Certified crane operators are in strong demand around the nation. However, in most states, you cannot operate a crane without that piece of paper that says you are certified. Thousands of people have worked as crane operators in the past before moving on to other careers, or perhaps other heavy equipment. If you’re one of these people and have been considering changing back to a crane operator career, the news is good.

To re-enter the workplace as a crane operator requires three steps. Undertake the safety components for crane operator and take some type of refresher course to ensure your knowledge is up to date and your skills current. The final step is to undertake an assessment of your skills and knowledge. If you pass these assessments then you will be officially recognized as a certified crane operator.

You may argue that you have twenty years experience behind the controls of a crane. Many would argue it was twenty years of developing bad work habits – which of course you would deny, and I don’t blame you. Certification is a way of proving to others you do have current skills and knowledge. With that certificate no one can say you have twenty years of bad habits – you have had twenty years of skills building.

Certification is also used to ensure that every crane operator has the same set of foundation skills and knowledge. Those working around a crane will know that, no matter who the operator is, the crane will be operated in a safe and almost predictable way. This makes for a much safer workplace and, over time, a more efficient workplace.

Becoming a certified crane operator is not that difficult with companies such as ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools offering comprehensive training and follow up assessments. You get the complete package at ATS – crane operator training and formal certification – or in the case of a former operator, refresher training and certification.

Crane operators are always in demand and the more experience you can gain the more in demand your skills will become. Over the last decade there has been a distinct change in the careers of crane operators with most states now requiring operators to become certified. Gaining your crane operator certification may be a bit of a hassle if you’re already employed in the industry – but it does come with a few benefits.

As each state introduced compulsory certification of crane operators, some of the older operators moved out of the industry instead of undertaking crane operator testing. This of course has opened the doors to new operators who receive crane operator training and certification at the same time. For others, certification has brought with it more stability within the industry.

For employers, crane operator certification brings with it an expectation of a minimum standard of skills and knowledge. They rely on the certification process to guarantee that standard. If you apply for a vacancy holding a certificate in your hand, the employer is confident that you meet the standard and are capable of doing the job required.

A more important benefit to operators is the portability of their qualification. Their training and certification means they can find employment virtually anywhere within the country. If they have a wealth of experience, they can often also find employment internationally, particularly working for local companies that working on projects in developing countries.

Choosing a career as a crane operator places you into one of the most satisfying and highest paid positions within the construction industry. With a steady demand of certified crane operators projected over the next five years, now is a good time to gain that training and certification. Feel free to contact us if you are looking for more information on crane operator training and certification.

Despite all the gloomy forecasting, there is hope for people looking to retrain for a new career and Associated Training Services if the right place to start down that new career path. These are the people that offer everything from crane operator training to job placement after you’ve completed the backhoe course that’s offered here. There are many different things that should draw the person looking for a change into the Associated Training Services Network and one of the first things that should sell you are the credentials.
Accreditation
Remember that these are the people that have been working on getting the best heavy equipment training for their students since 1959 and in that time they’ve been able to amass some pretty impressive credentials that include:

-accreditation through The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). This is an organization that was formed by 11 of the world’s largest construction companies to oversee the industry and they’ve recognized ATS with top honors.

-ATS has schools licensed by state boards of education in many states

When you’re looking for the training that you’ll need on the bulldozer, crane or anything in between, there is really only one place where you’ll be sure to get the best that the industry has to offer. Associated Training Services has the best personnel as well as the all the credentials that will make you feel comfortable that you’ve found the place where you’ll be able to get the best in heavy equipment operator training that will get you the best job possible.

Crane operator training has come a long way in the last decade. There are many states now that require all crane operators to be formally trained and certified before they can even be employed. This has been brought about in the main because of the number of workplace accidents involving cranes. As the effects of formal training and certification begin to make a statistical improvement in these accidents, more states will join the push for certification.

If you have been considering a career as a crane operator then your first step has to be to find a training organization that can deliver accredited training. Even if your state doesn’t require certification at present, there is a good chance that in the future they will – will you be caught out unprepared?

One of the benefits of formal crane operator training is that it prepares you for the certification assessments. These involve both a practical and theory component and you need to pass both. This means you could be the very best crane operator in the country, but if you fail the theoretical component you will miss out on certification.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools conduct specialist crane operator training that prepares the students for their certification assessments. In fact, ATS is accredited to conduct these assessments once your training has been completed.

Your crane operator training is divided into three levels and cover both practical and theoretical components. Some of these components include: crane operating safety, rigging, verbal and non-verbal communication, preventative maintenance, and advanced techniques just to name a few.

By undertaking a formal accredited course and gaining your crane operator certification you will ensure you will always have a career as a crane operator. Get trained on the side by a friend or relative and the chances are they will fail to train you to the level required for certification. Crane operator training completed through an accredited training establishment is the only way to go.

There are many states that require the certification of crane operators before they can commence work. Most states also require crane operators, particularly mobile crane operators, to have a license. The question is, what is the difference between them and do I need both?

One of the easiest ways to describe this difference is by looking at the terminology. A certificate, or certification identifies a skill level. If you are certified to operate a crane then the implication is that you have a minimum set of crane operation skills.

A license on the other hand is really just a granting of permission to do something. For example, you could have a firearms license. This does not mean you are skilled in the use, it just means you are permitted to own one. The same can be said for a crane operators license. This gives you permission to drive on the road for example, but does not indicate any specific skills in the operation.

Don’t get me wrong here. You will still have to sit a test, both written and practical, before being granted a license to drive a crane. This test however is related more to driving than to actually operating the crane.

Do you need both? This depends on what state you are operating in. Most states require a special license to drive the crane on the road, even if is just a CDL. Many states also require certification before you operate the crane. It is possible to have one person drive a crane to a location and for a second person to actually operate the crane. This is rather counterproductive and costly so almost all employers would prefer someone who was capable, licensed and certified to both tasks.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools we can provide all the training necessary to pass both the written and practical assessments to become a certified crane operator. In fact, we are ourselves are certified to conduct those assessments once you have completed your training. If you require a CDL to drive a crane on the open roads, we can also provide that training as well. That’s the complete package that would ensure you were capable, licensed and certified as a mobile crane operator.

Cranes are not all built the same. In fact some cranes are built for a specific purpose and a good example would the shipping container cranes you see at many of our major ports. These cranes are purpose built and can take a shipping container from a ship and place it onto the back of trailer ready for transport across land.

Other industries such as manufacturing, mining, construction and the timber often use purpose built or modified cranes to complete tasks that are unique to that industry. In some rare cases, the modification or attachment used can become popular and used by others in that industry.

Specializes machinery often requires specialized training. However, to gain certification an operator is required to complete a written and practical assessment to a set of standards. Specialized training has to be designed around the certification requirements as well as the employers needs.

To facilitate this, ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools employ crane operation instructors who travel to remote locations for crane training, testing, and certification. These specialized crane operator training programs can be customized to meet the employer’s time and cost requirements.

Training is designed to meet the needs of the employer which means the operator is working working productively a lot sooner. Although the training is specific to the equipment in use, the training also includes certification components. The visiting trainers are able to deliver the training and supervise the assessments. If you require specialized crane operator training then contact one of our representatives for more information.

The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is responsible for setting the minimum requirements that must be met to become a certified crane operator. Their certificate, the NCCCO crane operator certification, is one of the most widely recognized crane operator certifications in the crane operator industry.

In many states it is now mandatory to be certified before you can be employed as a crane operator. It makes sense then if you are looking at crane operations as a career, that you receive your training, assessment and certification through the one training school. These schools have all been assessed and accredited based on minimum and exacting standards themselves. This means you can be confident the training you are receiving is top quality and the certification you receive is well recognized by industry leaders – your potential future employers.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools deliver high quality training on both fixed cab and swing cab
mobile hydraulic cranes. Our training has been assessed by the NCCCO and meets their stringent criteria for the delivery of quality training.

ATS has also been approved by the NCCCO as a test site for both the NCCCO written and NCCCO practical exams for fixed and swing cab crane operators. For you as a potential crane operator, you can receive your comprehensive training to become a crane operator, undertake both the written and practical assessments and be certified as a crane operator – essentially, all under the one roof.

Skilled and certified crane operators are always in demand. They are also one of the highest paid heavy equipment operators in the industry so if you feel this a career for you – go to our online registration page and register your interest in becomes a certified crane operator.