Almost anyone can undertake training to become a heavy equipment operator. It takes a little determination to make a lifelong career of it. However, that doesn’t mean it’s hard, you just need to look for opportunities wherever they present themselves and to then make valuable use of them. The most successful operators are those that have a lot of experience, and those that can operate heavy equipment in a variety of sizes and configurations.

A good example is the backhoe and excavator. They are traditionally used to dig trenches, however, there are a wide variety of attachments that can be added. Having experience in changing and using these attachments will be important if you want a broader range of employment options. The same is true when it comes to size. Heavy equipment ranges in size from the small backyard skid steer loaders to the giant equipment used in mining – and when I say giant, I do mean giant. Heavy equipment operators don’t quite need that breadth of experience, however, having experience on a range of different-sized equipment does increase your employment options and it will make you more attractive to employers.

Gaining this experience is not necessarily that difficult. There are many construction companies in business that use equipment of different sizes – let’s face it, why send a full size loader if a skid steer can do a better job? Your role then is to make it known that you’re interested in gaining experience across that range of equipment – and most employers are willing to oblige since it suits their interests as well.

It all starts with effective training and gaining those base skills. Look for training that includes both in-the-seat experience along with safety and basic maintenance training. Better yet, look for an industry leader in heavy equipment training. They will have a reputation that goes along with the certificate thus making you even more employable.

If you think excavator operators get to put their feet up during winter, then you may want to rethink those thoughts. In some areas, excavators are just as active in winter, and in some situations, could be classified as an essential service. Just to make life more interesting, there are times when they have to work under the most trying conditions.

Consider the location of many of the services running into your home. Underground. When incidents happen, and they do when the weather turns extremely cold, underground pipes can rupture, leading to a loss or reduction to supply of some services and dangerous situations such as gas leaks. With the ground partially frozen, using hand tools can be difficult – dangerous even. This is where excavators come in to their own. They can break through hard ground and dig a trench right down to almost pipe level. This means the hand tools are only required for the last few inches.

Experienced and well-trained operators are obviously in high demand in these circumstances – the last thing you want is a rank amateur trying to do the job. There’s only one way to become an experienced and well-trained excavator operator – that’s by getting the best training possible and then building on that training in the workplace. The industry no longer accepts operators who ‘learned by sitting on dad’s knee’. The industry now insists on formal training that includes safety aspects, maintenance procedures, and plenty of hands on experience.

Excavator training that is highly respected by industry is an essential first step. If your training is not through a recognized body, then most employers won’t even give you a second look. Often, the first thing that employers will ask is “who did you do your training through?” Be sure the answer you give is the one attached to the oldest and most respected heavy equipment training school in the business – ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools.

Heavy equipment technology has come a long way over the last twenty years. Gone are the days of heavy equipment that took brute strength to operate. Now you can almost operate equipment with one finger. What is becoming apparent is that those kids who have had a lot of experience playing console games are finding that learning to operate new heavy equipment quite easy. It’s almost like there is a convergence of the two technologies.

There is sound logic to this. First, there is the obvious. Console games involve the use of small joysticks and steering wheels (and sometimes foot pedals as well) while watching the outcome on screens several feet away. Modern heavy equipment technology is quite similar although there may be more than one joystick to control. The second observation I can make is that related to coordination. Being able to manipulate the console games while watching the game on monitor is fairly similar to the coordination needed to operate heavy equipment.

What students do need to learn is that tactile feel that operating equipment delivers. This is something that game makers have not yet been able to achieve. Being able to feel what your equipment is doing is an important part of heavy equipment operations. However, this is something that comes with experience in the operator’s cab.

For young adults who have had a lot of experience playing console games, a career as a heavy equipment operator is a natural progression. They can put their console gaming experience and coordination to good use learning to become heavy equipment operators. Three weeks hands on heavy equipment training will help to provide those tactile skills that are missing, and prepare them well for a great career as a heavy equipment operator. If you were told your hours playing games where a complete waste of time, prove them wrong and put those skills to good use.

At this time of year local authorities are busy ensuring their snow removal equipment is up to scratch and ready to roll. They will also be looking to ensure they have an adequate supply of trained operators for their equipment. Motor graders are becoming a popular choice for this job for a number of reasons. First, the equipment itself is not just for snow removal. In the spring, summer, and fall they can be employed doing a range of jobs. The second reason is related – they don’t require operators that specialize in snow removal equipment – if you can operate a grader, you can move snow.

For operators, of course, this is a real bonus. When winter closes in and general construction starts to close down for the winter, grader operators will find that their services are still in demand. This means they get to stay home for the winter; they don’t need to travel to warmer regions looking for work. Of course, for many areas, snow removal is essential or the whole region grinds to halt – this makes these positions highly important and well respected.

Grader operator training is a three-week course that combines both in the operator’s seat training and classroom training. Training in safety, maintenance, laser levels, and site plans is also included, however, it’s the in-the-seat training that makes you a real operator, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities for that if you undertake your training through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools.

Winter may be on our doorstep, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t work around for grader operators. If there’s snow, then there will most likely be graders out there shifting that snow – you could operate one of them!

Crane operator training has become an important part of any workplace that employs cranes. Today, it is compulsory in most states to be certified as a crane operator before you can step foot anywhere near a crane. One of the problems with crane operator training is that one size does not fit all and there are many different types of crane in use today.

ATS Crane Operator Schools conduct regular training programs for those wanting to enter the mobile crane sector. For those employers looking for specialized operators, we offer training in:

• Large Telescopic Boom Cranes (swing cab/rough terrain)
• Small Telescopic Boom Cranes (fixed cab/boom truck)
• Lattice Crane (Crawler or Truck)
• Articulated (knuckleboom) Cranes

We also provide training in for OSHA Compliant Rigging & Signal Person and offer NCCCO Written & Practical Exams for those ready for certification. ATS is approved by the NCCCO as a test site for both the NCCCO written and NCCCO practical exams so we provide the complete pathway from training through to certification.

Whilst most of our training is undertaken at one of our campuses, we are happy to set up a training and testing room on your site if that is more convenient. This can be beneficial for those businesses that are located, or who are working in remote locations. Because we come to you, there is a less impact on your day-to-day business. Employees are also then trained on the equipment that will be using.

If you want more information on specialized crane operator training, feel free to call us on 800-678-8149.

Something must be afoot because every where I look I see dump trucks. They must be the busiest trucks in work as they scurry around taking their loads to wherever needed. There is so much in the way of road building and general construction going on at present that dump trucks don’t get a moments break. I know in some areas they are being worked 24 hours a day every day of the week (except perhaps Sundays).

Dump trucks are fairly versatile – think of any loose material such as sand, gravel, sawdust and rock and they can transport. The term dump truck is apt since, on arrival at their destination, they simply need to raise their dumper to empty the contents. However, don’t think of a dump truck driver’s job as lacking in skills; it’s far from it. While driving from point A to point B is a fairly straightforward truck driving job, dumping the load at the other end can be quite tricky.

Drivers may be required to back up close to the edge of a pit, or to drive their vehicle while slowly tipping the contents across a desired stretch of ground – think a stretch of road that needs gravel spread evenly along its length. To operate a dump truck you require a commercial drivers license. You will need to complete testing by your local truck licensing authority – this includes a driving test to assess your skills. The best way to achieve a successful driving test is to undertake truck driver training through a recognized truck driver training organization.

ATS Truck Driver Training Schools have almost fifty years experience training the nation’s truck drivers. Whether it’s a big rig or a humble water truck, we have the experience and the expertise to produce quality drivers not only ready to pass their driving tests, but ready to tackle the world as professional truck drivers.

Demolition sites can be some of the most dangerous environments to work in, especially if you’re a heavy equipment operator. This is one area where site safety and heavy equipment safety are paramount. This last week we saw scenes of a tower demolition that went wrong, all because the demolition experts failed to see a crack in one wall. If you missed the story, head on over to The Star to see the video.

While heavy equipment were not involved with this particular story, a quick search on YouTube will display hundreds of videos of heavy equipment accidents on demolition sites – and some of them are not pretty. Heavy equipment can be cumbersome to move so getting out of the way in a hurry is not an option. What is needed is a well planned approach to the job. Because evasion is not an easy option, heavy equipment operators need to plan where they place their equipment and what sort of work they can safely perform.

In order to increase safety awareness on work sites, most state legislatures have invoked fairly tough workplace safety rules. These rules include a set standard for workplace safety equipment and a mandatory level of workplace safety training. Today, you will find it almost impossible to gain employment on construction sites if you haven’t completed that safety training.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools ensure that every student studying to become heavy equipment operators also completed a module on heavy equipment safety. This ensures that our students enter the workplace with the minimum standard of safety knowledge required. If you are considering a career as a heavy equipment operator, check to see whether or not your training includes safety components. Your future career may well depend on whether or not you have received this training.

If I mention a bulldozer – what image springs to mind? Let me guess, a short squat vehicle on tracks with a large blade at the front. That pretty much describes your average everyday bulldozer – the only real difference then being in size. However, bulldozers are not all built the same with designed to cover a diverse range of terrains. Rather than tracks, these bulldozers are driven on wheels.

Operating a wheeled bulldozer is not quite the same as operating a tracked dozer. The steering of a tracked bulldozer is managed by speeding up, slowing down and even reversing one track while the other track is stationary or perhaps doing the reverse. A wheeled bulldozer is operated using a more conventional steering wheel.

Whether wheeled or tracked, both do essentially the same job – they push dirt around. Tracked bulldozers work well on ground that is soft and potentially boggy for wheeled vehicles. Wheeled bulldozers work well on hilly terrain where tracks would find it slow going. The military have big users of wheeled bulldozers over the years because of that ability.

Training to become a bulldozer operator can be completed in as little as three weeks. This provides you with the skills required to undertake entry level employment positions within the heavy equipment field. Your heavy equipment training includes hands on operational skills, workplace safety knowledge and preventative maintenance knowledge. You will also learn about the different types of soils, grade reading and site layouts, all important to enjoying a successful career as a bulldozer operator.

Planning a new career is a big step for anyone and one of the most daunting aspects is the concept of transitioning from training to an actual job. Heavy equipment careers can be even more daunting since there is such a wide range of machinery and industries from which to choose. This is where career services personnel who are experienced in the field of heavy equipment are so valuable. It is their job to create a bridge between your training and prospective employers.

At Associated Training Services (ATS), our career services personnel are not there to just push possible job vacancies at you. Their role starts early on your training with an interview designed to give them a feel for your goals and preferences. During the interview they will determine what geographic locations best suit your needs; what, if any, industries interest you; and which heavy equipment do you feel most comfortable with? This helps the career services personnel put together a package that includes possible employers in your preferred geographic region and information related to your training.

During your time at ATS, you will also receive soft skills training designed to develop skills in employment application procedures, interviewing techniques and networking methods, all designed to help you win that first job. Instructors at ATS all come from the real world so they bring with them years of industry experience, many as foremen, superintendents or small business owners. They know what it takes to succeed in the industry, and they pass that knowledge onto their students.

When you first start your training, you may feel there is a gulf between your training and actually finding work. It needn’t be as there are jobs available in the field of heavy equipment. When you bring together nationally respected training in heavy equipment, and the knowledge and experience of career services personnel, that gulf between training and employment suddenly shrinks to a crack. If you’re considering a career change, be sure to select a training company that not only delivers the training, but also delivers real employment assistance.

No matter the season, no matter the weather, the trucks always find a way to get through. They have to since these trucks are often carrying the staples we need to survive. A commercial drivers license can open the door to a wide range of truck driving jobs, even in the middle of winter. In today’s society, we expect vehicles to get through, especially trucks. So, transport companies don’t hang up their keys just because it’s winter; they keep going.

There’s no doubt that some truck driving jobs can be more interesting than others. Interstate truck driving can be the most challenging of them all. You are driving over different road conditions and often away from home for days at a time. Because of the need to move freight quickly, the hours can also be long. However, once behind the wheel, you are your own boss and the open highways are yours to conquer. And the pay can be great too.

Interstate truck driving isn’t for everyone, but once you get a taste of the open road, it can be hard to walk away. Learning to drive a truck is not as difficult as many people imagine. Three weeks of intensive behind-the-wheel and in-the-classroom training and you’re ready to undertake your commercial drivers license assessment. Pass that test and you’re ready to claim the highways. Interested? Contact the oldest truck driver training organization in the country for details on our next commercial drivers license training program.