I was speaking to a young man who recently accquired more training and hired at a company that has three branches of operations. I asked him what he’d be doing, and he told me he’d be working in the construction branch. I asked what he was certified in, and he said something interesting:

“I plan on getting as many certifications as I can because it will increase my usability. I want to be able to switch to other jobs in the company, even into one of the other branches when work is slow. I figure if I am able to receive more training any type of their heavy equipment, they will see me as essential and I won’t get laid off.”

I said that sounded like a good idea, and he modestly admitted it was advice from his brother-in-law. It is sound advice, too, because the more usable an employee is, particular in heavy equipment operating jobs, the easier it is to keep them around because they are able to fill so many positions when needed.

Associated Training Services provides the type of training that young man is interested in, because you learn to operate all kinds of heavy equipment when enrolled in the Heavy Equipment Operations Programs. You get a real grounding in the essentials of the industry and a clear understanding of the differences in the types of heavy equipment used today. The skills are carefully taught and you get practice in seat-of-the-pants operating so you are graduating as that “usable” type of employee who is seen as essential.

Associated Training Services would like to wish all truck drivers, their families, ATS students and their families, and all future truck drivers a Happy New Year. We’re getting started on the right foot. Are you?

We encourage you to check out our training schedule for the coming months and choose a time and place that is right for you.

This coming Monday (January 6, 2014), we will start a new truck driver training course in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Three weeks later, on January 27, 2014, we’ll start another one. You can get a free brochure for our upcoming training classes and be in the know so that you don’t miss any.

Now is the time to set your career goals for the year – and beyond. No matter what kind of equipment you want to train on, ATS can help you get trained and certified.

Our training programs include:

• Commercial truck driving
• Crane operator training
• OSHA-certified rigger/signalperson training
• Heavy equipment training

Whether you want to operate a bulldozer, a forklift, or a backhoe (or all of the above), Associated Training Services can help you get the training and the certification you need to get your first job in heavy equipment. Our job services department assists all graduates with landing their first jobs. Our graduates also go on to have the best careers.

So go ahead. Pick your training and join in.

When it comes to career certifications, having a national certification actually works in favor of truck drivers, crane operators, and other heavy equipment operators. State certifications would do the trick, but if you moved to a new state, then you’d have to get a new certification. It would be a terribly inefficient system.

As it is, when you get your national certification for any heavy equipment training program, then it won’t matter where you live. You’ll be able to find a job.

There are two national heavy equipment certifications you should be concerned with:

• National Center For Construction Education & Research (NCCER) – NCCER is affiliated with the University of Florida, so that should take care of the credibility issue. When you complete your ATS training program for heavy equipment operations, you’ll receive national certification as a heavy equipment operator. With that certification, you’ll be able to go anywhere in the U.S. and get a job.
• National Commission For The Certification Of Crane Operators (NCCCO) – The NCCCO is a specific certification designed to ensure safety among crane operators. This piece of heavy equipment is very popular and demands its own certification because of its uniqueness and specific safety challenges.

Additionally, if you wish to work as a rigger or signalperson, then you can be trained and certified to work in that capacity. It’s an additional level of training with additional levels of safety piled on by OSHA regulations.

Truck drivers also have their own brand of certification. It’s actually a license. Any commercial vehicle driver must have a CDL, or commercial drivers license. ATS can train you and prepare you to take your CDL test anywhere in the U.S.

Heavy equipment careers are some of the most rewarding blue-collar careers today. If you are trained on one or more types of heavy equipment, you’ll have job security – and you could get paid an above-average salary for your expertise. Do you need training?

Here are 5 reasons why you should look into heavy equipment training today.

1. Heavy equipment jobs aren’t going away. There will always be a need for heavy machine operators. Federal, state, and local governments are always hiring heavy equipment operators for road and bridge projects while private and public companies need operators for their building projects.
2. Fully trained, you can expect a high paying career. You may have to start out on the bottom rung, but after a couple of years you can command top pay for your heavy equipment skills.
3. Crane operators are top dogs. You can get a heavy equipment certification that will qualify you to work anywhere in the states, but if you have a crane operator’s certification, then you’ll get paid more and you have more employment opportunities.
4. CDL operators get paid more. Just think, if you were certified as a heavy equipment operator, a crane operator, and had your CDL certification, you’d be set for life. CDL operators are in high demand.
5. Any job certification you get is a feather in your cap. It proves that you are willing to do what it takes to succeed. If you get your heavy equipment certification, you’ll be qualified to work anywhere.

Find out more about getting trained as a heavy equipment operator today.

There are a lot of reasons to seek equipmen certification for heavy equipment operations. Whether you want to be a crane operator, drive commercial trucks, or operate other types of equipment such as backhoes and forklifts, getting national certification benefits you and your employer.

Here are several ways national certification works for your benefit:

• It ensures that there is a recognized safety standard everywhere you go. You will not be subject to the whims of any employer.
• You can be confident of your skills as a heavy equipment operator and know that you can operate the proper equipment on any work site.
• You will become more competitive in the field of heavy equipment operators as certification narrows the field of potential employees.
• National certification ensures that heavy equipment employers provide the best service to their clients and cuts down on the potential for lawsuits by making operators on the work site follow the same set of core standards.

National certification is one of the most important aspects of the heavy equipment industry today. Operators who have their certification are more employable, more trustworthy, and more likely to hold onto long-term employment.

Get your heavy equipment training today. Get certified as a Class A CDL driver, heavy equipment crane operator, or all-around heavy equipment expert.

You know you’re ready for your next career move. You’ve heard that heavy equipment jobs are opening left and right. They are! But what you aren’t sure about is where to start. Let me offer you five ways to get trained for the heavy equipment career you deserve and want. Here is to the future operators.

Here are five career training programs for future heavy equipment operators:

1. Crane training – In crane training, you’ll learn all about the various types of cranes and how to operate them. Each type of crane has its own unique features and ATS trains you on all of them. Learn more about heavy equipment crane training today.
2. Heavy equipment training – Technically, cranes are heavy equipment too. But when we say “heavy equipment,” we’re talking about a broader scope. This class will teach you all about scrapers, bulldozers, graders, backhoes, loaders, and a lot of other types of heavy equipment.
3. Rigging training – Riggers have a very important job on the work site. We’ll teach you how rigging fits in and show you how to safely carry out the duties and responsibilities of this important job.
4. Signalperson training – Signalpersons are the controllers of the work site traffic circle. We’ll show you how to maneuver vehicles using ground controls and how to do it safely according to OSHA standards.
5. Truck driver training – Truck drivers are integral to the work site. Heavy equipment must be transported from the construction company motor pool to the work site. No one is qualified to do that better than the CDL truck driver.

Now is the time to get your career in heavy equipment off the ground. Enroll in the training you need and start today.

If you are wondering whether you should seek training from a heavy equipment training school, let me make it easier for you to decide. Here are seven reasons why I believe you should seek training from a heavy equipment training school today.

1. You can apply online – It’s never been easier to initiate the career training you need to move ahead professionally. You can apply online with no commitment and no out of pocket expenses right now. There is no obligation just for applying.
2. A new class every month – You don’t have to wait long to start your training. A new class starts every two to four weeks.
3. Get your national certification – You can be nationally certified to operate a crane or any heavy equipment. It doesn’t matter which state you get your training in, you’ll be able to work anywhere in the U.S.
4. Get help finding a job – Associated Training Services (ATS) will help you land your first job through our Career Services Department.
5. Financial assistance – You don’t have to delay or put off your training due to your financial circumstances. You can get financial aid to start and complete your heavy equipment training. Military personnel can use their veterans benefits. With loans and grants, you can get your training and start your career in just a few weeks.
6. Train on more equipment – ATS will train you on more equipment than any other training school. You’ll be trained to operate a backhoe, bulldozer, scraper, crane, grader, loader, forklift, rock truck, excavator, and much more.
7. OSHA-compliant – All ATS training is OSHA-compliant.

There is no reason not to start your heavy equipment training. Start your training today.

Being qualified to perform a certain job and being certified to perform the tasks of that job are two different things. Specifically, we can talk about heavy equipment operations vs. crane operators.

National certification not only qualifies you to be a heavy equipment operator, but it ensures that you can go anywhere in the country and get a job. You can prove that you can handle the tasks of operating heavy equipment on the work site. Because you can prove your qualifications, your national certification contains a value that simple qualification does not.

What do I mean?

To be qualified as a heavy equipment operator, all you need to do is prove you know how to operate the equipment. You don’t need certification for that. Just jump into the driver’s seat and start operating. Certification, however, protects you and your employer from operator error or mishaps beyond your control.

We live in a highly litigant society. Any slight miscalculation can lead to an unfortunate event. If you don’t have the credentials that prove your qualification, then it could be a liability issue – for you and your employer.

That’s why ATS takes heavy equipment certification seriously. We want what is best for employers and employees. When we train you to operate heavy equipment, we certify you and make sure you are ready to start your career on the right foot. What more could you ask for?

More and more states are requiring that heavy equipment operators be certified before they can work on site. For that reason, it behooves the aspiring operator to seek the necessary training and receive the certification to get a job and stay employed.

Even if certification isn’t required in your state, they might be necessary, it’s a good idea to seek certification anyway.

You never know when your state will follow suit and require certification. You also never know when you might need to travel or move to seek employment. When you get to your new destination, the last thing you’ll want to do is take a break from your career to get certified. If you already have your certification, then all you’ll need to do is step into your new position.

Certification benefits you in other ways too. It shows potential employers that you are serious about your career. It also shows that you know the responsibilities of your occupation.

When you show potential employers your national certification and that you know how to handle heavy equipment operations, you’ll be more confident of yourself, and you’ll have a leg up on the competition. Your career will enjoy a lot more employment prospects if you have the credentials to prove your knowledge and expertise.

The next ATS heavy equipment training class starts on Monday, September 30, 2013. The next truck driver training class is scheduled for Monday, September 23, 2013. Crane training begins on September 30, 2013. Sign up today!

We generally start new training classes every three weeks. All upcoming training classes will be at our facility in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

There’s still plenty of time to enroll, set up your financial aid, and make your living arrangements in Sun Prairie. If you are a military veteran, you could apply for one of several financial assistance options available to you. Even non-veterans can receive financial aid to get the career training they need.

ATS is considered an eligible training provider in 22 states. This is not a status to sneeze at. We’ve built a solid reputation as a career training provider that is well-recognized and appreciated all over the U.S.

In addition to financial aid, you could receive housing assistance and stay at our recommended hotel while taking your classes in Sun Prairie. The Water Tower Residence Inn is just minutes away from our training facility and within walking distance of all the living amenities you need – restaurants, grocery stores, even entertainment. The inn even has a game room and a color TV with cable in every room.

Most of our students graduate from our training programs and go on to rewarding careers in a wide variety of industries. It all starts with a simple commitment to yourself.