It is fairly early in the year, but I am starting to see bulldozers out and about. In some areas, the weather is such that bulldozer operators can grab an early start to the year. Their tasks at present are limited to preparing land for projects. Some are road projects where everything is taken out. Others are working on housing projects where many trees and some vegetation is left behind.

The other thing I am noticing is the growing demand for bulldozer operators. At this time of the year it is often to handle snow plows and the like, however, this year there are increasing requests for general land clearing bulldozer operators. This could be the perfect opportunity for anyone considering a career change.

It only takes three weeks. That’s all. Put yourself into the hands of a qualified instructor at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator school and they will have trained you and have you ready to accept your first job. The only effort you need is to commit yourself to the training. We have decades of experience training heavy equipment operators and we also know the labor market and what skills and attributes they require of their workers.

If a job as a bulldozer operator sounds attractive, give us a call to discuss your training options. We can also provide assistance with finance and finance applications and, once successfully through the training program, job placement assistance to find that first job. We offer a one stop solution for all your heavy equipment training needs. Employers are looking for bulldozer operators – are you our next success story?

It may be winter and the ground may be frozen solid, but if a trench is needed, the excavator is the machine for the job. Frozen ice may be too hard for the bucket, but excavators come with a range of tools that can used, including ground breaking picks. They say that backhoes are versatile, but so too are excavators.

Backhoes are versatile machines and often a lot easier to use when it comes to tight spaces. However, for every attachment that a backhoe has, an excavator has an equivalent. Where the excavator often excels is in in pure power. Size for size, the excavator can often exert a lot more grunt so when it comes to icy ground – call in the excavator, they are muscled up and ready.

Excavator operators are often multi-skilled as well. If you can operate an excavator then you should be able to transfer some of those skills to the backhoe. The reverse is true also. If your original training is undertaken through an accredited training company then there is a good chance you have been trained on both – and the loader as well.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools train their students across a range of heavy equipment that includes excavators and backhoes, loaders, bulldozers as well as graders. These are the main machines used in excavating, construction and mining, the major users of heavy equipment operators. For those looking to enter the field of heavy equipment, we have new heavy equipment training programs starting all the time so the wait for the next course is always minimal.

If you are looking for a job operating an excavator – you need the training first. Contact us and we can discuss your training options and what is needed to become qualified.

If you were to choose a career in heavy equipment, which machinery would you specialize in? There is a wide variety to choose from, one being the grader – or motor grader. Why should you select the motor grader instead of a bulldozer or excavator? They are both great machines, however, the motor grader has a couple of extras going for it. These include:

• Technology: Graders lead the way when it comes to technology. They use GPS, laser and on-board computers. Whenever there is a new technology being tested – you can almost guarantee that graders will be a part of that trial.
• Skills: Grader operators are amongst the most skilled when it comes to heavy equipment. They have to be, they are the finishers when it comes to many projects. Where bulldozers use brute force to move dirt, graders use fine controls, exacting angles and precision driving to achieve that finished result.
• Money: Money is always mentioned when it comes to comparing grader operators to other heavy equipment. But then, they are often paid more – need I say any more?
• Pride: While all operators take pride in their work, grader operators often take just a little more. The reason for that is because you can see their finished results. Using the bulldozer and road building as an example again, they carve out ground but then the grader comes in and reworks what the bulldozer has done. It is the grader operator that puts the final touch when it comes to evenness and slope and everything that goes into preparing a road for sealing.

That’s four good reasons I can think of for selecting a career as a grader operator. Here’s a fifth. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools are highly skilled at training heavy equipment operators, grader operators included. They can have you trained and ready to start work in as little as three weeks. Are you ready for an interesting career as a grader operator? If so, contact us at ATS for more information on our next training program.

With a commercial drivers license you open the door to a lot more opportunities. We are not talking about being a truck driver here although it does of course involve driving trucks. I am looking more at those who have careers in heavy equipment operations like operating a bulldozer or excavator. At present, if a bulldozer is required on a site somewhere, it takes it two operators to complete the job – one to drive the bulldozer to the site and one to operate the bulldozer.

How many employers would jump at the chance of employing one person to do both jobs? There are a lot of employers that would grab the opportunity at present, particularly if they are taking contracts for land clearing type jobs where only one piece of equipment is needed. The operator takes the equipment out to the site, does a days work then drives the truck back to base. The truck is then free for other jobs. The operator uses their vehicle to get to the site then.

Once the job is almost complete, the operator takes the truck back, finishes the work then takes the whole lot back to base. Job done and only one operator required. The saving in wages for that employer can be huge if spread over several pieces of machinery.

If you are one of those operators that is also holding a commercial drivers license, you are more likely to be employed these days than someone who doesn’t have their CDL. Obtaining your CDL only takes three weeks of training through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools. The training is followed by a licensing test carried out by your state licensing authority. Once licensed, you can have a greater say in where and for whom you are going to work – that has to be good.

The demand for heavy equipment operators is steadily rising with forecasts for 2010, indicating a much heavier demand in spring and summer, especially when it comes to excavators and loaders. Bulldozers and graders follow closely with other heavy equipment operators also in strong demand.

Excavator operators will be in heavy demand in spring with new building projects scheduled for spring starts. Excavators and bulldozers are the two machines generally called in first for a building project. Many projects have already had the clearing preparation completed and ready to turn the soil. This involves excavator operators and, to a lesser extent, loaders and backhoes.

Foundation work and service trenches is the area that will see highest demand although road construction will create a demand across most areas of heavy equipment. Excavators also play a role in road construction – this is why the demand for excavator operators is expected to surge – both areas of construction requiring operators at the same time.

Undertaking a heavy equipment training program early in 2010 is advisable if you are looking to enter this field, particularly if you are considering specializing in excavators. The number of operators in the work place has diminished over the last 10 years. Many older operators have left the profession whilst others have simply moved on to other trades.

Excavator operators will be in demand in 2010. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools are gearing up for a busy year training new operators to meet this demand. If you are considering a career change and moving into heavy equipment, contact us to find out what training are available in your area.

I keep an eye on the heavy equipment employment market watching for trends or indications of what sort of direction demand is going to take. Despite it being winter, a quick search of job vacancies for grader operators listed over 150 current vacancies. This is actually up by about 30 vacancies compared to a month ago. There is one trend that I think is worth noting if you are looking for a career as a grader operator.

The current trend is an increase in the number of vacancies listed that ask for grader operators that are multi-skilled. The predominant requirement is for grader operators with experience operating excavators and bulldozers and to a lessor extent, angledozers. I should point out that I was searching for grader operators and motor grader operators only. A look at other jobs within the heavy equipment field returned the following statistics:

heavy equipment operators – 200
construction equipment operators – 190
bulldozer operator – 61
excavator operator – 54
backhoe operator – 81
loader operator – 200
skid steer loader operator – 46
frontend loader operator- 63

In some cases job vacancies appear in more than one search result because of the way the vacancy notice was written. It is also interesting to note that loader and grader operators are the two most in demand at present. I use several different data sources to investigate job vacancies with these results only coming from the one site, Careers.org. If you search around you will find there are many more vacancies advertised online. What is interesting is that many employers prefer word-of-mouth, local newspapers and local employment specialists to help them find new workers rather than using an online source.

Extrapolate these figures and you may find as many as 300-400 vacancies for grader operators currently available. Employers have always had a liking for heavy equipment operators that are multi-skilled. Before starting any heavy equipment training program, make sure they provide training on a range of equipment. As you can see, you will be far more employable.

When most people talk about heavy equipment careers the mind conjures up images of a bulldozer, grader or perhaps an excavator. They are no doubt the big three when it comes to heavy equipment, but there is a range of other equipment that also provides for interesting and well paid careers. This equipment includes:

• backhoes,
• wheel loaders,
• scrapers,
• rock trucks,
• Skid Steers, and
• All-Terrain Forklifts.

And that is just a short list. We talk a lot about backhoes and occasionally about wheel loaders but Skid Steers, All-Terrain Forklifts, scrapers and rock trucks rarely get a mention. These machines provide valuable service in their niche and without them, we would have to resort to using hand tools of some description. Take the all-terrain forklift. This vehicle is similar to a standard forklift but it can safely transport loads over different terrains. Without it, we would be forced to break loads down to much smaller sizes to move them over the rough terrain.

Scrapers of course do just that. They scrape the surface in preparation for other equipment. Rock trucks help to remove large rocks from construction sites whilst the little skid steer is able to get into tight areas to work where no other vehicle can fit. This machines all offer interesting careers. The skid steer maybe a small machine in comparison to a bulldozer, but it is still a valuable part of the heavy machinery family.

One of the benefits of training through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools is that students are introduced to a range of machinery. This provides each student with a broad set of skills and a better insight into how each piece of equipment fits into a construction team. Heavy equipment careers don’t sit solely with the big three – there are many other options available for you to look at.

Loaders are one of the units of heavy equipment that seem to be everywhere, doing everything. When it comes to versatility using just one scoop, loaders beat off all their on-site rivals in almost every department.

According to some loader operators, you should never refer to the scoop as a bucket. Excavators and backhoes have buckets, loaders have scoops. Whichever way you look at it, that scoop is deadly and can certainly move a few mountains.

Sometimes known as a front-end loader, these machines perform different tasks on a continuous basis. One moment they are moving dirt or gravel, the next is moving pipes. They even help to move other equipment around a construction site.

Being one of the most versatile machines in use, loader operators are always in demand. You will find a loader on almost every major construction site, on road building and maintenance projects, on farms and in many other situations. Loaders are also used in some industrial complexes. For example, handling wheat and other grains.

Loaders come in a range of sizes starting from the vary small toy-like skips to the large articulated loaders similar, but larger, to the one in the picture. Some of the smaller loaders use tracks, however, the larger ones almost always use wheels – it is one of the distinguishing differences between a loader and bulldozer.

To become a loader operator you need to attend three weeks of heavy equipment training. Training covers a range of heavy equipment and is undertaken both in class and hands on. A career as a loader operator offers a career that can be challenging, is always changing, and one that is quite rewarding. Get your start as a loader operator through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools.

Did you know that our military services used heavy equipment like bulldozers? Did you also know you could have a military career as a bulldozer operator? You can and you can fast track your initial training if you gain a qualification and experience before signing up to the military.

There are two ways to enter the military as a bulldozer operator. The first is to sign up, do the complete basic training then request a transfer to the heavy equipment division. The second is to sign up as a trained and experienced bulldozer operator. You will still need to undertake the basic training.

A career in the US Army, for example, can be an exciting one and can take you to many places around the world, even as a bulldozer operator. Although your specialty skill will be as a bulldozer operator, you will still be considered a part of the infantry. This means learning the basic skills that all soldiers possess, namely, handling weapons and working as a team under attack.

Bulldozers are not the only heavy equipment used by the military. They also use crawlers, wheeled tractors, scoop loaders, motorized graders and towed or self-propelled scrapers. Undertaking training and gaining some on the job experience is the easiest way to get a foot hold into the military.

If a career in the military as a heavy equipment operator sounds good then check out the heavy equipment training options that are available through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator schools.

Bulldozer operators and backhoe operators are the two units of heavy equipment most likely to work on their own. They do form integral parts of teams but you will often find a backhoe out on a site doing the preparation work alone. One such job is the digging of foundations for a new building. Let’s spend a day with a backhoe operator as they dig those foundations.

A backhoe operator typically starts the day quite early. They arrive at the construction yard where they collect their work orders for that day. After an inspection of the backhoe they load it onto a truck and often drive it themselves to the site. Once on the site the backhoe is unloaded from the truck, the scene of battle surveyed, the blue prints checked then it’s on with the job.

As the name suggests, a backhoe is a piece of heavy equipment that has a hoe (the bucket) that is operated by dragging the bucket through the earth towards itself. In other words, it drags it back, it doesn’t push forward like a bulldozer of loader. As the backhoe edges forward, it is leaving a trench behind itself.

An experienced backhoe operator can dig a standard house foundation in less than a day. Once the foundations have been dug, it is time to pack up and return to the construction yard. After unloading the backhoe, the operator generally reports back to the manager on the work performed. They may even preview the following day’s work, particularly if special attachments are required.

A backhoe operator’s day finishes with another walk around inspection – this is to check for any damage the machine may have received during the day. Backhoe operators often work long hours when required and may work six day weeks. If you are looking for a heavy equipment career that provides some independence then training to become a backhoe operator could be your best option.

If a backhoe is not quite to your liking then I suggest you check out our “spend a day with” series. The series covers mobile crane operation, bulldozers, motor graders and excavators.