Our society has become far more sophisticated over the last fifty years and this is reflected in the way employers recruit personnel for their workplaces. Governments are also legislating to make some employment criteria compulsory for employers. If you add to this the pressure that comes from other interests such as insurance bodies, employers have had to refine how and who they recruit. This has been particularly evident in the construction industry, especially when it comes to areas such as heavy equipment operations.

Today, when an employer requires operators for their heavy equipment, they have a list of requirements that job seeker must meet before their application is even considered. Some of these requirements include:

• Proof that the applicant can operate heavy equipment
• Proof that the applicant has completed safety training
• Proof that the applicant has completed heavy equipment training

There is one word that stand out in that list – proof. For experienced heavy equipment operators, they can point to previous employers and an employment history to prove their abilities. For new entrants into the industry, they require documentation from a training organization.

If the job applicant has received their training through a well recognized professional training organization, the employer is quite likely to at least consider that person’s application. If the job applicant comes to them without any proof of their abilities, the employer will most likely reject the application without a second look.

While there are a lot of vacancies for heavy equipment operators, that doesn’t mean employers are becoming desperate to fill them. The last thing any employer needs in today’s economy is a large lawsuit after an incident that claims, amongst other things, that they were negligent when employing poorly trained heavy equipment operators. If safety training is missing, then there could be legal ramifications under state or federal law as well.

Professional heavy equipment training will ensure that your job application is at least looked at. The better credentialed that training body is, the more likely you are to land that job. If you’re considering undertaking heavy equipment training, be sure your training provider is well respected and that their training is comprehensive – your future career could depend on it.

Is there a clear definition of heavy equipment in today’s workplace? According to Wikipedia, heavy equipment is defined as:

…. heavy-duty vehicles, specially designed for executing construction tasks, most frequently, ones involving earthwork operations. They are also known as, construction equipment, construction plant, earth movers, engineering vehicles, or simply equipment. They usually comprise five equipment systems: implement, traction, structure, power train, control and information.

Now that’s quite a definition, especially the latter part which names the equipment systems. What should be noted is that the word ‘heavy’ is not mentioned in reference to weight. In fact, weight is not the issue in today’s workforce as can be seen by the use of skid steer loaders and mini excavators. While relatively lightweight, they are still classified as heavy equipment. Generally speaking, the follow vehicles are typical of what could be described as heavy equipment:

• Backhoes
• Wheel Loaders
• Scrapers
• Excavators
• Bulldozers
• Road Graders
• Rock Trucks
• Skid Steers
• All-Terrain Forklifts

These range in size from small vehicles up to massive vehicles (if you can still call them a vehicle) the size of small buildings, often used in the open cut mining industry. You should see the size of the dump trucks that are used alongside them – a single wheel stands almost twice as tall as most people and requires a special forklift when a tire change is required.

Size is irrelevant when it comes to determining heavy equipment. What is interesting is that training for a mini excavator is virtually the same as training for a standard excavator and for one of the giants used in the mining industry. Training is the key to using this equipment. If you are interested in heavy equipment as a career, then start by gaining your skills through a reputable heavy equipment training organization. That way you will be sure of having all the base skills required to launch a successful career as a heavy equipment operator.

Heavy equipment have long had a reputation for being gas-guzzling machinery that belched huge quantities of noxious black smoke into the air. That reputation is a little unfair in this day and age, especially when you consider emission controls that have been placed on all vehicles over the years. Manufacturers have gone further, making new heavy equipment more fuel efficient and capable of running on blended renewable fuels. The very latest equipment runs totally on renewable energies.

However, I said that heavy equipment is going green in more ways than one – and it is. Reducing carbon emissions is one half of the equation. The other half is rebuilding our landscape so that it can grow native vegetation – the lungs that help to clear our air of carbon and other pollutants. Heavy equipment, particularly equipment that is itself environmentally friendly, is being used more and more to help rebuild that landscape.

Add to this President Obama’s Green Job’s Initiative, an initiative designed to fund green projects in the construction industry, and you have a future career that’s going green. This green initiative will go beyond just heavy equipment – we are already starting to see environmentally friendly trucks being used in some green projects – this is opening the way for new truck drivers to enter the trade (which makes it a good time to investigate truck driver training).

Cranes, in particular mobile cranes, are also being used, both in green construction projections, and as part of clean-up crews – especially when old wrecked cars are found in environmentally sensitive locations. Cranes can lift heavy material out of these areas rather than dragging them through and creating more damage. Undertaking crane operator training, or the broader-based heavy equipment operator training provides graduates with the skills necessary to become a part of the greening of our country. So who wants a well-paid environmentally friendly job?

The field of heavy equipment operations is huge and the range of equipment in use extremely varied. You have excavators that are small enough to be transported on a small trailer towed behind a family car. You also have excavators that are so large they need to be dismantled to be moved any great distance – there is no tractor-trailer big enough, or strong enough, to move them. So how do you develop a long term career as a heavy equipment operator?

A career is not just a job. It is a field of work where you are constantly learning, and where there are opportunities for advancement. Heavy equipment certainly fits that bill, especially when it comes to learning. But then, that is what lies at the very foundation of a successful career – your initial training. This is where many prospective operators go wrong, they underestimate the value of that basic training. If you learn the right skills to begin with, you have a solid base to build upon.

That is the second part of a successful career, building on your basic skills. Having completed a heavy equipment training program, graduates are ready for entry level employment. Remember that phrase – entry level employment. You are not going to be employed in a position that requires a lot of experience – you just don’t have it, yet. Entry level employment does not mean you are left to do the more menial tasks – you will still be challenged, and that is how you will build your experience. As you answer each challenge, your employer will automatically offer you more challenging roles. Over time, you will have developed those basic skills into an advanced set of skills and will be in a position to call yourself an experienced heavy equipment operator.

Are there opportunities for advancement? As with all careers, there is always some advancement available. You could be placed in charge of a team of operators working on a project; you may also find yourself in a role teaching others. There is also the opportunity of one day owning your own heavy equipment. Of course, that is taking a career and turning it into a business.

A career as a heavy equipment operator is always challenging, but it can be very rewarding as well. Demand for operators has been steadily climbing in recent years, particularly as our workforce ages. For some reason, heavy equipment has not been a popular choice amongst our youth so the average age for operators is quite high. The forecast over the next few years is for negative growth as more older operators retire. This will benefit new operators since demand is expected to continue to grow.

With negative growth in the workforce and demand steadily increasing, the fear in some sectors is that by 2012/2013 there will be a shortage of operators, particularly experienced operators. Those that undertake training now should be able to gain the experience required to fill those ‘experienced’ vacancies when they occur. Heavy equipment training creates a platform which can be quickly built upon once you’re in the workplace. However, that heavy equipment training needs to cover a broad range of subjects, most particularly safety, operations, and preventative maintenance.

So what is in store for 2011? Demand will continue to grow, especially in areas where Federal stimulus spending is continuing to build roads, bridges and public infrastructure. The economy is slowly lifting out of the doldrums and there are predictions that new home building projects will start to increase. Business is also starting to fight back with success, and if consumers continue to spend at reasonable rates, you can see further expansions in those areas, including new construction. If construction does improve as predicted, then the demand for heavy equipment operators will also improve.

In a nutshell, this is a perfect time to consider heavy equipment operations as a career. The future looks good, wages are good, and working conditions are getting better every year. Make a start now to attend a good quality heavy equipment training program. Once you have completed the course, you should be ready to commence work as an entry level operator where you can gain further skills. 2011 and beyond looks very promising for new heavy equipment operators.

Have you ever considered a career as a truck driver or heavy equipment operator? If you have, ATS have some great news for you as we head into 2011. Our successful free heavy equipment and CDL workshops are continuing on into the New Year and they present the perfect opportunity to find out all there is to starting a career in these industries. These workshops are conducted on Saturdays only and are only conducted one every three weeks – so if you’re interested, book early to secure your place.

While we call them a workshop, they actually represent a free day’s training. Schedules differ from location to location, but the general thrust is a morning of classroom training introducing you to either heavy equipment operations or truck driving. The afternoon is then spent with equipment demonstrations and hands on practical experience. For those who successfully complete the morning’s activities, the day could be rounded off with the presentation of a $500 scholarship towards the cost of a full training enrollment.

Don’t look at this opportunity at being just a demonstration either. You will complete an actual training module from the full training course, which, if nothing else, should give you an indication of whether or not you could successfully complete the full course. It should also give you an idea as to whether or not truck driving or heavy equipment is a good career choice for you.

Heavy equipment and truck driving careers are well paid and there is always demand for operators or drivers, particularly as the economy starts to pick up. By taking one Saturday and experiencing one of our workshops, you’ll experience a career changing move for the better. There’s only one way to find out: Call us on 800-383-7364 to find out where and when our next workshop is planned. You can also check out our free heavy equipment/CDL workshop web page for more information.

NOTE: The information in this post will no longer be valid after December 31, 2010.

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.

Were you fascinated by big trucks, bulldozers and cranes when you were a youngster? Did you ever dream of operating a real one as you pushed your toys through the sand pit? There are many children that do, girls included, but somewhere along the line, their dreams become waylaid by other careers. You can still see the glint in the eye with some people as they pass by a construction site. They stop and watch and always seem to be reluctant to move on. If that’s you, it’s never too late complete the dream you had a child.

While many consider training to be a young persons game, it’s not, especially when it comes to heavy equipment operations. And if you think it’s a male only realm, think again. There are many woman now enjoying stable careers in the industry. There are only a couple of requirements to becoming a successful heavy equipment operator, the major one being a willingness to learn, and to continue learning while on the job.

Speaking of jobs, you may wonder if there is a future for the industry. At present, there are billions of dollars being thrown into construction. Much of it is government money, but as the economy improves, the private sector will start to invest – they have to if they want to grow. Construction is the backbone of our economy so there will always be a need for proficient and reliable operators.

If you had a dream to get behind the controls of any heavy equipment, why not fulfill that dream by undertaking a heavy equipment training course. You can complete a course and be work ready in as little as three weeks. The opportunities are there – why aren’t you!

If you start a career off on the right footing, you will often find there are many directions you can take. Heavy equipment careers are one good example. A thorough grounding in a range of machinery can prepare you well for diverse employment opportunities. Backhoes, excavators and loaders are a prime example of this.

Excavators and loaders are very different machinery. Excavators are normally stationary and are generally used to dig holes and trenches. Loaders, on the other hand, are always on the go and used primarily to carry material. They are very effective at lifting loads of sand and gravel into trucks. What do they have in common? The backhoe! The backhoe takes the best of both machines and incorporates it into one machine.

The front of a backhoe looks very much like a standard loader. There is a good reason for that since that is exactly what it does. Backhoes, when used as loaders, can generally do everything that a loader can do, and just as nimbly as well.

At the rear of a backhoe is an excavator tool that is used in the same manner as an excavator. It does the same work, digging holes and trenches. Over the past 20 years or so both have seen the introduction of attachments such as slab breakers, augers and just about any other digging or breaking tool you can think off.

Being trained in all three machinery means you are able to pick and choose workplaces. You are also more attractive to potential employers since they will then have the flexibility of using your skills across a range of machinery. Rather than approaching a career as an operator of one piece of machinery, take advantage of training that provides heavy equipment operator skills across a range of machinery. It can certainly give your career a boost.

The US economy is still going through turbulent times with unemployment high across many sectors. This is a situation that creates numerous problems, one of which is the nervousness of those looking to change careers. A lot of money is being poured into construction by the government so one would expect that careers such as heavy equipment careers could be worth chasing. But are they?

There is a lot of talk by many people in the industry, particularly training providers, that there are thousands of jobs on offer. Receive training today and walk into a job tomorrow is their mantra. The reality is the opposite. Despite a lot of money being poured into construction, jobs are still hard to come by. This makes a move into a heavy equipment career very risky – and individuals ought to be a little nervous about making such a move.

The long term outlook is bright, however. We have an aging population and many of those currently employed as heavy equipment operators are nearing the end of their working life – you could say their use-by date is almost up. This will leave a vacuum in the field of experienced heavy equipment operators. I use the word ‘experienced’ because it is a key for those looking at a successful long term career as a heavy equipment operator.

Opportunities are there now for new operators to enter the market to gain experience. However, to be in a position to take up these opportunities, you need to have two key ingredients. The first is versatility. You need to be in a position to operate a range of heavy equipment. Employment could be patchy and you will most likely start with very basic operations. Having a secondary skill such as a commercial drivers license could be ideal. You may start as a transport driver picking up and delivering heavy equipment to construction sites. With heavy equipment training, you will most likely also load and unload this equipment. As you prove your worth, you will gain more opportunities to operate this equipment. What is important is that you are employed in the industry, and you are gaining experience – and this is just one example of having versatile skills.

The second component is probably more important and revolves around your training. When an employer looks at a job application, especially from someone who is new to the industry, they will be looking to see where that applicant undertook their training. It is imperative in today’s market that training is undertaken by training companies that are well respected by employers. Find a well respected heavy equipment training organization and that’s half your battle won.

Starting a heavy equipment career is not going to be a piece of cake. However, do it right and you will make life a lot easier on yourself. Industry expects a skill drain in around five years and they say it takes five years to become recognized as experienced in this industry. Start now and you will be right at the pointy end when your skills will be in high demand and you will be considered experienced. Wait a year or two and it could be too late – you won’t have gained the necessary experience. One suggestion well worth following up on is to talk to heavy equipment career services personnel to find out what options are available to you in your area right now.