Recent Minnesota figures have shown increasing construction expenditure right across the state, with projects as diverse as high-speed railroads to major new hotels breaking ground in almost every state as well. For heavy equipment operators, this means more opportunities, more demand, and a healthy career, with the industry growing steadily.

One large construction initiative has just launched in Minnesota, where a massive program of road improvement, under the ‘Corridors of Commerce’ initiative, has been given $400 million of funding for work this year. That makes it one of the larger road projects in the country, and it sees four individual projects break ground to deliver improved traffic flow and reduce congestion right across the state.

Minnesota Road Projects Include

Converting Highway 169 into a freeway, the addition of MnPASS lanes on Highway 494, expanding I-94 from four to six lanes, and construction of a new turbine interchange between northbound I-35W to westbound I-494 traffic. Projects were chosen from numerous options based on the modeled effect on traffic congestion and throughput, with these four offerings having the broadest effect on the traffic problems that Minnesota has been struggling with for a while.

Of course, with such a significant amount of road construction, heavy equipment operators will be in high demand throughout the state, with a variety of machinery in use across these projects, including motor graders. Rollers, excavators, wheel loaders, and cranes. It represents a terrific opportunity for skilled operators, however, it is not restricted to Minnesota road building. While this project is a fitting example of the effects of the country focusing on improving infrastructure, this is just one project.

Decisions to invest in new infrastructure, or to improve existing provisions such as this one are being taken in every state, and funding is being given to such projects almost every week. This road project at $400 million is a large one, but there are new construction projects starting up all over the country in a similar way. Some are larger, some smaller, some are building roads, some railroad lines, and others are transforming derelict land into affordable places to live, but all require the skills of heavy machinery operators, crane operators, and other construction professionals.

All over the country, as infrastructure is being recognized for its importance, investment is growing, and for skilled construction workers, opportunities for well-paid, satisfying careers are growing with them. As the country sets itself to rebuild, it is the construction workers who will the backbone of those efforts.

Interested in seeing part of Associated Training Services facility? Take a free tour of our classrooms. We offer 8 classrooms to cover all programs from heavy equipment, mobile crane, rigging and directional drilling. Simply click on the image below to start the tour.

For many years, it has seemed like for many people, the only way to succeed was with a college degree, and of course, the huge debt that goes with it. But while this has become accepted as the only route to a valued career, vocational schools have been helping people acquire the job-specific skills they need to launch a rewarding, valued career in a given profession.

There are advantages to this, firstly it takes much less time than a college degree, with 2-year courses being the average but for some industries even less. Tied to that, a 2-year or less course at a vocational school not only gets your career started and earning money sooner, but it also costs much less, to begin with, avoiding those long-term student debts that so many people end up struggling with for years.

In fact, with so much focus on academic colleges, many areas of the industry are struggling to meet the demand for skilled employees, and even the government is now rightly pointing out that we need more of the skills that vocational schools produce, but how do you know if it’s for you? The cost difference is important, but when it is your career path being chosen, that is your future and should be the main focus of the decision.

One of the biggest challenges over the next two decades is job security, so with vocational schools providing very specific skill training for chosen careers, looking at examples such as the healthcare or construction industry, we can see that here, automation is unlikely to cause as many problems as in other areas. For on-site work, operating heavy machinery, and so on, or working directly caring for patients, those skills will be in demand for a long time to come. Contrast this with the reports that many managerial and administrative jobs could disappear by 2030 through automation, and the idea of a vocational college is even more attractive.

With lower overall costs and a faster path into earning, vocational schools provide a more economical route to acquiring valuable skills, and as we have seen, with many career paths to choose from that offer sustainable and rewarding careers, they provide students with another approach that has much to offer. The mindset of ‘college or bust’ really is meaningless today, and vocational schools are a valid choice for anyone if that is the best way to acquire the skills for their chosen career path.

While social pressure may push towards college, this is changing, as society is recognizing the value of the practical skills that many vocational schools deliver, and for anyone that is thinking about their future career, a vocational school that delivers those valuable practical skills should be a choice to consider.

As the last remnants of the holiday season are behind us, we begin to look forward to the new year and the opportunities available. But before we do, it’s time to look back at the gifts we got this year, and perhaps give some ideas to make sure that as a heavy machinery operator, you find a gift that puts a smile on your face.

There is any number of novelty t-shirts, mugs, and stickers you can find out there today that are perfect for the heavy machinery operator, with all kinds of message and so on. This year, we got a thermal mug in the office, a great addition and perfect for a day out on site. However, we all agree, the best gift anyone here has ever received is definitely a great pair of work boots. Not only do they keep you comfortable all day, they protect your feet and just make working that bit more enjoyable. Timberland, Irish Setter and Keen all make great boots that are comfortable all day and are built to last as well.

If you didn’t get that perfect set of boots this year, just remember to drop hints next time around, or if you are wondering what to buy a heavy machinery operator next birthday or holiday, now you know what to look out for. If you did get a great mug, t-shirt, or even that perfect pair of work boots, it’s time to put them to good use now as the new year gets underway.

It has been a great year for us here at ATS, and we just want to take this chance to thank every single person who took one of our courses over the last 12 months and helped make 2017 one to remember. For those who haven’t yet made that choice to train for a career in heavy machinery, we look forward to helping many of you find that new career or learn some extra skills during this new year through our comprehensive range of training courses.

We hope that all your dreams become reality over the next 12 months, and wish each and every one of you a happy and prosperous 2018.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday

The end of the year brings no greater joy than the opportunity to express to you season’s greetings and good wishes. Associated Training Services – ATS, would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to all families and friends. May your holidays and New Year be filled with joy.

Don’t Forget About Your Operators

Here are some gift ideas for operators in your life.

Best wishes,
Associated Training Services Staff

Since this is Thanksgiving, we here at Associated Training Services would like to take a moment and thank all the hard-working men and women that keep America growing. We are grateful to be training and certifying those individuals that keep America strong. So, take time this holiday to kick off your boots and thank the important people in your life and the ones that make your dreams possible, and enjoy your meal. We wish everyone a safe, peaceful, and happy Thanksgiving!

Associated Training Services and the Diesel Driving School would like to thank all our hard-working and dedicated employees that make us the nation’s greatest heavy equipment operator, mobile crane operator, and CDL school. Without all your hard work, none of this would be possible. Happy Thanksgiving to all employees and their families hope you have a wonderful holiday.

Knowledge: Where Does Thanksgiving Come From?

Thanksgiving is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. It originated as a harvest festival. Thanksgiving has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789 after Congress requested a proclamation by George Washington. It has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863, when, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Together with Christmas and the New Year, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader fall/winter holiday season in the U.S.

We all know education is important when it comes to our careers, but while some think that a 4-year college degree is the only answer, is that really true? With ever-increasing costs and uncertainty of future employment reflecting that investment, there are alternatives to look at when it’s time to build a foundation for your career like a vocational school.

Your Career Can Benefit From Vocational School

Instead of spending four years racking up a lot of bills and probably debt, a short-term vocational class can give you the skills to start earning quickly and building a successful career with it. As we see many graduates earning less, the right career from a vocational course can match and exceed graduate earnings as well, without the huge costs to get you there.

With a career as a truck driver or heavy machine operator, you don’t have to wait four years, with a short term vocational school course measured in weeks rather than years that give you in-demand skills, you can be earning money sooner rather than later, and with great earning potential as well. The other advantage of the cheaper vocational school option is that there is much less stress. After a 4-year degree, there is an immediate stress of knowing the amount of debt that needs repaying, or just how much that education cost and that kind of stress really is the last thing you need as you take your first footsteps into a new career.

Taking a short-term vocational school course doesn’t just benefit you financially either, for many of us, it can simply be a better learning environment. Classes are smaller, not only meaning more attention from tutors but can simply be a less intimidating environment that helps people flourish and achieve their potential. Not everyone suits the college environment. Of course, a vocational course also mixes classroom study with hands-on training, and this again can be a better fit for many people, who find they learn more, much easier, in this kind of approach.

The other thing such hands-on training does is better prepare you for the work environment, and this is an area where a vocational school has a tangible advantage over colleges. For those taking their first steps in a new career, having practical experience in that working environment can be incredibly valuable, not just to you as a worker, but to the employer too. The transition from student to employee is not straightforward, and having practical experience from a vocational school can make it a much easier process.

Today, a 4-year college course is not the only route to a successful career. Whether it is financial reasons, or that as a student vocational learning simply suits you better, or even that you want to get your career started sooner rather than later, a high-quality vocational school course can provide a route into a successful, prosperous career, so think about what is best for you, today.

Associated Training Services (ATS) invites the general public to help us celebrate the Grand Opening of our new training facility on Friday, July 15, 2016. The event will kick off at 9 a.m. and go through 3 p.m. 94.1 WJJO disc jockey Randy Hawke will broadcast live from the event, so tune up your radio.

The location of the event will be 7132 Elder Lane in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

Attendees will have an opportunity to take home some incredible items if they win our silent auction. Auction items include

• 50th Anniversary die cast Case backhoe
• Gander Mountain Gift card
• 3-month membership to Pinnacle Health and Fitness
• 2 – $50.00 gift card to the Coaches Club
• 2 – Wisconsin State Fair Tickets
• Badger State Knockerball Party.
• ITI Rigging Engineering Books/ The Art of Heavy Transport Book
• Die-cast replica of Grove GMK6300 All Terrain Crane
• ATS Leather Jacket
• 1-week NCCCO prep and testing
• Mazzella Companies Swag Pack
• 2 – 18 holes with GPS cart at the Oaks golf course
• 1 Gehl replica machine, 4 Gehl hats, 4 Gehl club seats for Brewers vs Reds
• 4 some at Bridges Golf course in Madison

And there will be other items for auction as well. More details are on the way.

Meet the New ATS Heavy Equipment Training Facility

ATS recently completed construction of its new 16,000-square-foot training facility 10 miles outside of Madison, Wisconsin. The new facility will house all of the long-running heavy equipment training school classrooms, offices, and training resources under one roof. The facility cost $2 million to build and ATS welcomes the public to come out and see it.

“The largest classroom (of the new training facility) is 3,000 square feet and seats 100 plus,” said Dan Swiggum, the business development officer for ATS. “We’ll use it for orientation and also make it available to associations looking for a place to provide specialized training.”

Classrooms at the new facility are sponsored by heavy equipment manufacturers, which include Case Construction Equipment, Terex Cranes, Manitou, JCB, and Mazzella Companies.

ATS will serve free food and beverages between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

If you are interested in becoming a heavy equipment operator, come join ATS as we show off our new training facility and the most respected career training in the country.

ATS Heavy Equipment School is big on three things, our Motto:

• Quality
• Integrity
• Pride

We find that our friends in the military respond well to these values, which we have turned into a useful motto. But it’s more than just a motto. It’s actually a way of life. It’s our way of viewing ourselves and the world around us.

Quality

Our commitment is to our students. We want to provide the highest quality professional training possible. Whether you want to learn how to operate a crane, learn every piece of heavy equipment available, or acquire a truck driver’s license, we strive to provide the highest quality training possible. To achieve that goal we hire the highest quality instructors and use the highest quality training materials and equipment.

Integrity

There is more to integrity than simply telling the truth. We at Associated Training Services strive to be honest in business and in our personal lives. We believe integrity involves keeping your actions consistent with your words. People will notice what you do more than what you say, and we want to be known for our high commitment to moral principles. Therefore, we maintain a high level of integrity.

Pride

Pride is taking ownership of your achievements. From the top executives to our newest instructors, we take pride in our work and in the training we provide our students. We know that every student that graduates from our school is a reflection of our values and training philosophy. We’ve got many years of affecting the trucking and heavy equipment industries positively by training people to be the best at what they do.

Learn more about Heavy Equipment School’s commitment to Quality, Integrity, and Pride.

If you are doing research about getting trained as a professional heavy equipment operator, it’s a good thing. Choosing a career in the skilled trades means that your training is going to be scrutinized carefully. After all, you’ll be operating expensive equipment in dangerous situations, so the company wants to make sure they hire the best. Choose ATS for your training needs.

Since the insurance companies are also very interested in who is on the site and how the operators have been trained, that also comes into the consideration companies give to who gets hired. Credentials and affiliations are proof that a school has retained specific standards and training practices.

ATS Credentials & Affiliations

1. National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) has the highest standards in the business. All ATS instructors are NCCER credentialed, and we are an Accredited Sponsor. We also helped write the heavy equipment training textbooks, that’s not something that every school can say.
2. National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is a non-profit organization to develop safety and performance standards for crane operations throughout general industry and construction. ATS is an approved test site and registered training provider and if you are going to operate a crane, this is where to start looking at what you need.
3. Department of Workforce Development/Workforce Investment Act provides funding for financial assistance. ATS is an eligible training provider qualified to receive that funding, which means you could get money for our programs.
4. US Department of Veterans Affairs has approved ATS as an eligible training school, which means that military benefits are available if you qualify for them.
5. State Boards of Education in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana have approved ATS and licensed our school.
6. Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates ATS with an A+.
7. ISNetworld supports over 360 Hiring Clients to manage more than 54,000 companies in 75 countries. ATS is a registered contractor with ISNetworld, which gives us global connections.
8. Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association founded on the merit shop philosophy. ATS is a member of this organization committed to work safely, ethically, and profitably to improve the communities we work within.
9. National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) is the leading trade association working exclusively in this incredibly important industry. It takes heavy equipment to do a big job, and ATS is a member of NUCA.

Choose ATS For Your Training Needs

We are pleased to be affiliated and accredited by these organizations because the benefits of our connections help our students to be equipped to become respected in their industry.