When it comes to salaries and highest paid, heavy equipment jobs are a lot like many other career paths. You start at the bottom and work your way up. Still, your career salary will depend on a lot of factors, including

• Location
• Your skill level
• Your employer
• Your training and credentials
• Employment longevity
• Experience
• State of the economy
• Union vs. non-union

These are just some of the factors that can influence your heavy equipment career salary.

If you live in Hawaii, the median salary for heavy equipment operators is $68,120. New York, California, Illinois, and New Jersey aren’t far behind. The median wage in the U.S. is $41,870. Operators trained on the backhoe, crane, bulldozer, and grading equipment can make a little more.

This is why training is so important. If you seek crane operator training, for instance, from a highly respected training school, then you can start off with a better-than-expected salary. Just being trained by one of the best heavy equipment training schools in the U.S. can increase your salary expectations right off the bat. If you stay on the job, and stay with the same employer for a few years, you can expect salary increases.

The heavy equipment industry is one industry that will always need qualified employees. Get the proper training and have the proper employee mindset then you can earn good money.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is one of the most powerful U.S federal agencies, charged with inspecting businesses and ensuring that the workforce is a safe place to work. Richard Nixon signed the OSH Act into law in 1970. Since then, work-related deaths and injuries have been reduced by nearly 65 percent. Learn more on Obtaining OSHA training and qualifications.

One of the important functions of OSHA is to approve training programs like ATS’s Rigging and Signalperson qualification and certification courses.

The most important certification you can have in the heavy equipment industry is certification in safety.

We at ATS feel that safety is a top priority on the job site because if workers can’t be protected from accidents and unsafe working conditions, then it will be difficult to fill important and essential jobs. Employers will find it harder to keep well-qualified personnel on the machinery they need to complete important work.

The nation’s roads and bridges are built and maintained by heavy equipment operators. If working conditions are not safe, how long will it be before the national infrastructure crumbles?

OSHA fulfills a very important function. That’s why we’re proud to offer OSHA-compliant training that teaches the best and safest practices on the job site. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m not asking if you’re certifiable. That’s none of my business. I am asking if you have your certifications for working in the heavy equipment business. Are you certified?

There are different certifications you can test for. Every state has its own rules and regulations, of course, but you can get a national certification that will allow you to work anywhere. If you are a truck driver or heavy equipment operator, then I highly recommend one of those certifications.

There are two national certification agencies you should be familiar with:

• National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER)
• and National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO)

You can get credentialed from either of these certification agencies by taking a heavy equipment training course offered by ATS. These are nationally recognized training programs and nationally recognized certifications. They are accepted by government agencies, educational institutions, most industry employers, and professionals in the trucking and heavy equipment industries.

NCCER is a non-profit educational foundation associated with the University of Florida. All ATS instructors are required to have NCCER certification. Our students receive it as well when they graduate.

NCCCO was established to develop crane safety operation standards. It is recognized as the authority on crane safety in the U.S.

If you have an interest in the heavy equipment industry and are looking for a solid career, learn how you can get your certifications and join this growing profession.

There are several different types of cranes that a good crane operator should be familiar with. In general, there are two types of boom cranes – lattice boom and telescopic boom.

The boom of the crane is the long arm in the front or back of the vehicle that lifts the load you want to carry.

Lattice Boom

Chances are, you’ve seen lattice boom cranes at work somewhere. They look like a huge machine with a long arm extended in the air. The arm can rotate, move up or down, and move forward or back. They are the most common type of crane on the job site. It makes sense, then, to train on this type of crane since you’ll likely have to use one.

Telescopic Boom

In contrast to lattice booms, telescopic booms are typically hydraulic. They are hinged at the bottom where the arm meets with the body of the crane. The boom is then lifted when the crane operator pulls a switch telling the arm to raise or lower. The hydraulic system, or cables, does all the work.

For a longer and more rewarding career as a crane operator, you’d do well to be trained on both types of cranes. You want your training to be as complete as possible. The more equipment you are capable of using the more in demand you will be on the job.

Learn more about ATS’s crane operator training today.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has its regulation for the delivery of rigging and signalperson training, as well as the certification of riggers and signalpersons. Associated Training Services does not set those OSHA-Compliant standards, but we must comply with them.

As a matter of course, ATS training programs exceed OSHA requirements. That includes the rigging certification course we offer.

There are actually two rigging and signalperson training programs at ATS. There is a qualification course, which trains people interested in the profession to become qualified riggers and/or signalpersons. When you graduate from this course you’ll be qualified to hold a job as a rigger.

The other course is a certification course. After graduating this course, you’ll be certified as a rigger/signalperson and can actually hold a position as either one in your state.

The ATS rigging and signalperson certification training program follow these standards:

• Written exams match the in-class curriculum. In other words, what you train on is what you’ll be tested on.
• Exceeds all OSHA requirements for training.
• You’ll receive practical training assignments followed by practical exams.
• You’ll receive 32-36 hours of rigging/signalperson training over the course of four days.
• After you successfully complete the training you’ll be awarded certifications for NCCCO Rigging Level One and NCCCO Signalperson.

If you’re ready to enter the proud ranks of qualified and certified riggers, then ATS’s rigging/signalperson training program is for you.

Many states today now require crane operators to be certified. This should not be seen as a negative or an obstacle. Sure, it might be a little inconvenient, but think of the benefits.

First, crane operators are in high demand. If you are certified to operate a crane, then you’ll be more in demand as an employee and have a leg up in job interviews. Secondly, crane operators make a lot of money. In fact, they are some of the highest paid heavy equipment operators on the work site.

Crane operator certification through ATS includes training on fixed and swing cab mobile hydraulic cranes. The training will prepare you for the NCCCO certification exams, both the written and practical versions. You’ll receive the most rigorous training offered through the industry. In addition, you’ll be trained on special types of cranes, including:

• Rough terrain boom cranes
• Lattice boom cranes
• Articulated and knuckle boom cranes
• Swing cab boom cranes
• Fixed boom trucks
• Fixed cab cranes

ATS also provides OSHA-compliant rigging and signalperson training.

Crane certification training can take place at ATS facilities or on the employer’s job site. Having the training on your job site could be beneficial if you have several crane operators you want to be trained and certified. You can get more details on crane certification training through ATS.

Sometimes an employer needs specialized training for their employees. Associated Training Services is capable of providing that training on-site or at our location.

Since 1959, ATS has been training truck drivers and heavy machine operators on a variety of equipment. Our reputation is based on our long-standing success in delivering this training and meeting the needs of employers in the industry. We provide skills-oriented training for employers in the following areas:

• NCCCO Crane Operator Training, Testing and Certification
• OSHA Compliant Rigging & Signal Person Training, Testing and Qualification
• NCCER Heavy Equipment Training, Testing and Qualification
• Class-A CDL Commercial Driver Training, Testing, and Licensing

Employer-specific specialized training can take place in a number of ways. Our training programs include training on backhoes, bulldozers, wheel loaders, excavators, scrapers, articulated dump trucks, motor graders, all-terrain forklifts, mobile hydraulic cranes, lattice boom cranes, articulated boom cranes, and commercial motor vehicles. We also provide CDL testing for employees who want to become truck drivers. This training can be rolled into your employer-specific specialized training curriculum.

In essence, ATS builds a curriculum around your employee’s needs. Our training initiatives are designed to improve their skill levels while meeting your needs as employer.

For more information about the ATS Employer-Specific Specialized Training package, visit our website.

Is money stopping you from changing careers? It is one of the main reasons that people stick out their current careers even though they hate every day they go to work. Money shouldn’t be an obstacle to a new career, and at Associated Training Services, we don’t believe it should stop you from seriously considering a career as a heavy equipment operator.

Training to become a heavy equipment operator is not free. There are training costs involved, and sometimes, ancillary costs such as travel and/or accommodation. We minimize these costs as much as possible, including the cost of local accommodation. By staying close to our training school, you will also save on travel costs.

You will still have an upfront cost that must be paid prior to your training commencing. We have tried to alleviate this problem by providing a financial assistance service. If you qualify for a career loan, for example, your training, and many of those ancillary costs are covered. As an alternative, you may be eligible for funding through various government programs, including those designed to help current and former military personnel and their families.

Money should not stop you from undertaking training to become a heavy equipment operator. If it has in the past, come and talk to us, or fill in our online application for financial assistance. If granted, you will have made that all-important first step to a new and challenging career as a heavy equipment operator. Our financial assistance service is also available to those looking to train to become truck drivers or crane operators.

If you are considering a career as a new crane operator, then you will be surprised at how many different types of cranes there are, and how many different types of jobs they do. When you look around many workplaces, there are cranes of some description in use. Some of these cranes include:

• Railroad Cranes that sit on a rail flatbed carriages
• Telescopic Cranes that have a boom that can telescope out.
• Tower Cranes that stand quite tall. These cranes are disassembled and put together on higher floors as a building is being constructed.
• Truck Mounted Cranes are cranes that are mounted on truck flatbeds
• Rough Terrain Cranes have four rubber tires that are designed for off-road and “rough terrain” applications
• Crawler Cranes are mounted on tracks to added stability and mobility
• Loader Cranes are hydraulically-powered cranes that are fitted to a trailer
• Gantry Cranes are used in container ports and rail freight terminals
• Overhead Cranes are suspended from ceilings are very common in factories
• Floating Cranes are generally mounted on barges and used mainly in bridge building and port construction
• Mobile Cranes are trucks that have a separate crane mounted behind the truck driver. These cranes can move quickly from job to job.

Some of these cranes require operators who have had years of experience on smaller or less complicated cranes. There are still many options available to new crane operators who are entering the workforce. One of the easiest introductions to crane operation is through mobile cranes. We can provide the training and certification required to get a start in this industry. You just need to decide on your career goals in crane operations.

It’s amazing how brazen some people can be. The construction industry is full of technology stories related to workers turning up for work and finding that someone had, overnight, stolen equipment, tools, and building materials. Imagine turning up for work and finding a large bulldozer was missing. That requires a truck to transport it away from the construction site, and let’s face it, moving a bulldozer is not a quiet job – yet people do it. More importantly, they steal large heavy equipment and they are often never found – at least, until now.

The introduction of GPS units into modern heavy equipment has had an upside, GPS units can be used to track vehicles if and when they are stolen. Recent news stories highlight how effective this technology is. I remember reading one news story that reported the successful location of stolen heavy equipment just one hour after it was reported stolen, all because of the GPS unit located inside the equipment.

GPS is just one of the new technologies that are being used to make life easier for heavy equipment operators. Computer-aided systems are everywhere now – from those designed to ensure the smooth and economical running of an engine to complex units designed to help operators finely adjust the settings on their blades.

New heavy equipment operators have it easy. They learn to operate heavy equipment using this new technology and can then update their skills on the job as new technology is introduced. Older drivers who return to the industry after a lengthy lay-off are often amazed at the changes in heavy equipment and sometimes struggle to come to terms with these changes.  Heavy equipment technology is making life easier for operators, safer for workers, and protecting equipment from theft – all positive for those involved in the field of heavy equipment operations.