One of the essential pieces of heavy equipment in most municipalities is a motor-grader. The grader operator operates a long blade that is dragged along the surface of a gravel road to keep it level. It also becomes a snow plow in the winter in some cases. This process is necessary for any area that has a need for roads to be smooth and clear.

Graders prepare the surface for asphalt, fine-tune the curves in the highways, level the ground for the pouring of concrete, and much more. They don’t do a lot of different things, like a backhoe, but they sure do what they are designed to do and they do it to perfection if the operator is skilled. Any time a smooth flat surface is needed, the blade of the grader can scrape that surface to a beautiful finish.

Many rural areas depend on the grader operator to keep the roads in shape. Construction companies, mining operations, and other industries rely on graders, too. Good grader operators are never without a possible job because so many places rely on this functional machine.

Need Skilled Grader Operator

The grader isn’t a machine that does the job alone. The way it is operated has a direct effect on the way the surface is scraped. It’s like the difference between an amateur trying to finish cement and the professional who gets that surface perfect — the same trowel might be used, but the difference is obvious.

The way to begin developing the skill a grader operator needs is by taking the time to be trained at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School. There isn’t a better way to get the fundamental skills and in-depth knowledge of heavy equipment operation that ATS offers in the heavy equipment operation programs.

As the winter season hits, heavy equipment operators in various parts of the country have opportunities to do some incredibly important service to the community. Whether you act as a volunteer or pick up some part-time income, dealing with storm damage is something that not everyone can do.

Storm Prep And Cleanup Are Needed

In some areas, crews are out trimming trees away from power lines in the hope that this year won’t be quite as catastrophic as the previous winter outages were for the region. Out west, snow has already closed some mountain roads and plows are out. It takes a skilled operator to maneuver big machinery in treacherous conditions because the operator must be completely familiar with the way their machine responds.

An experienced heavy equipment operator is one of the most important workers in the challenges of storm damage cleanup, and those who have the certifications and skills to provide these essential services will be deeply appreciated. Much of the estimated cost in a storm’s aftermath is the pay that the crews get to put things back the way they need to be.

Be Ready To Respond In Any Season

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is one of the best in the business. We have a solid reputation for providing the training that gives our graduates a competitive edge in their industry. Because our heavy equipment operation programs include experience at the controls of many different types of equipment, it’s not difficult to find ways to put that experience to work.

If you are doing research about getting trained as a professional heavy equipment operator, it’s a good thing. Choosing a career in the skilled trades means that your training is going to be scrutinized carefully. After all, you’ll be operating expensive equipment in dangerous situations, so the company wants to make sure they hire the best. Choose ATS for your training needs.

Since the insurance companies are also very interested in who is on the site and how the operators have been trained, that also comes into the consideration companies give to who gets hired. Credentials and affiliations are proof that a school has retained specific standards and training practices.

ATS Credentials & Affiliations

1. National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) has the highest standards in the business. All ATS instructors are NCCER credentialed, and we are an Accredited Sponsor. We also helped write the heavy equipment training textbooks, that’s not something that every school can say.
2. National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is a non-profit organization to develop safety and performance standards for crane operations throughout general industry and construction. ATS is an approved test site and registered training provider and if you are going to operate a crane, this is where to start looking at what you need.
3. Department of Workforce Development/Workforce Investment Act provides funding for financial assistance. ATS is an eligible training provider qualified to receive that funding, which means you could get money for our programs.
4. US Department of Veterans Affairs has approved ATS as an eligible training school, which means that military benefits are available if you qualify for them.
5. State Boards of Education in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana have approved ATS and licensed our school.
6. Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates ATS with an A+.
7. ISNetworld supports over 360 Hiring Clients to manage more than 54,000 companies in 75 countries. ATS is a registered contractor with ISNetworld, which gives us global connections.
8. Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association founded on the merit shop philosophy. ATS is a member of this organization committed to work safely, ethically, and profitably to improve the communities we work within.
9. National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) is the leading trade association working exclusively in this incredibly important industry. It takes heavy equipment to do a big job, and ATS is a member of NUCA.

Choose ATS For Your Training Needs

We are pleased to be affiliated and accredited by these organizations because the benefits of our connections help our students to be equipped to become respected in their industry.

The question often comes up about types of equipment you’ll be on at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School. The answer is: lots. We make sure you get familiar with all the machines on this list:

• Backhoes
• Scrapers
• Bulldozers
• Graders
• Skid Steer Loaders
• Wheel Loaders
• Excavators
• Off-Road Haul Trucks
• Front End Loaders
• All-Terrain Forklifts

The reason why we’ve found it’s important to give students lots of exposure to different kinds of machinery is that the same question can be asked about your job once you graduate. Heavy equipment is a big investment so most employers have a wide range of machines in their business.

Your employer might have a skid steer loader or a wheel loader. Maybe even both, from different decades. You might be using a brand new front end loader or a backhoe about to be retired. There’s no real way to know, so the best preparation is learning how to figure out what to do with whatever you are asked to operate.

If you are familiar with the way a lot of different equipment works and have a grasp of essential safety skills, you are in good shape. It helps to know how to identify soils, read grade and site layout, and use a laser level. The bigger your perspective is when you start a job, the easier it is to see why you are important on the work site.

Classes start every three weeks and there’s no waiting list. We set it up like that to fit the real world and real people’s schedules. Take a look at what ATS can help you learn, and you’ll be on the equipment you know how to run.

Becoming a heavy equipment operator is a childhood dream come true for some, and a new discovery for others. Learning how to safely and skillfully guide large machinery to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks is pretty amazing when you think about it. But many people who have the dream of operating heavy equipment don’t see that dream come true because they fail to recognize the help available. Here are the three basic parts of finding that heavy equipment career:

Training & Certification

Associated Training Services’ Heavy Equipment Operator Training School provides the best training around, with all the necessary certifications you need to be instantly employable. You get on-the-seat experience, preparation for the needed tests, and walk out as a graduate fully prepared to be an entry-level employee who only needs time to improve your skills.

Career Services

From the day you walk in the door, ATS Career Services starts working with you to develop the skills you need to get the job, such as interviewing, resume writing, and networking. They do a personal interview with each student and provide a customized packet of career possibilities when you graduate, based on the things you are interested in.

After graduation, Career Services stays available for you whenever you need assistance. Our database is constantly being updated with employment information so the leads you get are current.

Networking

Every graduate of ATS has access to the Total Resources Network, a job site that matches employers with qualified personnel. You can post your resume and qualifications, look for openings that meet your skill set, network with others, and much, much more. It really is a total resource network and a valuable asset for your career advancement.

Each one of these basic tips for finding a job in heavy equipment operation depends on you. Sure, you can find a job without one of them, but it’s going to be more difficult. And these are tools, the way you use them makes a difference in the outcome. Using each tip well is a sure way to find a good career.

Associated Training Services is a recognized training provider, approved for veterans and military educational assistance. There are many types of benefit packages, so it’s a good idea to contact our financial services department and ask if there’s something that fits your circumstance. Here’s a quick list of possibilities if you qualify:

• the GI Bill could provide monthly subsistence payments while you are in training
• the Montgomery GI Bill for pre-911 service members could help support your family
• the Post-911 GI Bill allows up to $17,500 for tuition assistance
• the Armed Forces Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is for active duty members of the military and could give up to $4,500
• National Guard and Reserve members might qualify for these or a state military benefits program
• injured service members or their descendants may qualify for Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation benefits

Military benefits are provided by state and federal government programs because as a member of the military you have earned them. As Memorial Day gets closer, there will be more folks saying “thank You for your service,” and we say that too. Thank you for the ways you have sacrificed to serve. We appreciate it.

Getting certified training as a heavy equipment operator, crane operator, CDL driver, or rigger/signalperson doesn’t just give you a piece of paper. ATS is committed to helping you get a job once you become a graduate, as long as it takes. From the time you send in your online application, we will help you figure out which benefits you qualify for and provide career counseling if you need it so that your career is on track.

Some people are a bit surprised when they see that Associated Training Services offers Class-A Commercial Drivers License training. Unless you are in the industry, one might think that truck drivers drive trucks and heavy equipment operators operate heavy equipment. So what is the reasons for an overlap?

1. The more things you can do on the job site, the more valuable you are on the job.
2. A lot of heavy equipment gets transported on flatbed trucks, so if you can transport your heavy equipment yourself, that’s a plus.
3. If all things are equal between two job applicants, the one with the CDL gets hired.

ATS started out training truck drivers 45 years ago, so we know what you need to learn in order to be ready for the job. For students who are learning to operate heavy equipment, adding the training for your Class-A Commercial Drivers License takes less than a month more to do. At the end of that training, you take the test and are equipped for employment with both operator and driver skills and paperwork.

That knowledge includes classroom and behind-the-wheel training. You’ll know the rules, regulations, safety and CDL equipment operations standards. You will be ready to take the CDL road test because you will have already been taught how to drive heavy equipment on roads, back it up, pre-trip inspections, coupling and uncoupling, and all the skills you need to pass the test and get your license.

Then you will be the one who is valuable on the job site, because you are prepared to operate heavy equipment and drive the big trucks that are part of the process.

Were you the kid who loved to play in the dirt or the sandbox? If you were, you probably had a toy dump truck that you used to haul piles of stuff from one end of your space in the dump it in another spot. It was fun to fill up the truck and then watch the whole load tip and dump where you wanted it to. Would you like to drive a dump truck now?

That childhood activity is the reason some people decide they want to be a dump truck driver. And you know what? They still think it is fun to get the truck full and take the whole load over to where they can tip up the bed and dump it where it needs to go. There are some special skills to learn before you can be a dump truck driver, but being interested in the activity makes that training the fulfillment of a childhood dream.

Dump truck drivers need their CDL because the trucks usually go over public roads. They should know how to operate the big trucks accurately, and be acquainted with the safety measures involved. A good dump truck driver can generally be found on the job year-round because they are usually the last piece of machinery that comes to a stop.

When you get your Class A Commercial Drivers License (CDL) at ATS, you learn how to transport heavy equipment and drive tankers as well as becoming proficient in dump truck operations. You will get trained on safely hauling many materials and be able to work in any industry.

When you are looking at your options for career training, financial aid is a big part of it. Once you get all your information (including your driver’s license) into the financial aid office at Associated Training Services, it can be processed in about two days — that’s not too long for such a big result. You can use fax, regular mail, or submit your application process online.

Because ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is accredited, many types of state and federal government programs recognize us as a legitimate recipient of educational grants and loans. Here are a few of the possible routes to help finance your training:

• veterans can use military benefits
• tribal education grants
• displaced workers and farmers
• various workforce development programs

ATS can even help high school students train for careers through high school achievement scholarships! And, did you know that a career loan can be used for housing and related expenses? As long as the money is used on living expenses incurred while training, it’s part of your career costs. The entire financial aid process is pretty confusing, and there are a lot of possible routes you can take to paying for the training you need to get started in your career as a heavy equipment operator.

Fortunately, our Financial Assistance department is staffed by experienced people who work with this stuff all the time, and know how to navigate the confusing possibilities correctly. We can help you through the application process and get you started with an understanding of what your costs will be and what financial assistance you can qualify for, and it can happen in just a few days.

Housing is part of the deal when you come to ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School. Here’s why:

1. We have found that giving our students a safe, comfortable place to stay helps them do better in the program.
2. Housing is available for all students.
3. It frees your mind to focus on learning the information and skills you are paying for.

Once you enroll in your studies, we reserve a room at the school’s dormitory for the full length of your training. Your room is equipped with cable TV, air conditioning, refrigerators, and access to laundry facilities. It’s an easy walk to restaurants and grocery stores, and it’s about four miles from Associated Training Services (ATS). There are 62 rooms at the Inn and you will meet other ATS students there, at different points in their training since our classes start every three weeks.

We have found that this solution to the problem of housing has been part of what our graduates appreciated during their stay. Friendships were formed when groups went out to eat together after class, and studies were enhanced by not worrying about extra hotel bills and a place in the room to read, and it will be that way for you too. It’s nice to be able to kick back and relax instead of driving back and forth from a distant hotel you found on the internet and regret.