constantly adjust the height and angle of the blade on the fly, as required, and to exact measurements.

For grader operators, short courses on how to use GPS in their equipment can help to promote them to specialist operator level. This can make them more employable than those with just the basic grader operator skill set, particularly with employers that have added this technology to their equipment. While graders are one of the major users of GPS, bulldozers, loaders and excavators are also having GPS based equipment added. If you’re an operator in these areas then undertaking a GPS training program may be beneficial in the long run as well.

If you are an operator of heavy equipment and you understand the long term benefits of GPS Machine Control equipped machinery then contact ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools to find out where and when our GPS training programs are being conducted. It’s the way of the future and those that train now will be the leaders in their field.

Starting out in a new career is one of the hardest things that anyone can do. Heavy equipment careers are rewarding and after just three weeks of training, you are ready for work. The problem is, getting that first start. This is where professional career services can make an important difference – they can help you open doors to gain that first job.

Heavy equipment vacancies are often competitive so employers can often take their time to select the right recruit for their organization. There are many areas that employers look at including experience, personal traits, and the applicants training. If the applicant has been trained by highly reputable training provider, then there is a good chance they will gain preference over an experienced operator. There are a number of reasons behind this, the chief one being that a new well trained operator often has the latest skills and has not yet developed poor operating habits.

More importantly for those entering training, career service providers know which employers are more likely to give a novice a start. As student in a heavy equipment training course, they can provide advice as to which employers you should be targeting and how best to approach them. Some employers are old fashioned and would prefer to see you face to face. Others prefer the application letter and resume. It’s these little things that can often give you the edge when seeking employment for the first time.

Associated Training Schools has a long history of assisting graduates into employment. We have developed networks with hundreds of employers who hire novice crane operators, truck drivers and a wide range of heavy equipment operators. With this in mind, career services should be one area that factors highly when considering a change in career and even more so when considering a training provider.

Many states are now in the process of adopting legislation that makes it mandatory for all crane operators to have passed a certification assessment. For many employers, this may make life difficult. Their crane operators may be highly skilled and valuable assets to the organization, but without that certification, their value could be lost overnight. The simple solution, of course, is to have those operators assessed and certified.

That is a simple solution and many employers are now taking that route. For others, the solution is not so simple. Over the years employers have used employees in multiple roles. For example, a heavy machinery operator is trained to operate a crane, but only used when the need arises. Their main use to the business is a heavy equipment operator. These individuals will also need certifying before they can again operate a crane and, given their limited experience, may struggle to pass that assessment.

This is where ATS Crane Operator Schools is in a position to assist. We are able to deliver training and assessment, either at one of our training schools or in the workplace – depending on the needs of the employer. We can also provide specialist crane operator training in workplaces that have special needs. Our training covers a variety of cranes including fixed cab and swing cab mobile hydraulic cranes, crawler or truck mounted lattice boom cranes, and rigging. We can also travel where employees that require training, assessment and certification are located in remote places.

Skilled employees are valuable assets to any business – ensure your crane operators have been tested and certified so they remain of value to your business.

We live in unfortunate times where world peace is constantly under threat. We have brave men and women serving in various places around the world and many, on return, require re-training before they can find well paid employment. Some of those returning are doing so with injuries that prevent them from returning to previous careers. To help those from the military that are trying to rebuild their lives, ATS Heavy Equipment Schools offers training that has been approved for Veterans Educational Benefits.

There are a range of benefits available for current and ex-military personnel. Some of these benefits also extend to the spouses and children of veterans – this enables them too to undertake heavy equipment training as well. Funding for veterans is available through the GI Bill. For current service personnel, there is funding available through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). This is available for eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and the Coast Guard.

Guard and Reserve Members may also be eligible for funding to train as heavy equipment operators through schemes such as the GI Bill, the Tuition Assistance Program, and through various state military education benefits schemes. Vocational training is important for those that have been injured and this too is available.

A career in the field of heavy equipment operations can be ideal for those who have served in active duty areas. Military personnel are used to working outdoors, often in hot and dry (and sometimes wet and muddy) conditions. When it comes to remuneration, a heavy equipment operators’ weekly paycheck is competitive, especially when compared to careers that take months or even years to train for. If you’re a current or former member of the military, and you’re considering re-training in heavy equipment, you may be eligible for funding that can help to pay for your training. Contact us at ATS for more information or visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/gi_bill_info/how_to_apply.htm to determine eligibility requirements.

There has been a trend over the years for heavy equipment operators to specialize in one piece of machinery. For example, a bulldozer operator will only ever operate bulldozers and excavator operators only operate excavators. This is fine to some extent, you do become an expert in that piece of machinery. However, when it comes to heavy equipment careers, you are also limiting your options.

On the opposite side are employers, and there is a growing trend among them to have employees that can multi-skill. One area that all operators should consider is adding a commercial drivers license to their skills list. This gives an employer the option of having the operator truck a heavy equipment to a site, operate the equipment to complete the job, then trucking the equipment back to the yard or onto the next job.

You can go beyond that, however. Being able to competently operate a loader, excavator and backhoe – all related machinery – makes you far more employable than someone who has limited themselves to just an excavator, for example. From an employer’s perspective, do they hire three different operators on reduced hours, or one operator full time whom they can move from machine to machine as jobs dictate? The answer’s fairly obvious.

There is nothing wrong with specializing when there is plenty of work around. However, as many operators will tell you, heavy equipment careers have peaks and troughs and it can be hard to survive when work drops away. Being multi-skilled means you will have far more options during these periods when compared to other operators. Heavy equipment careers are very competitive in today’s marketplace. Start by undertaking the best heavy equipment training you can find and then consider developing your skills in a range of equipment rather than just specializing in the one. While your at it, consider adding CDL training to your resume – you will be armed with a complete set of skills and it will make you highly competitive in the job market.

Dump truck drivers often have the best of all worlds. The work is relatively easy, the paychecks are good and you normally get to go home at the end of each day. In most cases, dump truck drivers operate in their own area working on a wide variety of projects ranging from highway building to home constructions. Building a successful career as a dump truck driver can be a lot easier than trying to break into the long distance driving segment of the industry.

Like all careers, your success will depend to a large degree on how well trained you are. It is also important to receive training from a school that has a good reputation within the industry. Armed with these two, your chances of gaining a start are significantly improved. Demonstrating your abilities on the job will then determine how successful you career is going to be.

Associated Training Services has a network of truck driving schools all with well earned reputations for providing well trained drivers. It also helps that ATS is one of the nation’s oldest truck driver training schools – a factor that will soon be highlighted when we celebrate fifty years in the industry – there are not many truck driver training schools that can boast a fiftieth birthday.

We can provide the training, and our reputation may well help you open doors to gain a start. However, your career will still be based on how well you perform as an operator. Dedication, reliability and attention to details such as safety are all important. Most importantly is your commitment to wanting a career as a dump truck driver. If you are committed, and you can display dedication, reliability and attention to detail, then contact us for more information on how we can help you get started on the road to a successful career as a dump truck driver.

The mining industry has some of the best paid operators when it comes to heavy equipment. However, getting a start in that industry can be difficult, especially if you’re raw with no skills or heavy equipment experience. Excavators and excavator training can be an option to opening the door to a mining industry career.

Excavators are used widely across many industries. When we think of excavators, most people think about the machinery used to dig trenches for pipe laying. This has been the traditional role of an excavator, however, they are used far more broadly than that. In fact, excavators have been modified in specialist equipment and if you visit some mining sites, you would be stunned by the equipment in use. As an example, take your regular excavator – increase it in size tenfold, and you have one of the smaller excavators used in some open cut mines. To say they are huge is an understatement. Yet many of those operators started their careers as humble excavator operators, digging trenches on new housing estates.

To get into the mining industry, you need experience operating standard heavy equipment like excavators, bulldozers and loaders. To gain work and experience operating this machinery, you need to have the proper base training. Heavy equipment training should cover a range of machinery – this has a number of benefits to graduates including providing a much wider range of jobs to select from. Being multi-skilled is also one attribute that is preferred by many employers.

If a well paid career in the mining industry sounds attractive then look at heavy equipment training as a starting point. Follow this up with employment as an excavator operator and over time you will develop the skills necessary to gain employment in the mining industry.