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.

A recent report has highlighted the stimulus spending effects on the construction industry in general. The news is good with heavy equipment careers set to boom over the next 12 months. In fact, if you have had any thoughts of entering the industry, now is the time to act or you run the risk of missing out.

The report estimates that stimulus spending has saved or created 280,000 direct construction jobs. If around 8% of all construction jobs are heavy equipment related, that equates to around 25,000 heavy equipment related jobs – with more to come. The report also pointed to transport projects as being the one construction area to really grow over the past 12 months. Transport projects (road and bridge construction) have a heavy reliance on heavy equipment.

With the current employment situation favoring construction, now is the best to enter the industry. Heavy equipment operator numbers have steadily decreased in recent years as our population has aged. For the industry, it is has not just seen a loss of operators, it has seen a loss of operators that have had decades of experience, something that cannot be replaced overnight.

Is a heavy equipment career right for you? The only person who can answer that is you. However, there is one tool that you can make use of that may just help you decide. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools has a totally free online training program. You can register for this training program and undertake the lessons, all from the comfort of your own home on your own computer. Once you have completed the training program, you can then decide whether or not a heavy equipment career is right for you. The jobs are there – we just need the right operators to fill those jobs. Are you potentially one of them?

If there is one occupation that remains in demand even through hard times, it has to be that of a truck driver. Obtaining a commercial drivers license (CDL) is one of the things that I recommend for all, particularly those wanting to get into the building, mining or forestry industries. Having that one license adds that versatility to your career that many employers are seeking.

I have often mentioned the success that many heavy equipment operators have if they also have a CDL. It runs true through many industries. You may be working as a lowly warehouse person, but having that CDL and the skill of driving a truck means you can be called upon when necessary, even if it’s just to move a truck out of the loading dock so another can take its place.

Truck drivers are always in demand. It does depend on whether or not you specialize, of course. Sometimes it’s the big rig or interstate drivers that are in demand and sometimes it’s local haulers, those that deliver within a town, or to nearby towns. The increase in funding to the construction industry last year saw a large jump in demand for heavy equipment operators. What went largely unnoticed was the jump in demand for truck drivers capable of hauling heavy equipment. Think about it! If there is an increase in demand for heavy equipment, that equipment needs to be moved and if there is a lot of movement going on, there will need to be a lot of drivers around.

We have been training truck drivers for over 25 years. The truck driver training program at ATS prepares students to sit the commercial driver’s license test (theory and practical tests) by delivering both in class and behind the wheel training. If a CDL can give your career a little boost, contact us today for details on our truck driver training programs.

Driving trucks can be a job that takes you away from your family for two or three nights each week. Driving dump trucks generally means you’re home for dinner each night and you get to sleep in your own bed. It’s not the only benefit, but for many people, it’s an important benefit.

Other benefits include:

• good wage rates compared to other workers
• regular working hours
• job security
• variety in your work
• not physically demanding
• climate controlled cab
• skills that are recognized nationally
• excellent work conditions

Dump trucks play an important role in our construction industries. They help to remove tons of rubble, waste and unwanted dirt from construction sites. They do the reverse when it comes to road building, bringing in tons of gravel and road base that goes into laying the foundations of our roads and highways.

With those benefits and the type of work required, don’t think that dump truck training is difficult or that a career as a driver is hard to get into. The opposite is actually the case. You can develop the necessary skills in as little as three weeks – this means you can be working within a month of commencing training if everything falls into place.

There is always a strong demand for dump truck drivers, especially with construction gaining such a boost over the last 12 months. We have also got an aging workforce so many of the older drivers are now looking at retirement or careers where they can work part time. This has all produced a strong demand for new drivers. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools has been training truck drivers for over 25 years and we are recognized as one of the premier truck driver training schools in the country. If you want a career as a dump truck driver, contact us today to find out when our next training courses start.

It may take several years to gain the experience and knowledge to operate one of those huge construction cranes. No matter who you are, it all starts with a crane operator training course and then your first job. From there, it’s all up to you and your ability to learn and grow within the industry. Like all careers, you have to start at the start and work your way through the ranks.

The crane operator training program is one of the most popular training program at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools. Considering our long history in the field and the reputation we have developed, it is understandable. Add to this our accreditation to deliver certification assessments and we have the complete package to offer those seeking a career as a crane operator.

Whether or not you make it to the vast heights that some of these cranes climb to, you can be sure your career will be interesting and varied. Mobile crane operators have one of the most varied working lives when it comes to heavy equipment. One day you could be working on a construction site helping to unload trucks, the next you could be out on the highway somewhere helping to lift a vehicle out of a difficult situation.

If you have ever considered a career as a crane operator then now is the perfect opportunity to consider following up on it. Crane operators are always in demand and that demand is growing each year. Start 2010 by asking us when and where you can undertake a crane operator training program and you will spend the year working happily as a crane operator – perhaps even eying off the heights of some of those big rigs.

Becoming a skilled bulldozer operator is a career within itself. For the more adventurous, there is a lot on offer beyond the construction and road building industries. It all starts with heavy equipment operator training. Once you have the basic set of core skills, you can find employment. This gives you the opportunity to hone those skills and become a highly skilled operator. From there, the world is your oyster, as the saying goes.

As I mentioned, careers exist for skilled bulldozer operators outside simple construction and road building. A military career is one option – bulldozer operator recruits are often in high demand in the military and after basic training, you could find yourself anywhere in the world operating bulldozers.

The mining industry is possibly the third largest employer of skilled bulldozer operators. In some areas around the world, bulldozers are used under ground as well as on top of the ground. Bulldozer operators are also ideal for training for some of the more specialized equipment used in mining. Bulldozer operators are also employed for 8-9 month contracts on bases on Antarctica. Don’t get your hopes too high, these positions are few and far between and very competitive – but then, you never know what the future holds.

Other industries that use bulldozer operators include forestry, farming and some manufacturing sectors. There are also opportunities in other areas of the world, particularly third world countries. International operators are often called in to help with special projects whilst helping to train local operators.

The role of a bulldozer operator is not restricted to just local construction and road building. There is a broad range of opportunities for skilled operators – you just need a little research to uncover some of the opportunities. It all starts with your bulldozer operator training and as the nation’s oldest heavy equipment training organization, ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools is there to get you started. Are you ready to start?

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.

GPS skills are becoming an important asset for grader and excavator operators as new equipment comes onto the market fitted with these devices as standard. More importantly, contractors are starting to realize the real benefits behind these devices. In an environment that is so competitive, being able to reduce costs and submit lower price tenders for projects is becoming essential to survive.

Using new technology like GPS to its fullest means contractors can cut days, if not weeks, off some projects and with it tens of thousands of dollars. How does GPS help these operators? Whilst it may sound complicated, the process is fairly straightforward.

In the past, a grader operator would be asked to grade a section of ground to a set of parameters that included blade angle, slope and depth etc. After a number of passes, the operator would wait while a surveyor checked the levels and determined the next set of settings. The introduction of GPS, particularly with laser technology, has produced a big change to how the operator works.

At the start of a process, the desired results are entered into a computer-like interface. The computer then determines blade angle, slope and depth and automatically sets them. The grader operator then proceeds to work the area with the computer constantly making fine adjustments – all guided with the aid of GPS and lasers.

With this technology, there is no stoppage time while the operator waits for the surveyor. The surveyor comes back at the end of the process and checks to ensure it means the plans. If it does, the next stage begins. Similar procedures occur in excavators where a depth and angle are preset. The GPS unit then helps to set the bucket angle and depths of the dig.

These devices save a lot of down time (non-operating time) which means a job can be completed far quicker than in the past. These tasks can also be completed with far greater accuracy than in the past. If you are a grader or excavator operator and you want to take on the challenge of working with GPS, consider undertaking a GPS training program. The skills won’t harm your career – they may well enhance it.

If I was to pick one season that was best for commencing a heavy equipment career it would probably be winter. Demand for heavy equipment operators is at its peak during spring and summer. In the Fall, demand starts to drop off a little as projects begin to wrap up for the winter months. Winter, of course, can be reasonably quiet when it comes to demand. But then, you are not looking for employment yet – you are looking for training.

Therefore, the best time to start a career as a heavy equipment operator is during the winter months. During this period you can undertake your training and, if possible, follow it up gaining hands on experience. It may be just pushing snow around a heavy equipment yard – but it is still experience. Once winter has come and gone and construction companies are starting to gear up again, you will be training and experienced and ready to start the ‘real’ work.

Timing is important. If you start the process now, you could probably have everything in place to start training around mid-January. If you undertook your training through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools, you would complete your heavy equipment training in early to mid-February (depending on when you commenced). A couple of weeks of experience with a willing employer and come March, when employers start to look for operators, you’re there ready and waiting.

Changing careers always takes a lot of thought and a lot of forward planning. In winter, things are generally quiet so this is the perfect time to go through that planning process. Get your timing right and you will be ready for that heavy equipment career just as employers start looking for operators.

One of the biggest fears that people experience prior to undertaking crane operator training is whether or not they will actually find a job once their training has been completed. It is a rational fear given the talk surrounding the economy. However, there are several things working in favor of new graduates, one of the most important being the amount of money going into new projects at present. Even more important is having someone who knows the industry providing a free job placement service.

ATS have a reputation for producing well trained crane operators. Because of this reputation, employers listen when graduates are promoted for possible operator vacancies. ATS have also over 25 years experience training crane operators for industry. During this time we have developed a considerable database of possible future employers, a database that graduates can access to gain contact details.

Each of our training centers has a job placement service. Students who wish to use the service are interviewed prior to training and provided with a job placement assistance package. Job placement is one of our priorities at ATS since your success is effectively a measure of our success.

Crane operator training will provide the skills necessary to gain entry level employment into the industry. With the demand for all types of heavy equipment operators on the increase employers are looking to training organizations like ATS to supply the current shortfall – crane operators as well. In fact the demand at present is probably greatest for mobile crane operators.

If you are considering a career change and the role of a mobile crane operator appeals to you, give us a call to discuss the training options and ongoing employment prospects. Crane operator training can have your work ready is as little as three weeks – are you ready? Our job placement service is!