There are thousands of heavy equipment operators who go to work each day, often on a construction site where the only people they need to relate to is fellow workers and managers. There is growing need in the community for heavy equipment operators who can also work a public relations role. These are the operators that work with other businesses or home owners. It goes under the guise of customer service, however, it does play a role that goes beyond just customer service.

Being able to work with clients is important in today’s workforce. Those clients are the very people who can make or a break a business, and with it, your career. If you can follow the instructions and complete the client’s requirements in a timely fashion, that client is more likely to recommend you to others. They are also more likely to call on you the next time they need your services.

Customer service includes communicating with a client, perhaps discussing how the job can best be completed, and often filling out billing information such as hours and equipment used. Some businesses require their operators to also collect a payment once the job has been completed. Tact, a pleasant demeanor and a professional approach are all vital traits that a heavy equipment operator requires to work in this environment.

We can provide the training to help you become a heavy equipment operator. Whether or not you have what it takes to take on a customer service role will depend very much on your past experiences, your personality, and your ability to get on with other people. If you have what it takes to add customer service skills to your heavy equipment operating skills, then you’ll find there are plenty of opportunities for you in the field of heavy equipment operations.

Bulldozers are famous for pushing dirt around. They have incredible strength for their size and are capable of pushing tons of dirt in a day. Bulldozers can make use of that strength to pull as well. In today’s video, you’ll see a bulldozer using a twin ripper to break up the ground ready for removal. Bulldozers often work in partnership with a scraper. The bulldozer rips open the ground and the scraper comes through and lifts the loose soil into its hopper to be dumped elsewhere.

In this video, you’ll get a glimpse of a scraper working in the background. Take a closer look at the action towards the end of the video. You’ll get a close look at the ripper in action, and the power of the bulldozer. You’ll see the bulldozer tracks skidding in place as the ripper gets caught, however, once the tracks bite and the bulldozer regains traction, those ripper teeth just carve through the ground.

Bulldozer operators are amongst the busiest heavy equipment operators around today. Bulldozers form the basis of most heavy equipment companies since they really do all the hard preparation work on a building site. You can learn to operate a bulldozer through a heavy equipment training school. At ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, we include both bulldozers and scrapers in our training – in fact, you’ll learn how to operate a range of machinery, a factor you’ll welcome in the workplace as employers are now looking for multi-skilled heavy equipment operators.

Whether you receive your training from an accredited training school, or from a friend or relative, it’s your future that’s at stake. You need to gain as much as possible out of that training. With an accredited training school, you know you are going to receive training that’s set to an industry standard. You are also going to be trained in the right way of doing things rather than learning someone else’s bad habits.

Whichever way you decide to go, the onus ultimately is on you to learn as much as possible. In an accredited training school like ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, you are going to receive training in a classroom (for the theoretical components), on the ground (for walk around and equipment identification), and in the driver’s seat (actually operating the equipment in a work like environment). Some consider the theoretical side to be rather boring (although we do make it as interesting as possible), it is still an essential aspect of your training.

When it comes to sitting in the driver’s seat and learning how to operate heavy equipment, get as much practice as possible, especially in areas that you find difficult. The more you practice, the easier it becomes – and practicing the right techniques will help you perfect your skills.

Getting the most out of heavy equipment training doesn’t just stop with your heavy equipment training. We have a career services section that works with students to help them find their first job once they have graduated. This service is free to students, and can be a very valuable side to your training. Our career services personnel can show you how to write an industry acceptable resume and job application. They can also help you with interview techniques, all skills that you will come to rely on in the years ahead.

Statistics show that students who make the best use of their training are the graduates who have the best success in their new career. If you’re considering a career change to heavy equipment operations, make sure you choose an accredited heavy equipment training school and then be sure to get as much as possible out of your training – you won’t regret it.

The days of focusing on one piece of heavy equipment as a career are quickly fading. Employers are constantly looking for heavy equipment operators who are multi-skilled, generally on heavy equipment, however, there are other associated skills that employers look for. A commercial drivers license is always handy to have since many employers prefer operators who can also drive trucks.

A look at this past weekend’s job opportunities is a good indication of what employers are looking for, although interestingly enough, this weekend is one of the few where a CDL didn’t appear in one or more job listings. Instead, we had employers that included the following:

• Must have hours on Trackhoe, Backhoe, Dozer and/or Grader;
• safe operation of various heavy equipment vehicles; and
• operates equipment including excavator, compactor, bulldozer, forklift and front end loader

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools offer training on a wide range of heavy equipment including:

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

Once you have covered the basic training, you should look for opportunities where you can build up hours on a range of heavy equipment. You’ll become more confident on each unit, and over time, build up a range of skills that employers will find attractive.

When looking to change careers, it often pays to carefully study job advertisements in that niche. You will then know what employers are looking for and so prepare yourself for those requirements. Employers are still picky when it comes to heavy equipment operators – they know the type of worker they want, and they know which training establishments provide the best graduates – so deliver them what they are looking for. Over time, you’ll have the pick of the jobs.

If you’re looking for a job that pays top wages, offers an excellent benefit package, or perhaps provides you with an opportunity to work for a global leader, then keep on reading. This week’s job listings include opportunities with theses features for heavy equipment operators.

Pipeline Foreman & Experienced Heavy Equipment Operator
Dewey, OK
Hiring Pipeline Foreman & Experienced Heavy Equipment Operators! Must have hours on Trackhoe, Backhoe, Dozer and/or Grader TOP WAGES & BENEFITS!

Heavy Equipment Operator
Tyler, TX
A global leader in engineering, consulting, design, program management, construction and operations, is looking for heavy equipment operators.

Heavy Equipment Operator II
Joseph City, AZ
Heavy Equipment Operators are responsible for the safe operation of various heavy equipment vehicles that perform the spreading and compaction of construction and demolition, commercial and residential waste disposed of at the post collection facilities. Occasionally, items up to 50 lb. must be lifted while performing the daily routine in all weather conditions. Daily Equipment Inspections (DEI) is required.

Heavy Equipment/Scale Operator – Landfill
Punta Gorda, FL
POSITION SUMMARY…Reporting to an Operations Manager/Supervisor, this position operates heavy equipment to move materials and tow trailers for the purpose of transferring spreading, covering, loading and/or compacting waste or soil in a productive and safe manner. Safely and productively operates equipment including excavator, compactor, bulldozer, forklift and front end loader.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Portage, IN
A leading provider of services to steel companies throughout the United States and Canada, has several openings for Heavy Equipment Operators at our job site. Primarily we are in need of loader operators. Full time, permanent employment and an excellent benefit package including medical, dental, prescription drugs, disability, life insurance, and 401k. 2-3 years experience as heavy equipment operator preferred.

If you require more information on these or any other job opportunities, or if you’re an employer looking for heavy equipment operators, crane operators or truck drivers, then visit our job site. It’s totally free and available for both employers and job seekers.

Good heavy equipment operators are in short supply in some areas and this is forcing businesses to look at other options. In Canada they are taking their training programs into the high schools training 17- and 18-year-old students for a career as heavy equipment operators. For the youngsters, it’s a great program. The moment they leave school they are ready to start work earning good money, and as one student suggested:

This is a giant Tonka toy ….. This is my dream come true. I just love it.

There are numerous programs across the country that help unemployed and/or ex-military persons retrain as heavy equipment operators. Is there really that big a shortage of skilled heavy equipment operators? The construction industry is one that has aged over the last twenty years. Becoming a heavy equipment operator hasn’t been high on the agenda of young adults as they graduate from high school and college. With the lack of youth coming through, and a very high proportion of baby-boomers working in the industry, there is a prediction that operator numbers will plummet over the next ten years if we don’t recruit new operators to the industry.

Will moving into the schools help alleviate this problem? Every program that develops new entrants will help. However, the approach in Canada has been to only accept 15 students each year into their program. That is really only a drop in the ocean when we are going to need thousands over the next decade.

For those considering a career change, you could do worse than consider a career as a heavy equipment operator. The wages are good, and once experienced, there will be plenty of work available over the next ten to fifteen years. Don’t leave it to the kids; jump in now and grab your chance for a new career.

Mention heavy equipment and most people will think of bulldozers, graders and excavators. However, there is much smaller equipment in use every day that also wears the heavy equipment label. This group of heavy equipment machinery includes mini-trenchers, mini-loaders like the skid steer loader and mini excavators. Whilst these smaller machines are easier to operate that than their larger counterparts, operators still require training.

Heavy equipment safety is almost the same no matter how large or small the machinery is. Understanding soils, reading site plans, and working as part of an overall team is also identical irrespective of the machinery’s size. Operators will tell you that operating those little guys can be a lot of fun and certainly makes for an interesting break away from the larger equipment.

Who uses these smaller machines? They are actually used a lot in construction and have become a popular tool for landscape gardening. Excavators, backhoes and loaders can do all the muscle work, however, as a project comes close to completion, it can be difficult squeezing those larger machines around buildings. That’s where those little guys are so important – they can fit down a standard driveway and can actually complete a lot of work in a short space of time. They are also economical when it comes to adding the finishing touches.

If you are interested in a career as an operator of smaller heavy equipment, you will still need to complete a heavy equipment training program. On completion, you will be well prepared for work operating heavy equipment of all sizes.

If there was one piece of advice that I could offer to anyone contemplating a career as a truck driver, heavy equipment operator, or crane operator, it would be to thoroughly check out their training options. There are a lot of training options available and they range from the totally unplanned training you receive from a friend or relative to the training programs that run for six, or even twelve months. And there are plenty of other options that sit in between.

It’s not so much the length of the training program that matters. We could put together a training program that ran for three months, and like many other training establishments that run longer courses, you will spend most of your time pushing dirt from A to B then back again; or digging a hole, then filling it in again, only to dig the same hole the next day. Practice is important, however, what is most important are the skills and knowledge you learn as they relate to the workplace.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have developed training programs designed to have graduates work ready on completion. Rather than charging you thousands of dollars for long practice sessions, our three week training program concentrates on the essential skills and knowledge required by both government regulatory authorities, and by employers. After 50 years in the business of training, we have developed strong relationships with both groups, and this has helped us fine tune our training.

Whilst training is the most important factor, it is not the only factor to look at when comparing schools. You should also consider what financial assistance each school offers, what employment assistance is offered, and what post training assistance there is.

If you decide to take a closer look at ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised on all three fronts. We offer financial assistance (including training for those qualified for government funded training programs), we have a well organized employment services department, and we continue to assist graduates where ever we can once they have completed their training. And that training is first class – don’t believe me? Put us to the test – come and take a closer look.

There are almost always job vacancies for heavy equipment operators, crane operators and truck drivers. Sometimes those job vacancies are not in your immediate area, however, you may only need to look in the next county to find a great job. The real question then is how far are you prepared to travel each day. I have grouped this week’s job vacancies by county to make it easier for you to find something close to home.

One point that is worth noting, many of the heavy equipment job vacancies prefer operators with a commercial drivers license. If you don’t have one, perhaps it’s time you considered adding one. We can help you fast track your CDL through our truck driver training program.

The job opportunities received this week include:

Heavy Equipment Operators Wanted:

Morgan City, LA
Marietta, GA
Portage, OH
Wauchula, FL
City of Saint Cloud, FL
Cooper City, FL
Tyler, TX
Huntsville, AL
Grand Forks, ND
3 Forks, MT
Onalaska, WI
Hancock, MN

Truck Drivers Wanted:

Morgan City, LA
Windsor, WI
Huntsville, AL
Watford, ND
Grand Forks, ND

Crane Operators Wanted:

TX, State.
Madison, WI
Darien, WI

If you require more information on these or any other job opportunities as they arrive, visit our job site. It’s totally free and available for both employers and job seekers.

Bulldozers are not as versatile as some units of heavy equipment. In fact, a bulldozer’s main claim to fame is its sheer strength. A bulldozer is really a glorified tractor that has had a large blade added to the front. When I say “glorified,” today’s bulldozers look nothing like their origins, yet to all intents and purposes, that’s all a bulldozer is – a tractor.

When it comes to work, bulldozers go where no normal tractor would risk. Where tractors have large tires, bulldozers run on treads, much like a military tank. This means they can easily traverse sand, mud and the kind of terrain that no normal vehicle could handle. The large working blade at the front is where all the action is, and there’s plenty of power behind that blade.

A bulldozer operator can work in a wide range of sites including a battlefield (the military employs a large number of bulldozer operators), construction (including road building and site clearing for houses and buildings), mines and quarries. In simple terms, a bulldozer’s job is to just push earth around. In practical terms, the job is never as easy as that. A bulldozer operator needs a good knowledge of soil types and how they will react to being pushed around. A bulldozer operator also needs a good understanding of plans and how to read and work to a plan.

Whilst pushing dirt around is a bulldozer operator’s main function, they are also responsible for their equipment. This means giving the equipment a good inspection before and after a days work, keeping essential fluids filled, and ensuring the safe operation of the equipment. Bulldozers can also have a range of attachments added to the rear of the equipment. These have a variety of uses including ripping up compacted areas, digging out roots, and breaking up concrete.

It takes three weeks of quality heavy equipment training to become a bulldozer operator. Once you graduate, there is work available for new operators, and you’ll appreciate the decent paycheck that bulldozer operators receive.