In an era gone by, heavy equipment operator training was done on an ad hoc basis. There was little if any formal training required. In most cases, new operators were trained by friends or family on a ‘sink or swim’ approach. Times have changed, and today’s heavy equipment is far more technical than it was in the early days. Having said that, today’s equipment is probably easier to operate, however, the job itself has become more complex.

There’s no denying the importance of in-the-seat hands-on training. That teaches a student how to operate the heavy equipment. What it doesn’t do is prepare a student to work as a heavy equipment operator. Whilst it may be a play on words, there is a big difference between the terms ‘heavy equipment operator’ and ‘someone who can operate heavy equipment’. I am sure that many of us can remember our early days driving cars – sure, we could drive a car, but were we drivers? That is, someone who could drive safely and competently? That then is the difference between heavy equipment operator and one who can operate heavy equipment.

Classroom training fills in the important gaps that prepares a student for employment as a heavy equipment operator. Safety training, training in new technology, even training in how to read site plans – an important requirement now when you need to work as part of a team to complete a project, these are handled in both the classroom and in and around the heavy equipment. Workers today need to be trained to a minimum level in safety aspects, and this is a classroom-based area of learning.

Heavy equipment operator training now needs to address both the practical and the theoretical side. If you are being trained in a purely hands-on environment, for example, by a friend or relative, there is a good chance that employers won’t take a risk and employ you – more importantly, when it comes to comparing the merits of several candidates for a vacancy, ask yourself whether or not an employer would take on someone who needs further training, or take on someone who has already completed their training. It is now compulsory for employees to complete safety training before working on construction sites. Classroom training may not be as exciting as in-the-seat training, however, it is now a necessary part of life.

When starting a new career, no amount of training is worth the effort if you cannot find employment. One of the primary goals at ATS is to get people into work as soon as possible after completing training. If you spend too long looking for work, some of those new skills are going to fade a little. You’ll regain them once you start work, however, it could take a little time. Our career services personnel do everything possible to help graduates quickly find that first job. One of our services is a dedicated jobs website where employers list any related job vacancies. We also publish some of the more recent job vacancies on this site every Saturday. Recent jobs include:

Heavy Equipment Operator
Stillwater, OK
Operates heavy equipment at a transfer station, recycle and/or landfill for the purpose of transferring, spreading, covering, loading and/or compacting waste or soil in a productive and safe manner.

Heavy Equipment Operators
United States
Heavy Equipment Operators required in a variety of locations around the nation

Primary Heavy Equipment Operator II
Pompano Beach, FL
Primary Heavy Equipment Operator required for work in sunny Florida

Heavy Equipment Operators
Cleveland, OH.
North Coast Ferrous hiring backhoe operators for Iron recycling, Attachments Shears, Magnets

CDL Driver/Boom Crane Operator
Liberty, NY.
Employer looking to hire a CDL Driver/Boom Crane operator

Crane Operators
Crane operators with Rough Terrain experience and NCCO certified required for immediate start – $27

Mobile Crane Operators
Texas
NCCCO Mobile Truck Crane Operators Needed ASAP!

Heavy Equipment Operators
Florida
Lots of Heavy Equipment jobs available in Florida, many with immediate starts

Quarry Heavy Equipment Operator
La Coste, TX
Heavy Equipment Operator position available near Castroville, Texas. Please only apply if you already live in or around the San Antonio, Texas area, there is no relocation for this position and we are looking to hire someone immediately.

If you’re interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator, then talk to us at ATS. Our training programs commence on a regular basis, and unlike many other training schools, we work hard to help you find that first job.

There is a lot to think about when operating heavy equipment. You have the task at hand that needs to be completed, and in many situations accuracy is of utmost importance. Motor graders are a good example – their fine grading skills are important when they are undertaking the final grade for a new road. Excavator operators also need to be accurate, especially when digging in areas where existing services are located – you don’t want to be breaking open gas pipes, or worse, sewage pipes. To make life a little more difficult, heavy equipment operators must also take into account other workers on the site, structures, and other vehicles – overhead power lines are also a concern in some work areas.

Where a heavy equipment operator is really tested is when working on a project where the general public are in close proximity. One of the hardest jobs is working on road works, either road repairs or road widening projects. Traffic is generally diverted around your work area, however, that can still bring them very close to your equipment. In situations where half a road or a lane is closed, you will always get the rogue driver who thinks they own the road – they’ll ignore road signage and barge through. There have been countless incidents where workers have been injured because of these drivers, yet if your equipment makes contact with their car, they will be the first to place all the blame on your operating skills.

Operating heavy equipment in areas away from others can lead an operator into a false sense of security. They don’t have to be as careful. After all, there’s no one around to harm. This can lead to bad habits, which, if taken to a busier work site, can create a lot of problems. No matter where you are working, heavy equipment operators need to maintain safe work practices, both for their own safety and for the safety of others. If an operator is working safely, and a rogue driver encroaches into the work area, then they will ultimately be held responsible for any incidents.

Heavy equipment safety training is an important part of any training for new recruits to the industry. You will find that many employers follow this training up with their own safety training, especially if they have safety aspects that need to be concentrated on. Are you preparing yourself for a safe work place? Be sure your heavy equipment operator training includes a safety component – employers will not employ you if you don’t have these basics covered.

Technology in general has been one of the fastest changing areas in mankind’s history. I can remember a college professor once comparing modern technology to early cars – his comparison theorized that, if cars had improved at the same pace that technology is now speeding, then a current car would travel across the country on a thimble of fuel and that highways would be such that a car could travel comfortably at 200 mph with few if any accidents. Heavy equipment has not been immune to technology changes, and in many cases it has been borrowed from other areas.

Love it or hate it, motor sports have created a lot of the changes we see in modern cars. Power steering, ABS, fuel economy – they all owe their origins to motor sports. You can now find power steering and fuel economy technology in modern heavy equipment – and that’s just to name a few of the improvements that have come out of motor racing. Security has seen the installation of video cameras and recording in cars, and this technology has also crept into heavy equipment, particularly in the area of reversing cameras.

GPS has been a real boon for businesses that own a lot of heavy equipment. Stolen equipment can now be found in hours simply by tracking its GPS signals. GPS is also being used to help operators accurately complete jobs, especially in equipment like road graders and bulldozers. Laser leveling is also used widely in road graders to accurately produce cambers and level road surfaces.

Heavy equipment operator training now goes beyond just pushing levers and pedals to complete a job. Modern heavy equipment operators need to be proficient in the use of GPS and other technologies if they are going to have long and successful careers. This makes it important to receive training through a heavy equipment training school that has a range of equipment that includes both old and new technologies – you just never know what sort of technology your next employer is going to be using.

In an era in which technology is taking over everywhere, there is still no compromise when it comes to training to become a heavy equipment operator. Sure, you can learn theory through a book, or online over the Internet, or perhaps even through a CD or DVD. However, nothing beats in-the-seat real time operator experience. I know there have been attempts to train operators using simulators, similar to those used by airline pilots, however, they still don’t deliver that same real life experience – even pilots need time in a real airplane to experience the real thing.

There is a lot that modern technology can simulate, and it does do a good job in general. When it comes to employing new heavy equipment operators, most employers want operators who have had experience in a ‘real’ machine, not just through a simulator. Where simulators do have a roll is in early training – it provides a safe environment where accidents cause harm to no one and to no equipment.

Of course, a good heavy equipment operator training school will ensure that students are trained in a safe environment that includes close supervision – and you learn a lot through your mistakes. Simulators can often be too forgiving when it comes to mistakes, not ideal when you’re trying to learn to become a good operator.

Simulators have one further failing that needs to be considered – simulators generally train operators to use the latest heavy equipment. The reality is that most workplaces use heavy equipment that is ten or more years old – certainly not the latest. Training schools that use real heavy equipment will have machinery that ranges in age, some new and some old, and that is the best equipment to train on since you gain a more diverse range of skills. What’s your preference, training in real heavy equipment, or training in a simulator?

Short and long term job prospects are looking good for heavy equipment operators. Construction as an industry is growing, and with spring and summer just around the corner you can expect to see a surge in job opportunities in the short term. Being an industry that has an older employment base, many of whom fit into the ‘baby boomer’ category, long term prospects for new operators is almost assured – those ‘baby boomers’ are about to retire, and that will create a huge vacuum in experienced heavy equipment operators. If you’re looking for a career that has a bright future, then heavy equipment operations is certainly well worth some thought. Job vacancies this month have included:

• Excavator, dozer, scraper and motor grader operators required in Howells, NE
• Bulldozer operators required in Mowbridge, SD
• Heavy equipment operators required for spring hire in Mobridge, SD.
• Heavy Equipment Operators required for work in several states including LA, KS and TX.
• Heavy equipment operators for jobs in IA and MN.

Truck drivers are also always in demand with this month’s job vacancies including:

• Drivers required for concrete pumper trucks in Houston, TX. This business has locations in 16 states.
• CDL-A drivers, Tanker and Hazmat, required. Want to be home at night? Start pay in WI .51, MN .43, and NY .49
• Local delivery drivers required for building products in Madison, WI. Local driving means you’re home each night.
• Employer is hiring CDL-A drivers for work in WI, MN, IA and IN with mileage pay in the .40’s

Visit our jobs website for the latest job listings – it’s free to access for anyone looking for work as heavy equipment operators, truck drivers or crane operators. If you’re interested in a career in any of those fields, then visit ATS. There you’ll find more information on how to build a successful career as a heavy equipment operator, truck driver and/or crane operator.

Truck drivers and heavy equipment operators are still in high demand, even as winter sets in. Winter storms won’t stop the trucks getting through, and for heavy equipment operators, storms often mean more work. Many heavy equipment operators spend their winter months clearing snow so there’s plenty of work available. This month’s job vacancies include:

Heavy Equipment Operators
United States
Job applications are being accepted for Heavy Equipment Operators.

Heavy Equipment Operators
LA, KS and TX
Employer is hiring Heavy Equipment Operators for work in several states.

Truck Drivers
WI, MN and NY
CDL-A drivers, Tanker and Hazmat, required. Want to be home at night? Start pay in WI .51, MN .43, and NY .49

Truck Drivers
Madison, WI
Local delivery drivers required for building products. Local driving means you’re home each night.

Heavy Equipment Operators
Decorah, IA
Applications are being accepted from heavy equipment operators for IA and MN projects

Truck Drivers
WI, MN, IA, IN
Employer is hiring CDL-A driver with mileage pay in the .40?s

Truck Drivers
Decorah, IA
Applications being accepted from truck drivers for IA and MN projects.

You can find more information on current job vacancies on our jobs website. If you’re looking for an interesting career, then you’ll be hard pressed to find one that is as varied as that of a truck driver or heavy equipment operator. You can find more information on how to start a career as a heavy equipment operator on our training website.

Heavy equipment safety has become a big issue to the point it has drawn the attention of regulators. We have already seen crane operators requiring certification and riggers and signal persons now require some form of skills acknowledgement. Heavy equipment will most likely be the next area that regulators target, although that will prove to be a huge task given the number of operators currently employed. That doesn’t mean they won’t take them on and require some form of skills recognition, possibly to the level of certification.

We currently have compulsory minimum safety training requirements in many workplaces, and that includes heavy equipment operations on construction sites. For many operators, certification will just be an assessment of their current skills. However, there are quite a few operators who may fail some of these assessments, and one of the reasons for their failure will have been the lack of relevant training when they first started out.

Quality training is one of the most important aspects to a new career in heavy equipment operations. Employers look at your training history as part of their assessment for employment suitability. Employers do have preferred training organizations, and likewise, there are training organizations that employers don’t like. A good guide to quality is longevity – if a training organization isn’t delivering, it won’t stay in the business for long.

Workplace safety is an important issue for employers today. Accidents cost employers a lot in terms of money, time and reputation, areas that businesses can ill afford to waste. Be sure your heavy equipment operator training includes a strong safety component and that your training is provided by an organization that is well respected within the heavy equipment community.

There is a wide range of heavy equipment in use around the country these days. You can operate equipment that digs holes, pushes dirt, or delivers a perfect finish. Heavy equipment is also used in demolition work, mining, farming and most commonly, construction. You will also find heavy equipment used in forestry, at ports, and in general industry. So what is your preferred unit of machinery? At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School you can gain training on:

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

One suggestion we do make is to learn to operate as many types of heavy equipment as possible. If you get the chance, also learn to drive trucks, particularly those used to transport heavy equipment. That doesn’t mean you cannot specialize in one type of heavy equipment – you can, however, the more varied your skills the more attractive you are to employers.

Learning more than one type of heavy equipment isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Each type of heavy equipment uses a similar set of controls, some more than others, and some that require more technical skills – for example, setting a grader’s blades to precise angles and heights. There are some types of heavy equipment that demand multi-skills – the backhoe is a good example; it requires the skills of an excavator operator and the skills of a loader operator.

Being multi-skilled has a number of benefits. If you become a little bored operating one type of equipment, you can move sidewise to another type. Employers obviously find multi-skilled employees more attractive. They can be set to work on any project and not left sitting around waiting. What’s your favourite type of heavy equipment? Now pick a few more to broaden your talents.

Excavators have always been tracked vehicles. This made them slow and cumbersome, but very stable. The latest excavators have replaced tracks with wheels, and can be driven on open roads. These wheeled models can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour with some being four wheel drive and able to handle off-road terrain. One of the benefits of tracks was the fact that off0road terrain was generally not a problem.

The biggest difference between a wheeled excavator and a tracked excavator is the setup. Wheeled excavators have taken the mobile crane concept – that is, there is a driving cab that allows the operator to move the vehicle like a truck. There is then a separate cab that is used to operate the excavator. The cab and telescoping boom pivot in much the same way as a mobile crane. This means the vehicle can be placed on firm ground for stability, and the excavator pivoted around to the work site.

Wheeled excavators are operated in much the same way as a standard excavator. The boom telescopes, and there is a wrist-like joint between the boom and the bucket. This enables the bucket to angle in order chang to suit the task at hand. Traditional excavators have one downside – they require the services of a flat bed truck and driver to be moved from job to job. Wheeled excavators don’t need the flat bed truck – they can be driven on the open road as a truck. For excavator operators, that will most likely mean they will need a commercial drivers license. However, in today’s world, that is becoming a requirement anyway.

If you’re considering a career in heavy equipment, then the future is bright. Employment prospects are good, and the advances in heavy equipment technology is making everything easier for both operators and business owners.