There is a definite appeal to big machinery, and every heavy equipment operator knows the thrill of controlling a massive, powerful unit that makes a bigger impact on the job being done. But there also is an appeal to the smaller equipment that can be manipulated skillfully to do exactly what is needed without disturbing the rest of the area.

Backhoes, for instance, are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment around. A smaller backhoe is often required to do delicate maneuvering on job sites that need to have minimal impact on the environment. In this case, bigger is definitely not better.

Green Construction Jobs

There is a growing need for operators who can provide the skill to utilize a smaller version of the traditional heavy equipment and do the job without messing up too much of the surrounding area. Many high-end homebuilders carefully buy wooded lots, for instance, and want those trees to stay where they are so the home being built has the advantages of the landscape. Big equipment can’t be used in this case.

Green jobs and training are a constantly growing part of the heavy equipment industry. Some of those green jobs will need really bigger machines and the operators who know how to handle them, it’s true. But a lot of those green jobs will need an operator who can get a big job done with a compact piece of machinery.

One of the reasons students at ATS get experience on many types and sizes of heavy equipment is because there’s such a wide variety of type and size being used in the industry today.

Can a backhoe be used to place eggs in a bowl? That’s one of the challenges at the Weber County Fair, wherein the second year of the backhoe rodeo contestants try their hand at a lot of things you wouldn’t ordinarily expect a backhoe operator to tackle.

“In front of supporters numbering in the low hundreds at the fair’s 2nd annual Backhoe Rodeo, 28 competitors nimbly manipulated various tractors to gently ease three eggs into a small bowl, three bowling pins into narrow canisters and one each of a basketball, soccer and tennis ball into a garbage can. The machines may not be as fickle as a discontented bull — but mastering them takes years, said Dean Maw, manager of Maw Equipment and the sponsor co-hosting the event with Weber County.” — Ben Lockhart, Standard-Examiner Staff

“It takes a lot of getting used to a lot of seat time,” said Nathan Skeen, from North Ogden, who has been riding the machinery for 15 years. “Everybody can kind of run one everybody can get on and kind of play with it, but it takes a know-how to know where to move the dirt or kind of what to do with it to get the job done.”

According to the article, Justin Anderson, from rural Weber County west of Ogden, took home the first prize of $300 and an embroidered jacket. Second place gets $200, and third place gets $100. Not everybody can maneuver this piece of heavy equipment to get such detailed jobs done, but it sure is impressive to watch them do it.

Backhoes are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment, and those who have been trained to operate them continue to develop skills worthy of a rodeo just by being on the job, in the seat, doing what they are paid to do. If you are interested in operating a backhoe as a skilled professional, ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is a good place to start.

Operating a backhoe is one of the most rewarding of heavy equipment jobs. Backhoe operators enjoy the machinery they’ve been trained to operate and are a very important part of any job site. They are often paid well and enjoy job security. But the first step to becoming a backhoe operator is to get trained as one.

Getting trained as a backhoe operator is as easy as enrolling in a suitable training course. It can be an online course or it can be a course that requires a physical presence.

There are different types of training and different training environments. The best backhoe training is one that offers a certain level of classroom training time before allowing novice operators an opportunity to get in the operator’s seat, but if your training consists entirely of classroom training, then you won’t get any practical experience before hitting the job site. That is unsafe.

For that reason, Associated Training Services recommends a backhoe training environment that offers practical in-the-seat experience with a qualified instructor.

ATS instructors are backhoe operators with years of experience. In many cases, they were safety or quality managers on the job site before coming to work as instructors. They are certified as heavy equipment operators and qualified as backhoe operators. Their first concern is to ensure you learn the skills in a safe environment.

After getting your backhoe training from ATS, you’ll be well-qualified to work on any job site in the country.

When digging a hole with my mouth, my wife asks, “Would you like a bigger backhoe?”

It’s an apt question. Thankfully, it doesn’t happen too often. But the backhoe does make a great metaphor. It’s equally as impressive in real life. There’s so much you can do with it.

Most people think of digging holes when they think of backhoes. That’s good because you can dig a lot of holes. But you can also carry things with the backhoe. Because they’re small and versatile, you can carry other equipment. I’ve seen people carry all sorts of items in the bucket of a backhoe.

Backhoes are also useful for digging and breaking up asphalt. On construction sites, you might see the operator bang the bucket on the asphalt to break it up.

Speaking of construction, road crews often use backhoes for paving roads. The bucket is perfect for carrying asphalt, concrete, or macadam and pouring it where it needs to be poured so that drivers have avenues and thoroughfares leading them from Point A to Point B.

How many times have you tried to remove a tree stump by digging with your hands? Why not use a backhoe? You can dig in under the roots and pull it right up.

Since backhoes are so versatile and useful, the heavy equipment industry could use a few more backhoe operators. You’re in luck. Heavy Equipment School teaches students how to operate a backhoe.

Need heavy equipment to help with a demolition job? The backhoe could just be the ideal tool. Backhoes are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment used in construction. Their ‘hoe’ is ideal for digging trenches, knocking down walls, and even ‘raking’ debris into a pile. The loader at the front is then ideal for cleaning up debris by scooping it up and emptying it all into dump trucks.

A backhoe’s versatility doesn’t end there. Backhoes are one of several pieces of heavy equipment that can have specialized tools attached. These tools include a breaker that can be used to break up concrete blocks. A backhoe will often be called in to do this job in situations where the concrete is too large or too thick for standard jackhammers. The breaker is only one of many attachments that include tools such as an auger, a grapple, and single and triple shank rippers. Together, these tools make a backhoe a very handy tool around demolition sites.

A little less effective is an excavator. Excavators have the same range of attachments that a backhoe supports, however, an excavator doesn’t have the scoop at the front to collect and remove debris. A second piece of equipment in the form of a loader is required. One trend is to replace backhoes with mini-excavators and bob cars. Between them, they offer a lot of flexibility and can be used very effectively in confined spaces. That option does require two heavy equipment operators, a cost factor that businesses are ever mindful of.

The recommendation from the industry now is fairly simple – learn to operate as many different types of heavy equipment as possible. Whilst backhoes are still popular, it is wise to also learn how to operate an excavator and loader, and perhaps a bulldozer as well. Heavy equipment training through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools is delivered using a wide range of machinery. You can graduate with well-developed skills in a variety of heavy equipment giving you the versatility to pick and choose the jobs that appeal to the most.

Many mistake it for a bulldozer or a steam shovel, but the backhoe is one of the most important pieces of heavy equipment on any work site. It is highly versatile and needed on nearly every construction site. Due to its versatility, some intense backhoe training is required to ensure safe and proper operation at all times.

A backhoe can be recognized by its unique design. In laymen’s terms, it looks a lot like a trailer with a small shovel (the actual backhoe) on the back end and a front end loader, a wider shovel, on the front of the machine. The backhoe itself is basically a backward shovel on the end of two arms; the shovel is pulled toward the driver when digging. The arm closest to the shovel is called the “dipper” and the arm closest to the body of the machine is known as the “boom.” The backhoe is mainly used for excavating or digging; this can include landscaping, digging foundations, excavating trenches for pipes and cable and more. The loader end of the backhoe can then be used to load this material into a dump or rock truck, and then, it also can be used to smooth out these areas.

As with all heavy equipment, the backhoe is a massive and dangerous piece of equipment on any work site. As a result, an operator must show extreme caution and be aware of everything in his surroundings. The backhoe needs a wide path to operate and moves much faster than one might anticipate. It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure the safety of himself and all of his coworkers. To make certain of this, it is mandated that the operator must be given thorough backhoe training .

Backhoe operators have one of the most varied careers when it comes heavy equipment. One moment they are excavator operators and the next, loader operators. Because of their versatility, they are also used in a wide variety of situations. Home building, landscaping, construction of services such as water and sewage, forestry and road constructions are just a few areas where you will find a backhoe. As an operator, you could find yourself working in any one of those places – everyday it may be different.

When it comes to owning an earth moving business, backhoes are often the first choice because of that versatility. As an owner operator, backhoes can do some of the work of an excavator or a loader. This means owner operators can offer their services to a wider range of clients.

As a career, backhoe operators are well sought after, particularly those that have a wide range of experience. The only way to gain that experience is by starting at the bottom and working your way up. Starting at the bottom means finding a good backhoe or heavy equipment training provider – one that will train you to industry standards so that you are employable from the day you graduate.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have a long history of providing proficient operators to industry. We also have a very effective career services department that may be able to help you secure that first job. As industry leaders in heavy equipment training, we pride ourselves on the reputation gained with employers across the country. Are you looking for a career that takes you outdoors, is varied and, at times, challenging then consider a career as a backhoe operator.

Are you sitting at home wondering where your next job is going to come from? Have you considered undertaking a few weeks training to learn new skills? If you haven’t then maybe it’s time you did because it only takes three weeks to learn the skills required to become a backhoe operator. In fact, it only takes three weeks to acquire the skills to operate most forms of heavy equipment.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools are one of the most respected heavy equipment schools around, having supplied the construction industry with literally thousands of new recruits. Our graduates are noted for being skilled and ready for employment through training that is accredited to national standards.

Now all that sounds like one big ad doesn’t it? Yet, it’s all true. Let’s take a step back.

The construction industry has been on the crest of a wave over the last 12 months thanks to the injection of massive amounts of money by the Federal Government. This funding is going into basic infrastructure programs like roads, bridges and schools. More importantly, it has created a lot of new jobs across the board including heavy equipment. Backhoe operators have been particularly blessed with plenty of work because of the versatility of their equipment.

On the flip side of the coin, there are many hard working Americans who are now out of work, simply because the economist and the bankers got it all wrong. If you are one of them (hard working American that is, not an economist or banker) then you can get your working life back on track by taking on a career as a backhoe operator. These jobs are well paid with good work conditions and a terrific camaraderie. Just be sure you gain your heavy equipment training through an accredited, well-respected heavy equipment training company. Call us and reclaim your career – it only takes three weeks.

How long do you think backhoes have been around? Backhoes came to life in the mid 1950s when someone had a brain wave and decided to add a shovel to the front of a tractor and hoe to the rear. Because the action of the hoe is the reverse of other equipment, it was called a backhoe. While the term backhoe really relates more to the hoe, the name stuck to the machine as a whole.

History aside, the backhoe has become one of the most popular units in the fleet known as heavy equipment, or earth moving equipment. The backhoe has come a long way from those early days and now includes four wheel drive, turbo drives, air-conditioned cabs, and computerized components. Despite the advancements, little has changed in the actual operational aspects of the equipment.

Sure, an operator from the early ’60s would struggle to operate one of today’s machines, given an hour or so to familiarize themselves with the controls, and they would be up and running and ready to work. One of the upsides to acquiring heavy equipment operator skills is that these skills are with you for life. Like all skills, it may take an hour or two to get up to speed if you’re out of the business for a couple of years, but the actual operations are still the same.

You can acquire the skills to become an effective backhoe operator by undertaking a heavy equipment training program. At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools, these training programs run for three weeks so, in effect, you can become a qualified operator in less than a month. Are you interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator? If you are then check out our heavy equipment training programs. A career as a backhoe operator could be just around the corner.

The backhoe has often been seen as a thrown together cross between a fully fledged excavator and a full size front-end loader. There is probably a little truth in it as well since the backhoe can do some of the work of an excavator using one end of the machine, and do some of the work of a front end loader using the other half.

Looking a little like a scorpion, backhoes have their place in construction, particularly when the jobs require the services of a smaller machine. Over the years new technology has made big inroads into the capabilities of excavators, road graders and to a lesser extent, bulldozers and front-end loaders. The backhoe hasn’t been forgotten with new attachments coming out all the time.

One attachment that came out several years ago really changed some of the capabilities of backhoes. There are times when a sidewalk needs to be torn up and the best machine for the job was the backhoe. However, there were times when the only way to complete the job involved damaging the areas either side of the sidewalk. A new tool called a Rototilt was introduced that completely changed the way a backhoe tackled the job. Now, a backhoe can dig up a sidewalk and cause little or no damage to surrounding areas.

This is just one attachment, there are hundreds of others. What has it meant to the backhoe? It is no longer a cross between an excavator and a front-end loader, it is a legitimate machine in its own right. Whilst the combined skills of an excavator operator and front-end loader operator are ideal, the backhoe now demands skills specific to the machine. If you are looking for a career in heavy equipment that is challenging and involves a lot of variety, consider undertaking backhoe training – it’s a career that continues to evolve and challenge operators – you will never find yourself becoming bored.