Backhoes – they are the backbone of many construction sites. However, I can’t think of many places where backhoes aren’t used these days. One of the big advantages of a backhoe is its versatility. With a bucket at the rear and shovel at the front, it has a wide range of applications. Backhoes also come in a wide variety of sizes – some are quite large and tackle big jobs while others are quite small and can get into some of the smallest places imaginable on a construction site.

Consider some of the work situations where you will find a backhoe:

• swimming pool construction
• digging foundations for new buildings
• digging trenches for pipelines
• demolition work
• agriculture, particularly dam building and irrigation
• cemeteries

That is a very small list of work situations. I could extend that list considerably if I also took into account the range of attachments that can be used in place of the bucket. While a backhoe is an extremely versatile work unit, operating one is not as complex as one may think. In fact, you can learn to operate a range of heavy equipment, including a backhoe, in as little as three weeks. At the end of the training, you are ready for entry level employment as a heavy equipment operator.

For operators, one of the benefits of specializing in backhoes is that it opens the door to further employment options such as loader and excavator operations. The bucket of a backhoe mimics the actions of an excavator while the shovel at the front mimics the actions of a wheel loader. If you are looking for a career in heavy equipment that offers a little in the way of variety, consider a career as a backhoe operator. Backhoe operator wages are good as are the working conditions. Your next step to a successful career is to commence heavy equipment training – are you ready?

Truck driving careers offer a lot for employees who enjoy working in an environment where they are almost totally in control. The only outside influence on your career is the where, what and when – where you need to load and unload, what you are loading and unloading, and when the items need picking up and dropping off. It sounds like a lot, but you’re in control of the how and that is really is the major component of the job, especially when it comes to interstate truck driving.

Having a commercial drivers license opens the door to a wide range of truck driving jobs. When we say flexibility, we really mean it. You could be driving dump trucks, perhaps local delivery trucks, or flatbeds transporting heavy equipment, and that’s just for starters. Take a moment at some time and just watch the main roads. In most areas, you will see trucks of many different shapes and sizes delivering everything from water through petroleum and gas products; fresh food from farms through to manufactured foods; in fact, any item you can buy has a truck’s involvement somewhere. You can even see homes, or parts of homes, being trucked across the country.

It takes all of three weeks to train to become a truck driver. Gaining your commercial drivers license will depend on how quickly you can pass the local requirements for that license. When it comes to employment, like most industries, the hardest part is getting your foot through the door. If you are a competent driver then you find that the industry is fairly stable – even in poor economic climates (we still eat and drink and we still drive).

ATS Truck Driving Schools have a number of locations across the country. We have almost 50 years of continuous service teaching students in fields such as truck driving, crane operations and heavy equipment operations. With that experience, and strong reputation amongst employers for graduating quality drivers, the only thing holding you back from a truck driving career is you yourself.