Have you seen those little excavators around your neighborhood? You can’t miss them, they fit on the back of a small trailer, towed by no more than a family wagon. If you ever see one in action, stop a moment and watch – for their size, they certainly pack a punch.

These mini excavators are generally used for digging trenches. They have a long arm so they can dig a fairly deep trench and with interchangeable shovels, they dig trenches from eight inches wide to two feet or more. It’s the power those little engines have that can be amazing. I noticed one mini excavator almost lifting its own cab and power plant off the ground – the only thing stopping it was the control of the operator.

Talking of cabs, they are tiny – just big enough for one person. Forget joining the operator as an observer to learn how to operate one. You will need to find a much bigger rig for that. Operating a mini excavator is not that different than operating a much larger excavator; it’s all a question of scale. Where many operators do go wrong is when they forget they are operating a much smaller piece of equipment.

Mini excavators, while small in size, still pack a decent punch when it comes to doing a day’s work. They are classed as part of the heavy equipment family so anyone trained to operate excavators through a heavy equipment training program can obviously operate a mini version of that equipment. Heavy equipment doesn’t necessarily mean ‘heavy’ equipment – even mini excavators qualify. They certainly look like a lot of fun – but then, it’s supposed to be work. I suppose you can have fun while you work.

A sad fact in today’s employment market is that employers are always looking for ways to cut costs. That can work to your advantage if you are prepared to take a few extra steps. Combining several related skills can make an individual a far more attractive employment option compared to someone with only the one skill. If you were to combine heavy equipment operations with a commercial drivers license, you are in effect opening options up for your employer.

An example of this a small business that only has a handful of equipment. They may have been asked to perform a task that will only take an hour or two to complete. Rather than sending out the heavy equipment with an operator and a truck with a driver, an operator with a CDL can take the equipment out, complete the job, and bring the equipment back (or on to the next job), thus saving the employer from paying for two people for the one job.

We live in an era where companies are forever competing with each other for work. This is often done via quotation or tendering process. If an employer knows he can reduce employee costs, then they can submit a lower tender or quote, and increase their chances of securing the work. The more work they can acquire, the bigger they will grow, and the more machinery and operators they will require.

ATS conducts both heavy equipment training programs and truck driver training programs. It is quite easy to complete one training program and to then move on to the second so that, within six weeks or so, you will have graduated from both training programs with skill sets that will make you far more employable. Provide employers with that complete package, and you will be surprised at how much easier it is to build a sustainable career.