Most people think of a bulldozer as a big heavy earth moving machine that spends its time pushing dirt around. While that is its primary function, bulldozers are actually quite versatile, especially if you step around back. What many people don’t realize is that a bulldozer can be fitted with tools at the rear; for example, single or multiple shank rippers. These are used, as the name suggests, to rip into the ground.

A bulldozer’s ripper has multiple uses, however, its primary use is to break open very hard ground. The ripper can also be used to tear up rock, concrete or sealed roads. The front dozer blades can then push through the material clearing the way for further work. Another attachment that is similar to a ripper can be added that helps to break apart tree stumps, a common activity when land is being cleared.

It’s also common for bulldozers to have scrapers, winches and even heavy weights added to the rear. The heavy weights provide more stability and traction when the equipment is used to push dirt in difficult situations. When learning to operate a bulldozer, you should become as familiar with the rear area and the attachments available as you are with the front. Bulldozer operators are often required to rip open hard packed surfaces before bulldozing the top layer away, a difficult task if you have only familiarized yourself with the front end.

Heavy equipment training provided by a well respected training organization will include some instruction on what the rear section of a bulldozer is used for. Bulldozers don’t just push dirt around. They do have other uses, and to be a good bulldozer operator you need to learn as much as possible about those alternatives.

While many construction sites slow down their activities over winter, other industries ramp up their activities. Landscape gardening is one area that is not thought of as a user of heavy equipment, yet in many cases, heavy equipment is the only machinery suited to a job. Frozen ground is no fun to dig in by hand, yet excavators and backhoes can often work with little effort.

So what sort of jobs would heavy equipment be used in landscape gardening. One of the more frequent tasks is the movement of whole trees. Winter, or the dormant season, is the best time to move a tree. Excavators and backhoes are perfectly designed for this type of work, including cutting through excess root systems. Mobile cranes are often used to lift the tree, root ball and all, into a truck ready for transport.

Before trees are transplanted, an excavator or backhoe will dig a large hole. A mobile crane is then used to lower the root ball into the hole, and to hold the tree upright while the soil is then back-filled into the hole. Backhoes are a handy tool for this job – the shovel can dig the hole while the loader can be used as a bulldozer to push the soil. In some cases, one of those nimble little skid-steer loaders is used to back-fill and compress the soil.

Whether you’re operating a mobile crane, excavator, backhoe or skid-steer loader, precision and caution is most important. For a large tree to be transplanted successfully, the tree needs to be moved quickly and with as little damage as possible. The skill of landscape gardeners and heavy equipment operators manage this on an almost daily basis – and those trees, some of them giants, survive the experience. If you’re interested in landscape gardening and heavy equipment operations, the two do go hand-in-hand – moving trees is just one of many jobs. For landscape gardeners, undertaking heavy equipment training could be what you need to further progress in the industry.

When learning to operate heavy equipment, there are five machines that you should spend as much time on. These five form the core of heavy equipment in use around the country and are generally the machines that most new operators are likely to work with. These five also form the basis for most other heavy equipment since the skills developed on these machines are easily transferable to other machinery. The five basic units are:

• Bulldozers – learning to operate a bulldozer really does teach a number of important skills. The two most important are controlling tracks (rather than wheels) and learning about dirt – yes dirt. Moving earth depends largely on the type of dirt you are working with, and what obstacles are in your path – for example, large boulders and tree stumps.
• Loaders – loaders are generally wheeled vehicles, however, some are articulated which can take time to get used to. You will also learn perception skills when loading trucks with a bucket load of materials. You need to get it in the truck accurately, without knocking the truck around.
• Excavators – while excavators are considered ditch diggers, those ditches require real skills. Again, earth reacts differently and operating an excavator can teach some of the finer skills required to work in some environments.
• Backhoes – this has become one of the most popular machinery in use. It combines the skills of both an excavator and a loader.
• Graders – while bulldozers do the grunt work, graders do the fine finishing work. Operating a grader can be technically challenging and it is through this training that site plans and grades become important.

If you can learn to operate each of those machines well, then you’ll be assured of a successful career as a heavy equipment operator. You will also lay a solid foundation for new skills and a range of similar heavy equipment. Heavy equipment training should be the place where those solid foundations are built.

The last twelve months seem to have been one of devastation when it comes to natural disasters. Turkey’s recent earthquake, those in New Zealand, the violent floods in Australia, and our problems with hurricanes, tornadoes and storms have all left their marks. When the frantic efforts of rescuers and home owners finally abates, everyone is left wondering about the rebuilding required. Invariably, the first workers called into these areas are the heavy equipment operators.

Bulldozers are generally the first called to action, leveling sites, clearing away the damage, and turning what was a scene of devastation into a clear plot of land ready for rebuilding. You will often see loaders, excavators and backhoes joining in; the loaders and backhoes filling dump trucks with debris while excavators help to pull down buildings and break up walls, floors and sometimes ceilings.

This can be dangerous work so operators need to be well trained highly experienced to work on these rebuilding projects. Our role as heavy equipment trainers is to prepare students for a career in heavy equipment that could one day see them involved in these projects. When training students, we pay special attention to workplace safety, first by ensuring our students are learning in a safe environment, and secondly, by passing on the necessary skills and knowledge required to work safely.

Training should also involve as much time as possible in the operator’s seat actually moving earth, not just practicing in the air. When a student graduates from a heavy equipment training school, they should be ready for entry level employment in the industry. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools has a reputation for providing industry with graduates who are work ready, who do have sound skills, and are trained to work safely. With a good grounding in heavy equipment operations, it doesn’t take long to build up the experience required to work on natural disaster rebuilding projects.

When looking at recent job vacancies for heavy equipment operators, one can’t help noticing that employers are looking for operators who can operate a wide range of equipment. It’s impossible to be trained on every piece of equipment in use; for example, how do you learn to operate a snow plow in the middle of summer? I guess you could go to Alaska.

In fact, no one expects operators to have had basic training on every piece of equipment. Rather, being trained to operate the basic equipment in use is what is important. You need to learn how to dig a trench (excavators, backhoes), how to move dirt (bulldozer, grader), and how to load trucks (loaders, backhoes). More importantly, and this is the real key to a successful career as a heavy equipment operator, to build confidence in your ability to handle that basic machinery.

Why? Almost every piece of heavy equipment in use is simply an offspring of one of those units. Back to the snow plow – it’s really a cross between a loader, grader and bulldozer (depending on the type of snow plow). If you have confidence operating that machinery, it’s a piece of cake hopping into another piece of machinery and becoming proficient in its use. You will most likely require a quick how-to on that new machinery, however, since the levers, pedals and controls are similar, you will pick it up quickly.

The moral here is simple. When undertaking heavy equipment training, don’t go to a training school where you are trained on only one piece of equipment. Attend a heavy equipment training school where you’ll be trained on a variety of heavy equipment. Your aim is to become a confident as possible on as many machines as possible. This will set you up for that successful career as a heavy equipment operator.

It is interesting to note one of the jobs that we listed on Saturday and its reference to winter work. While heavy equipment operators traditionally work in the field of construction, they are not limited to construction. Mining and agriculture rely on heavy equipment while in winter, state and country authorities rely on heavy equipment operators to keep roads open. What caught my eye from Saturday’s job listings was the following:

Operate dump truck with snow plow and salt spreader working snow and ice. Learn to operate with supervision frontend loader while loading trucks with materials & load salt during winter months.

Most snow plow operators come from heavy equipment backgrounds, commonly (but not limited to), bulldozer and grader operators. Salt is no different than dirt and sand in the way it is handled. It requires a front end loader to load it into trucks or salt spreaders, however, where it does differ is in its corrosive effect, so cleaning equipment regularly becomes important.

Heavy equipment careers are now year round careers. Operators can often find alternative work in the northern states helping to keep roads clear. Others find that their career is a perfect excuse to escape the winter chill as they work on projects in the warmer southern regions. Some operators even gain the ultimate escape by finding employment overseas – and yes, U.S. trained operators are well regarded and sought after internationally.

If you are interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator, don’t let the thought of winter unemployment deter you – there will be work, and the best time to gain experience is now. We can have you trained and work ready in as little as three weeks – well before the winter chill arrives.

If you’re under 30 and dreamed of one day operating a bulldozer, excavator or any other heavy equipment, then listen up – your country is calling. At least, employers are. We have a rapidly aging heavy equipment operator work force, many of whom will be retiring in the next five years. The average age of operators is now well into the mid-40s and the number of younger operators coming through is dropping each year.

Heavy equipment operations is best suited to mature and steady minds. However, that doesn’t mean that younger minds cannot succeed. In fact, by starting young, by the time you get to your mid-40s, you will be an expert at your trade, if not running your own heavy equipment business. While unemployment may be high, there is still plenty of demand for heavy equipment operators and this trend is expected to continue for at least the next ten years – unless of course we can recruit a lot of younger people to the industry.

If you’re interested in a heavy equipment career, then acting now will have you perfectly placed to take advantage of this demand. You can undertake heavy equipment training that will have you work ready in as little as three weeks – and this is across a range of equipment. You can also receive assistance to help you find your first job as a heavy equipment operator.

Being a heavy equipment operator may not be as flashy as some jobs sound, however, as a career it’s rewarding. You are not repeating the same job over and over again, and there’s plenty of room for growth.

Are you ready to step into the shoes of those about to retire? If so, find out more about your heavy equipment training options. Don’t dream the job – experience it.

What is the biggest fear that many have of summer? It’s fire – and with June only weeks old, we have already had wildfires breaking out in a lot of different locations. Heavy equipment operators are often involved in the firefighting process, either in the weeks leading up to summer or during and after fires. It can be a dangerous experience as well.

Heavy equipment operators, particularly graders and bulldozers, are frequently used to create fire breaks and fire access trails. Fire breaks are used to try and put the brakes on a fire while also giving firefighters easy access to remote areas. Fire trails are there for one purpose only, to get those firefighters in and out quickly.

During a fire, bulldozers have been used to bury smoldering vegetation. Of course, after a fire, heavy equipment is called in to clean up, especially when homes and other buildings have been affected. This is a demanding and often dangerous job for heavy equipment operators – yet, when volunteers are called, there are often more hands raised than required – a testimony to dedication of heavy equipment operators.

Working in those environments takes a lot of skill and dedication – attributes that can never be achieved by sitting at home dreaming of a career in heavy equipment. To achieve that dream, you need to complete a heavy equipment training program that provides you with the skills required to succeed in the workplace. Once in the workplace, you can work on developing those skills and gaining the experience required to work in more demanding areas like fire protection and control.

If you have the dedication but lack the skills, then ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are the people to talk to. They can help you develop the skills required to succeed as a heavy equipment operator.

Are you outgoing, determined to succeed, and enjoy working outdoors? If that is you, then you could be a perfect candidate for a career as a bulldozer operator. Bulldozers are the real grunt of the heavy equipment range since they rely on power and strength to complete their tasks.

In some work areas, bulldozers move tons of earth every day – and I’m talking about one bulldozer working on its own. Bulldozers are the preparers – they remove vegetation and carve out the ground ready for other equipment like graders and excavators to come in to do their work. Even when confronted by stubborn roots or large boulders, bulldozers are determined machines and they generally win the day.

For those looking for an interesting and challenging career, then operating a bulldozer could be just what you’re looking for. Your first step to achieving that career is to undertake training in the field of heavy equipment operations. What may surprise many is that training to operate a bulldozer doesn’t take months – you can be ready for entry level employment after just three weeks of training.

Associated Training Services has been in the business of training for over half a century. Over that time, ATS has developed a reputation for delivering quality operators to various industries, all ready to start work and all ready to be productive from day one. If you are considering a career change and operating a bulldozer appeals, then contact us for more information on how we can help you bulldoze your way to a great career – it’s a well paid career too.

You won’t see heavy equipment operators working in tandem all that often so if you ever do get a chance, stop and watch awhile. The most common heavy equipment vehicles to be used in tandem are the bulldozer and the grader. Graders are particularly interesting as their work is generally on the finishing side of a project.

Working in tandem takes a lot of skill and a lot of concentration. With graders (and often bulldozers), the two (or three or four) machines work in a staggered pattern with the second machine to one side and behind the one in front. As the first machine carves the ground, it pushes dirt to one side. The following machine then pushes this dirt further across. I have seen videos of four graders working together in this formation on a new airport runway – the precision of the operators is fascinating to watch.

It does take a lot of skill and a lot of experience to work in these formations. Gaining these skills can be difficult since there are not that many opportunities to work together in a formation. Most construction companies use the one machine to do the complete job.

In order to work as a team, grader operators require good initial training that provides a solid platform on which to build. While you can learn to operate a grader from another operator, there is a good chance you will also be learning some of their bad habits. You will also quickly find that most employers will not recognize that as being formal training so employment options will be severely limited.

Training provided by a recognized and well respected heavy equipment training organization delivers skills that can be built upon, and skills that future employers will acknowledge. Grader operators are required to work to precise measurements in today’s construction industry – that requires real training from real training organizations.