The heavy equipment/ trucking industry has become one of the largest in the world. There are hundreds of jobs available in this area due to new jobs and also because so many workers are retiring. In order to become qualified to work in this industry, you need to complete a training course. ATS, Associated Training Services, is one of the best and well known schools in the country. We offer programs for operation of heavy equipment, truck driving and crane operation.

Some information that is important to know about ATS is its history. It is important to know alot of information about a school before you choose it for training. This school was founded over 50 years ago, in 1959. With assistance in finding a career upon graduation, our graduates have a very high career success rate. We are a family owned training program and we have the best interest of students in mind. We want to see the graduates become successful. That is why we provide the best training possible and make it fun for students to learn.

The simple fact that we have been in business for over 50 years says it all. Our past students can tell you, we strive to do it right. We want to see qualified and properly trained workers enter the work force. With our long standing success, you can count on ATS to prepare you for a great future. We also are known for the quality of our training. We want to be better than the rest. Our training for certifications is top notch. Our hands on training method truly prepares students for their future careers.

If you are interested in more information about ATS or would like to enroll for training, please feel free to contact us anytime. We would love to have you as a student and walk with you through the next steps toward your future.

Associated Training Services is proud to offer career services to students. As a school that helps people get prepared for careers in truck driving, heavy equipment operation, an d more, ATS has a lot to offer. There are many different ways that ATS offers help in the career services area.

Personal career counseling is a key part of career services at ATS. The coordinator of this department works with students right from the start of their training. The career goals and interests of each student are determined and hiring employers are presented. Throughout training, this professional is available to help students with job searches as well. Even students who graduate can take advantage of this perk.

There are also skills to work on in career services. Soft skills such as interviewing skills, application know how’s and more. Each of these are addressed in career services and help students become more prepared for a future career.
ATS career services also includes job finding assistance. There is a job leads database containing contact information for many hiring employers. Students and graduates can have access to this list of possible jobs to assist them in nailing down there future plans.

If you have an interest in becoming a heavy equipment operator, a truck driver, or a related position, ATS may be the answer for you. Training at ATS will allow you the freedom to be qualified for a number of open positions. With the training provided and career services available, ATS could change your life and set you up for success!

The life of a heavy equipment operator is not that tough. However, you will need to make some changes, particularly if you are coming from a sedentary working life like that found in an office. There are little things that many people don’t consider when changing to an outdoor and active working life. A good example is thinking sun smart – protecting your skin from the harsh sun. For those coming from an indoor working life, your skin may well burn quickly and easily.

That may sound silly, however, the first time you get seriously sun burnt, you won’t think it silly. That, however, is an easy option to consider. You will also need to consider:

• Working outdoors – can you work outdoors in all weathers? Whilst sunburn is one consideration, working in sub-zero temperatures clearing snow is another. There is a lot to like about the outdoors, however, so don’t think of it as a negative. These days, most heavy equipment operators work in climate controlled cabs.
• Working as part of a team – are you a team player? Heavy equipment operators are often an integral part of a team. If you haven’t been a part of a close team, you will need to learn to communicate and work closely with others.
• Working independently – being a team player is one thing, working independently is another. If you go the extra yard and also acquire a commercial drivers license, you could find yourself working alone on a regular basis.
• Maintaining a broad skills base – today’s heavy equipment operators should be skilled across a range of equipment. Having a commercial drivers license is also a big help. Multi-skilled operators have the benefit of a wider range of job opportunities, and more variety in their day-to-day work.

If you can adapt to the working life of a heavy equipment operator, then there are plenty of job opportunities opening up every day. Call us and we’ll help you organize a heavy equipment training program that will have you work ready within a month.

Are you well versed in a range of heavy equipment? If you are a professional heavy equipment operator then you do need to have more than one piece of equipment in your skills set. We are frequently getting job vacancies from employers, which have as a major requirement the ability to operate a range of heavy equipment. We are also getting vacancies that ask for heavy equipment operators who have a current commercial drivers license.

From a business owner’s perspective, it makes sense to employ individuals who can be utilized where the need is greatest. If a project is running behind schedule, they can move employees to that project to help move things along. If they don’t have multi-skilled operators, then their options are limited, short of engaging short term contractors at a higher cost.

As an operator, you are gaining two benefits from multi-skilling. You are opening up more employment opportunities as your skills set will appeal to that wider group of employers. From a workplace perspective, you are also giving yourself variety – your not stuck operating the one piece of equipment day-after-day. Employers also respect that philosophy – variety does help to keep employees on-the-ball.

For new operators, our suggestion is very simple – when undertaking your initial training, find a heavy equipment training organization that will train you on a variety of machinery. Once you enter the work place, look for an employer who will give you ongoing experience on that machinery. For existing operators, we suggest you review your current skills set, and if necessary, consider adding to new skills, especially a commercial drivers license. You’ll reap the benefits long term, and so will your future employers.

The more training an employee has under his belt the more valuable they are to their employer. This is true in every industry, and this is especially true in the heavy equipment industry. There are numerous machines that an operator can get trained on that will make him more valuable. But, a unique route can be taken to increase an operator’s value even more. This is to combine the heavy equipment operator training certification with a commercial driver’s license (CDL) .

Every construction or engineering company needs to get their heavy equipment from one work site to another. With the majority of heavy equipment, this requires a flatbed truck which will also require a driver with a commercial driver’s license. This driver may then be required to move around the heavy equipment once he has arrived on a work site. By combining these two training programs, an operator can truly increase his value to any company. In this tight economy, any chance an operator has to improve his resume should be taken. This combination of training could make an operator invaluable to his employer.

An employer is always looking for ways to increase profits and speed up processes. A great way for an employee to save his employer money is to be able to perform the duties that would normally require two people. A heavy equipment operator that can drive equipment to a work site will stand out to his employer and will make him instantly more hirable. Today, millions are struggling to make ends meet, but a CDL licensed driver that can operate heavy equipment will be a highly coveted employee on any work site.

Many children have fantasized about becoming a truck driver when they grow up, but lately, fewer are actually doing it. Some studies actually say that US trucking companies are short 20,000 truck drivers! This is a result of many long haul drivers retiring and a lack of new truckers joining the ranks. Needless to say, now is a great time to enter a great truck driver training program and earn a CDL license.

Long haul trucking is a great way to see the country and meet new and interesting people. It is also a great way to make a living in these rough economic times. There is currently a high demand in many areas for long haul truckers, and when demand is high, wages tend to improve. A good truck driving school can have a long haul driver on the road with a CDL in hand in less than a month.

Truck driver training at a reputable school will generally take around three weeks depending on the state regulations where the CDL test will be taken. The training itself will include a combination of classroom training and behind the wheel training. The classroom work consists mainly of the basics, safety, rules and regulations mandated by the Department of Transportation. The behind-the-wheel training should include open road driving, backing exercises and pre-trip inspections. With proper training, all of these skills will become second nature to the driver and result in a safe operator that trucking firms will be looking to hire.

An additional thing that should be part of any truck driver training program is career services. Ensure that the training company chosen will give assistance in job placement and that they are successful at this. Many training schools will have established relationships with trucking firms, and the best schools will know what these firm are looking for in a new truck driver. These schools can then focus their training to these current demands in the trucking industry.

In our current troubled economy, jobs may seem hard to come by in many industries. But, the trucking industry continues to grow, and at the same time, lose people to retirement. Now is a great time to get the training required for a CDL and hit the open road.

That is what we are seeing more and more these days – job vacancies for heavy equipment operators with commercial drivers licenses. For many smaller employers, it can be hard to justify employing individuals who only have the one skill. Employers are now wanting the flexibility to move employees from job to job depending on the demand, and that’s impossible if their employees have limited skills.

Being mult-skilled is a must in many professions now, and heavy equipment operations is no different. It’s not just the CDL that matters either. Being able to operate a range of heavy equipment also helps, and today, that’s not difficult to achieve. Modern heavy equipment training methods don’t focus on a single piece of equipment. At ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, we offer heavy equipment training across a range of equipment including:

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

Graduating operators are able to seek entry level employment where they can gain experience operating equipment in the field. If graduates can obtain employment in positions where a range of equipment is use, they can develop skills across the range, further enhancing their employment opportunities. By then adding a commercial drivers license, operators have the complete package to offer employers.

When it comes to sustaining a career in any profession, it’s important to understand what it is that employers are looking for. If you can deliver on that criteria, then your employment prospects increase dramatically. For new heavy equipment operators, adding a CDL as quickly as possible will not only help you find employment, you will quickly gain access to a range of heavy equipment, even if it is only loading/unloading and transporting that equipment. It’s a start that will help you develop a long term career as a heavy equipment operator.

One option open to heavy equipment operators, truck drivers, and crane operators, is to seek opportunities overseas. One job listing in our Saturday job listing series required 80 crane operators for work in either Afghanistan and Kuwait. In fact, wherever the U.S. has had a military presence, you’ll find work for capable operators and drivers. You can also find work in many African nations where aid is helping to build roads, schools, hospitals and dams.

Before looking for work overseas, you will need to complete an appropriate training program. Crane operators generally need to be certified; truck drivers will need their commercial drivers license; and heavy equipment operators will need to have completed an approved heavy equipment training program. It will also help your cause if you can get six-twelve months of experience here in the U.S. before applying for international positions.

There is a high demand for experienced heavy equipment operators overseas. The pay is good, and, depending on where you work and who you work for, there are hefty tax concessions on your income. The downside is that you are working in remote areas a long way from home. You may even find you are working in somewhat hostile conditions and in areas that are quite primitive compared to what you enjoy at home right now. In some places, something as simple as running water is non-existent.

U.S. crane and heavy equipment operators (and truck drivers) are preferred in many locations, particularly where U.S. contractors are involved. They prefer to employ from home, fly suitable recruits to their work locations, and to fly them home again once their contracts have been fulfilled. These operators and drivers are generally offered new contracts to return after a short period R and R at home, often with bonuses for renewing those contracts. It does take a special type of person to work overseas under trying conditions, however, many enjoy the experience and continue to return year after year.

If you have a yearning to work overseas in remote and primitive locations, then perhaps heavy equipment operations, truck driving, or crane operations is worth considering.

If you work as a heavy equipment operator, then there’s a very simple reality about today’s workplace – you can’t have too many skills. Employers, when listing job vacancies, are now looking for operators with a range of talents. The most common is the wide range of heavy equipment that an operator has experience with. Other skills often requested include CDL licenses with experience on dump trucks or heavy equipment haulage. Employers are also looking for individuals who have had training and experience as a signal person and/or crane operator.

You don’t need to go to the expense of adding too many skills. If you start by learning as much as possible across a range of heavy equipment, you’ll meet an employer’s major requirement. Over time, however, it has been shown time and again that the addition of a commercial drivers license has added value to an individual’s career opportunities.

Modern machinery has changed to the point that some jobs can now be done in far less time. Rather than having an operator idle while awaiting their next task, employers are now wanting to move them onto alternative machinery. It’s understandable – an idle worker is not productive, yet the employer still needs to pay their wage.

If you are considering a heavy equipment training program, then be sure to gain as much experience across a range of equipment as possible. If you are already skilled as a heavy equipment operator, consider adding a commercial drivers license or a crane operators certificate to your skills list. You will open up more employment opportunities and add a lot more variety to your career.

Taking on a new career can often be difficult, and truck driving is no different. However, the real difficulty is trying to decide on the type of truck driving you want to do. There are so many different options available ranging from long distance to local – and even then you have options within those options.

For example, there are many truck driving jobs that will have you home each night. These jobs include:

• dump truck driving
• waste disposal trucks
• heavy equipment transport
• delivery trucks

When it comes to delivery trucks, the options are very broad. You could be driving a tanker full of milk or grain from the farm to a processing plant, live animals to a feed lot or abattoir, or just general deliveries from factory to bulk store, rail head, port or another business.

You have similar options when it comes to long distance driving. You can also add international driving for rigs that cross international borders. With long distance driving, you could be driving trucks with multiple trailers and when it comes to the types of goods transported – it could be anything.

There are few careers that offer so many different options based on a single training program. Three weeks of truck driver training will have you ready to undertake your commercial drivers license test. From there, your biggest decision is going to be the type of truck driving you want to do. Fortunately, most people enter their truck driver training with a firm idea of the type of truck they want to drive, where they want to drive it, and whether or not they are looking at home each day or long distance driving. If you’re looking to become a truck driver, perhaps you should consider the type of truck you want to drive first – that then is one decision out of the way.