One of the most versatile machines on any work site is the backhoe. If you look at it, it resembles a huge metal spider. But I’ve never met anyone who knew how to operate a backhoe who didn’t also enjoy operating one. Here are five ways you can use a backhoe to get the job done.

1. Dig a Trench – Backhoes have a bucket on one end that is perfect for digging. You stick the teeth into the ground and dig up the dirt. You can maneuver your backhoe down a line to build a trench for piping.
2. Uproot a Tree – If you’ve never seen anyone pull up a tree before with a backhoe, you’re missing a sweet treat for your eyes. It’s even more fun to be the one operating the backhoe.
3. Grade a Road – There is a plow on the opposite end from the bucket. Just by pushing that plow along an even plane on a road, you can grade it, make it smooth, and put a smile on a lot of auto drivers’ faces.
4. Push Dirt – Just about every worksite has a need for dirt to be pushed out of the way. After digging, the dirt usually piles up. Then you have to push it aside to carry on with the rest of the job. You can use your plow to push the dirt.
5. Plow Snow – Backhoes are also good for plowing snow. Just take that plow and clear the roads.

What can you think of to do with a backhoe?

There is a definite appeal to big machinery, and every heavy equipment operator knows the thrill of controlling a massive, powerful unit that makes a bigger impact on the job being done. But there also is an appeal to the smaller equipment that can be manipulated skillfully to do exactly what is needed without disturbing the rest of the area.

Backhoes, for instance, are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment around. A smaller backhoe is often required to do delicate maneuvering on job sites that need to have minimal impact on the environment. In this case, bigger is definitely not better.

Green Construction Jobs

There is a growing need for operators who can provide the skill to utilize a smaller version of the traditional heavy equipment and do the job without messing up too much of the surrounding area. Many high-end homebuilders carefully buy wooded lots, for instance, and want those trees to stay where they are so the home being built has the advantages of the landscape. Big equipment can’t be used in this case.

Green jobs and training are a constantly growing part of the heavy equipment industry. Some of those green jobs will need really bigger machines and the operators who know how to handle them, it’s true. But a lot of those green jobs will need an operator who can get a big job done with a compact piece of machinery.

One of the reasons students at ATS get experience on many types and sizes of heavy equipment is because there’s such a wide variety of type and size being used in the industry today.

Can a backhoe be used to place eggs in a bowl? That’s one of the challenges at the Weber County Fair, wherein the second year of the backhoe rodeo contestants try their hand at a lot of things you wouldn’t ordinarily expect a backhoe operator to tackle.

“In front of supporters numbering in the low hundreds at the fair’s 2nd annual Backhoe Rodeo, 28 competitors nimbly manipulated various tractors to gently ease three eggs into a small bowl, three bowling pins into narrow canisters and one each of a basketball, soccer and tennis ball into a garbage can. The machines may not be as fickle as a discontented bull — but mastering them takes years, said Dean Maw, manager of Maw Equipment and the sponsor co-hosting the event with Weber County.” — Ben Lockhart, Standard-Examiner Staff

“It takes a lot of getting used to a lot of seat time,” said Nathan Skeen, from North Ogden, who has been riding the machinery for 15 years. “Everybody can kind of run one everybody can get on and kind of play with it, but it takes a know-how to know where to move the dirt or kind of what to do with it to get the job done.”

According to the article, Justin Anderson, from rural Weber County west of Ogden, took home the first prize of $300 and an embroidered jacket. Second place gets $200, and third place gets $100. Not everybody can maneuver this piece of heavy equipment to get such detailed jobs done, but it sure is impressive to watch them do it.

Backhoes are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment, and those who have been trained to operate them continue to develop skills worthy of a rodeo just by being on the job, in the seat, doing what they are paid to do. If you are interested in operating a backhoe as a skilled professional, ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is a good place to start.

Backhoes are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment you can learn to operate at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools. On the job, the backhoe does the work of a loader and the work of an excavator along with a versatility that comes from a variety of attachments and the skill of the operator to maneuver accurately in tight situations.

Good backhoe operators are in demand because of that versatility. One piece of equipment can dig trenches, fill them in again, move heavy building materials around, and even do light bulldozing work. Attachments can include breakers, augers, grapples, and shank rippers; each designed to do a specific job effectively. It all depends on the ability of the operator to use the machine intelligently.

Our training includes backhoes, as well as loaders, scrapers, excavators, bulldozers, graders, and more. We know that training on a number of types of equipment gives a student exposure to the different techniques needed and that only comes from real experience at the controls. The classroom sessions give a good overall understanding of the use of the many types of machinery and the training gives the foundation for the skills to develop with experience. Choosing to be trained at an accredited facility like ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School allows you qualify for a lot of types of financial aid, too, which is a huge relief for many who are looking for options in their future career.

Being a backhoe operator will put you in a job with constantly changing challenges that you will be able to meet successfully by applying your training to the problem. It is definitely not a boring job.

Operating a backhoe is one of the most rewarding of heavy equipment jobs. Backhoe operators enjoy the machinery they’ve been trained to operate and are a very important part of any job site. They are often paid well and enjoy job security. But the first step to becoming a backhoe operator is to get trained as one.

Getting trained as a backhoe operator is as easy as enrolling in a suitable training course. It can be an online course or it can be a course that requires a physical presence.

There are different types of training and different training environments. The best backhoe training is one that offers a certain level of classroom training time before allowing novice operators an opportunity to get in the operator’s seat, but if your training consists entirely of classroom training, then you won’t get any practical experience before hitting the job site. That is unsafe.

For that reason, Associated Training Services recommends a backhoe training environment that offers practical in-the-seat experience with a qualified instructor.

ATS instructors are backhoe operators with years of experience. In many cases, they were safety or quality managers on the job site before coming to work as instructors. They are certified as heavy equipment operators and qualified as backhoe operators. Their first concern is to ensure you learn the skills in a safe environment.

After getting your backhoe training from ATS, you’ll be well-qualified to work on any job site in the country.

When digging a hole with my mouth, my wife asks, “Would you like a bigger backhoe?”

It’s an apt question. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen too often. But the backhoe does make a great metaphor. It’s equally as impressive in real life. There’s so much you can do with it.

Most people think of digging holes when they think of backhoes. That’s good because you can dig a lot of holes. But you can also carry things with the backhoe. Because they’re small and versatile, you can carry other equipment. I’ve seen people carry all sorts of items in the bucket of a backhoe.

Backhoes are also useful for digging and breaking up asphalt. On construction sites, you might see the operator bang the bucket on the asphalt to break it up.

Speaking of construction, road crews often use backhoes for paving roads. The bucket is perfect for carrying asphalt, concrete, or macadam and pouring it where it needs to be poured so that drivers have avenues and thoroughfares leading them from Point A to Point B.

How many times have you tried to remove a tree stump by digging with your hands? Why not use a backhoe? You can dig in under the roots and pull it right up.

Since backhoes are so versatile and useful, the heavy equipment industry could use a few more backhoe operators. You’re in luck. Heavy Equipment School teaches students how to operate a backhoe.

Need heavy equipment to help with a demolition job? The backhoe could just be the ideal tool. Backhoes are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment used in construction. Their ‘hoe’ is ideal for digging trenches, knocking down walls, and even ‘raking’ debris into a pile. The loader at the front is then ideal for cleaning up debris by scooping it up and emptying it all into dump trucks.

A backhoe’s versatility doesn’t end there. Backhoes are one of several pieces of heavy equipment that can have specialized tools attached. These tools include a breaker that can be used to break up concrete blocks. A backhoe will often be called in to do this job in situations where the concrete is too large or too thick for standard jackhammers. The breaker is only one of many attachments that include tools such as an auger, a grapple, and single and triple shank rippers. Together, these tools make a backhoe a very handy tool around demolition sites.

A little less effective is an excavator. Excavators have the same range of attachments that a backhoe supports, however, an excavator doesn’t have the scoop at the front to collect and remove debris. A second piece of equipment in the form of a loader is required. One trend is to replace backhoes with mini-excavators and bob cars. Between them, they offer a lot of flexibility and can be used very effectively in confined spaces. That option does require two heavy equipment operators, a cost factor that businesses are ever mindful of.

The recommendation from the industry now is fairly simple – learn to operate as many different types of heavy equipment as possible. Whilst backhoes are still popular, it is wise to also learn how to operate an excavator and loader, and perhaps a bulldozer as well. Heavy equipment training through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools is delivered using a wide range of machinery. You can graduate with well-developed skills in a variety of heavy equipment giving you the versatility to pick and choose the jobs that appeal to the most.

One of the busiest machines on a construction site is often the backhoe. Being so versatile, they can perform any number of jobs, and that makes them valuable to any business. The more experience a backhoe operator has on a variety of jobs, the more valued that operator becomes.

Backhoes are unique in the heavy equipment field. They can perform a lot of the work that an excavator does, and they can perform a lot of the work that a loader does. With the right attachments, a backhoe can even perform light bulldozing work. To add to their value, backhoes can be quite nimble, working in smaller areas than their larger counterparts.

To work as a backhoe operator, you need the skills that encompass both an excavator and a loader. When looking at training options, the ideal training program will give a student access to all three pieces of equipment along with some time on alternates like a bulldozer and grader. This gives the operator a broad exposure to heavy equipment whilst allowing them to concentrate on the skills requires to operate a backhoe.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools deliver training across a range of machinery including:

Backhoes
Wheel Loaders
Scrapers
Excavators
Bulldozers
Road Graders

If you’re interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator, then contact us for more information on available training programs. You’ll find more information on our training programs including how to apply on our main website. Training programs start on a regular basis with students graduation ready for employment in as little as three weeks. Our career services department is there to help graduates find their first job in the heavy equipment industry – that’s everything a person requires to launch themselves into a new career in this industry. If the backhoe isn’t quite what you’re looking for, then you can try your hand at bulldozers, graders or anyone of a dozen other pieces of heavy equipment.

There used to be a saying when I was younger – “a jack of all trades yet a master of none.” It was a phrase that pointed to a person who could do a lot of work across a variety of skills, yet they didn’t have a piece of paper to say they were qualified in any trade. When it comes to heavy equipment, backhoes are the jack (or Jill) of all trades – except you can say they were a master of all as well.

Backhoes bring together the power of an excavator, and that includes many of the attachments that excavators use, and the strength of a front end loader. Backhoes actually remind me a little of a scorpion – a mouth at the front and stinging tail at the back. In fact, that’s where they get their names from. Back hoe meaning the excavator bucket is at the back of the vehicle.

As an operator, there are a number of differences between a backhoe and other heavy equipment. To begin with, large backhoes are articulated – that is, they are joined in the middle with a pivoting point. Reversing a backhoe is a little like reversing a trailer. Good backhoe operators are in high demand because of the versatility that backhoes bring to a work site. They can be used to dig trenches, and then, using the loader scoop, fill the trench in again once a job has been completed. They can also be used to quickly remove any excess dirt or building material.

Learning to operate a backhoe is not difficult; in fact, I’d suggest you also learn how to operate an excavator and loader at the same time. This will ensure you have several skills you can rely on when working for an employer. You really will be a Jack (or Jill) of all trades then – and master of them as well.

If you are looking for a career in heavy equipment that offers real variety, then a backhoe could be the perfect choice. Backhoes don’t just offer variety, they depend on operators that are multi-skilled in many different types of work. Whilst the most common operations will be working as a loader or ‘excavator’, backhoes are frequently called on to perform other activities using a variety of different attachments.

To begin with, backhoe operators need to be competent using their equipment to dig trenches and similar excavations. They will also need to be competent using a backhoe to move material around a work area and to load material onto trucks. Over time an operator will learn how to use various attachments for tasks such as breaking up dirt or concrete blocks, and perhaps even the demolition of buildings.

Backhoe operators are well served learning to operate three different machines; a loader, an excavator, and the backhoe itself. The backhoe brings together the best of both a loader and excavator, however, being a combined unit, the backhoe can be a little trickier. At ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, we provide students with hands on training on a variety of machinery including loaders, excavators and backhoes. Upon completion of their training, heavy equipment operator graduates are well prepared for entry level employment operating their chosen piece of machinery.

Heavy equipment careers are lucrative and the expectation in years to come is for a shortage of skilled operators. This is due to a workforce that is aging and retiring, and the annual retirement rate is greater than the number of new recruits coming into the industry. Act now and you’ll be in high demand in years to come as you gain valuable experience. Backhoe operators will certainly be in high demand, more so because of their versatility.