There is no doubt that during a recession the construction industry starts to suffer – at least certain areas like home building suffers. In general however, as governments look to spend their way out of a recession they often turn towards infrastructure. This mean roads, rail, ports and new schools and hospitals, and of course, jobs for heavy equipment operators.

The recession actually means a boom time for certain areas of construction. History shows that more miles of road and rail are built during a recession than during the good times. More hospitals and more schools are also built during periods of recession.

If your looking to get into the construction industry as a heavy equipment operator then you will need to concentrate on where the work is. Road and rail are obvious; the mining industry will be determined by base metal prices. If they start to rise then mining will again boom. House building, until the economy starts to lift, forget about working in that sector; for now although I do have one proviso. There are many smart entrepreneurs who will buy land now, and have it developed, so that when the economy starts to grow again, they have the land ready to sell and make money.

Becoming a heavy equipment operator in today’s climate is no different to a booming economy. What changes is where you work – which sectors you work in. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with the skills to operate heavy equipment in most sectors of the construction industry. Get your career started now.

I am often amazed at ingenuity of the human race. Heavy equipment like bulldozers, backhoes and graders can move huge amounts of dirt, yet they can do it with such precision. If you ever see a bulldozer in action, stop an watch. They can level an area of ground in no time at all, and I mean level.

Bulldozers can take the roughest surface and turn it into a clean flat top. Backhoes can dig a trench to an exact depth and in a perfectly straight line. Motor graders can take a rough surface and not only turn it into a smooth surface, it will have perfect camber to allow for water run-off.

These are just examples of what heavy equipment can do – and does do each and every day. Think about it though, how many workers over what period of time armed simply with shovels, mattocks, or rakes could achieve the same results? Would they achieve the same accuracy?

Heavy equipment gets a job done quickly, painlessly and accurately. Whilst they look like big toys, they are serious work horses. If you fancy working as a heavy equipment operator then check out your options at ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools – it could2 the start of a great career. The alternative, watch them in action and dream!

Heavy equipment training is not expensive, but, having said that, it’s not exactly cheap either – unless of course you take up our FREE online training offer. You can’t get any cheaper than that.

To help prospective students in their decisions on heavy equipment training we have put together a FREE information packet that has information on curriculum, job placement assistance, class calendars, pricing, Enrollment/Financial Assistance Applications, and a DVD about heavy equipment and a career as a heavy equipment operator.

These information packs are free to all and are particularly useful for school leavers or those looking for a career change. Being a heavy equipment operator is a demanding yet satisfying career. If you look at employment within the construction industry, or as part of a road/rail building gang, you can look back in years to come knowing that you helped to create that building, road or rail line.

To obtain a free information pack just fill in the online form and we will send one of to you, generally withing 24 hours of you submitting your details. Become a heavy equipment operator and you will gain skills that can be used for life!

If you are reading this post then the chances you are interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator. If that is right, you are almost there.

A career has a heavy equipment operator is not that difficult to achieve. One of your first steps should be to undertake our free online training program. Everything is done online and once completed you will be able to print out your certificate. If your happy with your results then it is a simple process to inquire about a hands on training program.

Training programs are conducted through a combination of in class and hands on the equipment style lessons. All training is broken down into easy to digest components which helps to make the learning experience less stressful.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can help make your ambitions come true. Your half there now – take the next step and realize your dreams.

Heavy equipment is a little like driving a car. Once you gain the skills, even a year or two away from the wheel wont see your skills wasted. The moment you hop behind the controls the skills will all come flooding back.

Of course, over time the heavy equipment will change and with it the controls and internal layout. However, the basic operation remains the same. These skills are acquired fairly quickly through an accredited training provider. Your time investment is generally less than three months, the skills acquired will last a lifetime.

One trend that comes in waves involves school leavers. They gain the knowledge to operate heavy equipment and use those skills to gain employment. They use that employment to then help them fund their way through college, often in associated industries such as engineering.

College graduates then come into the industry through the heavy equipment sector and start the ladder climb within the business. The heavy equipment skills will always be there to fall back on should the need ever arise.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide that accredited training and get you started into a new career. Remember, less than ten weeks provides you with a lifetime of skills.

Once a bastion of male domination, the construction site is becoming an equal opportunity employer as more and more women join the workplace.

Women have been driving trucks for a long time now so it is only natural they would set their sites on other areas within the heavy equipment scene. Today’s machinery is nothing like those of yesteryear. You no longer need brute stength to operate many of these machines. They have incorporated features such as power steering, power assisted hydraulics and a much friendlier cab environment.

Heavy equipment can be operated by anyone, young, old, male or female. Provided you receive the right training, there are no longer any boundaries as to who can operate any of the heavy equipment found on construction site. In fact, it’s not just heavy equipment. You will find women working in a variety of places, from the trades such as carpentry through to metal work and scaffolding, there are no longer any limitations.

Training is the key and training institutions throw their doors open to all who want a career in heavy equipment. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools places no limitations on the individuals wanting a career in heavy equipment. If the desire is there, the opportunity is as well.

There are times when I get asked why I need heavy equipment operator training through a school and not just on-the-job. In reality, you can. However your training wont be complete, wont be recognized nationally and can harm future job prospects. Here is an example of how most of the job descriptions are written when vacancies arise.

DUTIES

• Transports and operates a variety of heavy equipment including, but not limited to tractor trailer unit, lowboy, bulldozer, grader, crane skip loader, tandem drive axle rigs, service trucks, and backhoe/loaders
• Operates a backhoe for excavating utility trenches, placing pipe and backfilling

QUALIFICATIONS
Ability to:

• Operate a variety of heavy equipment including tractor trailer unit, lowboy, bulldozer, grader, crane skip loader, tandem drive axle rigs, service trucks, and backhoe/loaders.
• Adjust and perform preventive maintenance and make minor repairs on the vehicles and auxiliary equipment.
• Operate equipment in compliance with District, State, and Federal Safety Codes.
• Learn to operate and maintain newly acquired heavy equipment.
• Understand the operation of heavy equipment and report any variance from proper operation.

EDUCATION

• Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by specialized training in heavy equipment operation.

EXPERIENCE

• One year of experience operating heavy equipment.

KNOWLEDGE

• Operation and maintenance requirements of a variety of heavy equipment.
• Practices, methods, and materials used in construction and maintenance work.
• Traffic laws, ordinances, and rules involved in truck and heavy equipment operations.
• Principles and practices of routine and preventive maintenance of light and heavy equipment.
• The use of hand tools and safety gear.
• Occupational hazards and standard safety practices.

Don’t let all of that put you off. Heavy equipment training schools cover most of those topics at some stage in their training. On-the-job training can provide you with some experience on one piece of equipment, however that limits your future employment to that piece of equipment.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with training to get started in the heavy equipment industry. We can also help you get your first job so you can gain that 12 months experience that many employers, particularly government related, require.

Being a heavy equipment operator does not suit everyone. There are certain personal attributes that are almost essential if you wish to work in this area. So what are these personal attributes?

The first attribute is simply a love of the outdoors. Working outside in a wide range of weather conditions is part of the job. Whilst most heavy equipment come fitted with weather proof cabs, there are still a lot o machines with open cabs.

The second attribute is a willingness to get your hands dirty. If you’re the kind of person who insists on clean hands 24/7, then this type of work may not be for you. You may not get your hands as dirty and greasy as a motor mechanic, there is still some dirt involved.

The third and perhaps most important attribute is one of patience. If a pile of dirt needs moving, there is a right and wrong way to do it. You can’t rush the job, it needs to be done slowly and methodically.

There are several skills that may also have an important bearing on your success as a heavy equipment operator. These include good hand-foot-eye co-ordination and the ability to accurately gauge distances and sizes.

With those attributes and basic skills, you are well suited to a career as a heavy equipment operator. All you need to add are the actual operational and safety skills associated with the equipment you intend operating.

This where ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can help you. Our accredited training can take those attributes and basic skills and turn them in to qualified and skilled heavy equipment operators. Put us to the test through our free online training program!

Heavy equipment operators have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. They are sitting behind the controls of equipment that is often valued at more than half a million dollars. The tires on these vehicles can be valued in the 10’s of thousands of dollars. And that is just the equipment.

Operators of heavy equipment are also responsible for preparing, and often finishing, the roads we drive on, the houses we live in and the buildings we work and play in. If these operators failed in the jobs then there it is possible the buildings would fall down around our ears. Fortunately, heavy equipment operators are well trained and inspection regimes are in place to ensure the job is done properly.

Whilst operating the equipment, operators also have a duty of care to their fellow workers, other equipment and of course other property and buildings. Heavy equipment can often have blind spots that the operator needs to be aware of and take into account whilst working.

The better trained a heavy equipment operator is, the less problems there are when it comes to safety, quality of work and machinery maintenance and life span. Owners of heavy equipment now recognize the need to employ workers who are trained and often work with training organizations to develop minimum training standards.

Training organizations such as ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools gain accreditation to deliver training to these standards. Employers then look to employ those who have been trained within ATS in the knowledge that those who have graduated can work to the minimum standards required.

Gain your training through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools and you may find you get preferred in the employment application process to those who have not had formal training.

Heavy equipment operators seem to love their work – and their machines. If you look around a building construction site you will notice a couple of things. If you look really closely, you may be surprised at what you see.

The first that strikes me is that heavy equipment operators are never far from their machines. Even when they stop for lunch, it is normally right alongside their machine and heaven help anyone who touches it. It’s certainly taboo to climb inside the cab without and invitation. In fact, I know many operators who don’t stop for lunch – they eat on the job and work right through their break time.

Why do heavy equipment operators like their job so much? There are plenty of reasons, it could be the feeling of power in their hands; or it could be the the fact they sit so far above everyone else.

In reality, they love their job because it’s a combination of creative and destructive. You may have to totally tear up a piece of round, then craft it back to a level surface to build on. Heavy equipment operators are employed, often to operate more than one type of machine and to do a wide variety of tasks. Of course they are happy; it’s the best job in the world!

You can be a heavy equipment operator too. All you need to do is complete our training program at ATS Heavy Equipment Training School and you’re ready to start your career.