A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a requirement if you want to get behind the wheel of a load-carrying vehicle and drive it. That’s true whether you want to drive a dump truck from one construction site to another or you want to carry vehicles across the country on Big Rig. If there is any reason you need a CDL, it’s the law.

But there are practical reasons, as well, for pursuing a career as a commercial truck driver. For one thing, it’s a construction site position that is in high demand. Finding forklift drivers is as easy as pie. Backhoe drivers are a dime a dozen. Any run-of-the-mill heavy equipment operator can move a scraper. But because you have to have special licensure to become a truck driver, the demand is higher and the qualified applicants are fewer. You’ll instantly stand out in the employment line if you have a commercial driver’s license.

Another reason for obtaining your CDL is the pay. Due to the higher demand and lower supply of qualified truck drivers (most CDL holders go after the adventurous and glamorous long-haul jobs), the pay for these jobs is often higher.

So there are two practical reasons to get your commercial driver’s license. It’s fine to start your career as a heavy equipment operator. But if you want your career to advance beyond the ordinary, get a CDL.

Heavy equipment operators have a difficult job, and sometimes it’s as thankless as it is difficult. You could be a mobile crane operator, a rigger/signalperson, a truck driver, or a heavy equipment operator. But who are the people that support these positions and keep the work site operating while guys like you are operating the equipment? Here are five of them:

1. Payroll/human resources – Someone has to process your paycheck and make sure your insurance paperwork is completed so that you have the proper benefits. Your company’s human resources department will assist you with any questions you have about benefits and issue your paychecks.
2. Dispatch – In trucking companies, one person is usually responsible for dispatching truckers. They receive manifests and notify drivers of their next delivery route. They may even be responsible for assigning you your truck. You typically do not want to upset this person. They have a lot of power and you could find yourself without work easily if you cross the wrong one.
3. Rigger – The rigger is your construction work site’s safety person. He is responsible for making sure all of your equipment, especially lifting equipment, is safe to operate. He may even be responsible for performing some maintenance duties.
4. Supervisor – Your work site supervisor will likely be a former heavy equipment operator. He could have started out with your job. They rarely operate the equipment anymore, but their main task is to ensure that the work site is managed well and managed efficiently. They could be your direct line supervisor or two or three steps above you.
5. Maintenance – If your equipment breaks down during operation, you may have to create a work order and call in the maintenance crew. Unless the situation involves a safety violation, the rigger is not usually involved. What we’re talking about here is any maintenance issue above routine operator maintenance. You’re supposed to perform your own equipment checks before you operate it.

There may be a good chance you’re cut out for one of these jobs. If not, you should respect those who are.

The term “heavy equipment operator” encompasses a broad range of professionals from the lowly forklift driver to the glamorized long-haul truck driver. More often than not, however, it specifically refers to a person who operates one of several types of heavy equipment that are often found on construction sites and industrial zones within a variety of industries. Without getting into specific niche-oriented types of heavy equipment, the most basic equipment we’re talking about includes:

• Backhoes
• Mobile cranes
• Wheel loaders of various types
• Excavators
• Scrapers
• Graders
• Bulldozers

Again, these are the most basic types of heavy equipment you’ll find on most construction sites and many industrial work sites. A heavy equipment operator is a person trained to operate such equipment and has the proper certification to do so.

How Do You Become a Heavy Equipment Operator

Heavy equipment operators generally receive some type of professional training before they are allowed to operate heavy equipment. Some operators get their training on the job, but this is not the preferred way to get your professional certification. Rather, you are much more employable long term if you get trained and certified by an industry-recognized heavy equipment operator training school.

Many employers will hire instructors to come to their work site and provide such training to several employees at the same time. If your employer is one of those, they can contact Heavy Equipment School to set up the on-site training for you and your co-workers.

For more information on what you will learn in the heavy equipment operator training, you receive from ATS, visit our curriculum page.

The types of companies that hire heavy equipment operators are not short. All sorts of companies employ crane operators, forklift drivers, dump truck drivers, riggers and signalpersons, and people who operate every type of heavy equipment under the sun. Here’s a short list of the types of companies you might be employed by as a heavy equipment operator:

• Construction companies
• Utility companies
• City/municipal governments
• State agencies
• Federal state departments
• Oil & gas companies
• Timber companies
• Mining operations
• Military
• Other industrial employers

As you can see, that’s a broad swath of companies. In each of those categories, you may be employed by a variety of types of businesses. For instance, mining companies may include coal, diamond, or precious metals. Municipal governments could include cities, counties, townships, or boroughs. Even the military is versatile and often hires civilian contractors for some types of jobs.

Specific Employers Who Have Hired ATS Graduates

These employers will hire heavy equipment operators right out of training or with years of experience. They may also hire management personnel. You do not necessarily have to rise through the ranks. If you have the experience, you have the experience.

Employers who have hired heavy equipment operators who graduated from Associated Training Services classes include:

• Halliburton
• Waste Management
• Oak Park
• Quikrete
• Cranemasters
• Shaw
• Flippo Construction
• Merit Asphalt
• Senn Blacktop
• Waas Boring & Cable Inc.
• Intercon Construction LLC
• Buell’s Landscape Center
• Michels Corporation
• Pike Industries
• Tradesmen International
• Minnesota Department of Transportation
• Tube City IMS

And that’s just a small number of employers who have hired our graduates, who train on the best heavy equipment in the industry. You’ll learn how to operate brand-name equipment, such as Case, LIFTek, Badger, JohnnyBall, JCB, Dica, and more.

Our instructors are the best in the business, and all graduates gain access to our free job placement website with access to jobs all across the U.S. and Canada.

Our next heavy equipment class begins on December 7, 2015. Enroll to get in today.

If you are looking for a job in heavy equipment, or you think you might want to be a heavy equipment operator, now is the best time to start your training. Not only might you be eligible for financial or housing assistance, but you’ll gain immediate access to our jobs database and be in the know on the best heavy equipment jobs all across the country.

Whether your desire is to operate a mobile crane or a dump truck, whether your goal is to become a rigger or a foreman on a construction site, and even if you just want to move dirt around with a backhoe, getting a job is the most important part of your career. Without one, there is no career. And that’s why the instructors and staff at Associated Training Services are as concerned about making sure you are gainfully employed as you are. We want you to get a job.

Beyond the jobs listing board, we also will train you in the soft skills you need to apply for and land the heavy equipment job of your dreams. That includes:

• Resume assistance
• Networking skills
• Interviewing

And we’ll support you as you learn and practice these skills in a safe environment. Every student receives an employment counselor, someone who will coach you, encourage you, and motivate you to find the job that you deserve upon graduation.

Why wait? Join the next heavy equipment training class today and gain access to our jobs database.

Once again, Associated Training Services has job listings all over the country. If you are interested in a heavy equipment or truck driving job, then check out Total Resources Network, the best heavy equipment jobs board on the planet.

This week’s heavy equipment jobs include:

• SALEM, OR Hiring heavy equipment operators and CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• SANTA ANNA, CA Hiring heavy equipment operators.
• GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO Hiring heavy equipment operators.
• MARSHFIELD, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• WATERFORD, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• MADISON, WI Hiring heavy equipment operators.
• SHREVEPORT, LA Hiring mobile crane operators.
• EDWARDSPORT, IN Hiring mobile crane operators and riggers.
• GREEN BAY, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• NEENAH, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• NASHVILLE, TN Hiring heavy equipment operators.
• LUTSEN, MN Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• BEAVER DAM, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• ADAMS, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• MILWAUKEE, WI Hiring a local flatbed driver, home every night!
• NEW RICHMOND, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• BATON ROUGE, LA Hiring mobile crane operators.
• PILOT MOUNTAIN, NC Hiring mobile crane operators.
• LAKE NEBAGAMON, WI Hiring CLASS-A CDL truck drivers.
• BURLINGTON, IA Hiring heavy equipment operators and crane operators.

If you’d like to work as a heavy equipment operator, a Class-A CDL truck driver, a rigger, or a mobile crane operator and you have not been trained, now’s a good time to check into getting your heavy equipment training so you can be qualified to fill the many opening positions all across the country. Your future begins now.

There are several categories of job openings this week. That’s because the springtime construction season is upon us and a huge variety of jobs are out there. At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School, every one of these positions has a training program and gets you prepared to make money right away–whether it’s as a mobile crane operator, rigger, CDL Class-A truck driver, or heavy equipment operator. The Employment Assistance department works with students to make sure you connect with the jobs that are a good fit for your goals.

Here are this week’s job listings:

MAPLE GROVE, MN — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

MADISON, WI — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers and heavy equipment operators

WAPAKONETA, OH — hiring mobile crane operators

BATON ROUGE, LA — hiring heavy equipment operators

MARSHFIELD, WI — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

HENRICO, VA — hiring mobile crane operators and riggers

KNAPP, WI — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

RICHMOND, VA — hiring heavy equipment operators

AVON, MN — hiring mobile crane operators

HOUSTON, TX — hiring mobile crane operators

WILLISTON, ND — hiring CDL Class-A truck drivers

Another great benefit of ATS is free to access to Total Resources Network, a job site that truly does offer all the resources you need to network in the skilled trades industries.

There will always be a need for storm clean up crews because there will always be storms, right? Whether it’s a summer tornado in the midwest, or a hurricane hitting the coast, El Niño causing problems or a classic Nor’easter hitting major cities — somebody has to be able to move a lot of debris. That means a piece of heavy equipment in most cases, and a skilled operator able to do the job in unstable conditions.

Many Types of Heavy Equipment Used After A Storm

What does it take to restore a storm-damaged area? Here’s a list of the usual:

• excavators
• dozers
• track loaders
• wheel loaders
• cranes
• dump trucks
• backhoes
• and many more

The Right Equipment Is Useless Without The Right Operator

As impressive as heavy equipment is for getting an overwhelming job done, it takes a well-trained operator to do it safely and competently. Without the operator, that equipment is useless. Nobody knows when the next big storm will hit, but you know it will. In the meantime, a good heavy equipment operator is usually working away on a job site somewhere, earning a paycheck and honing skills.

When the need arises, that heavy equipment operator is ready to be part of the emergency cleanup crews who are desperately needed. Not all of those jobs are volunteer, either! Many operators make good money doing this service.

How can you be ready for this opportunity? By clearing some room on your calendar for training. ATS has training classes in heavy equipment, crane, and truck driving starting every three weeks, all year long. By the time the next storm comes rolling through, you could be ready.

Sooner or later, anybody who loves a heavy equipment operator is going to want to get a gift for that person, and not just any gift will do. You might want to honor a recent graduate from one of the ATS Training Classes, for instance. The schedule goes all year round for heavy equipment, crane, and CDL license training so there’s always a new group of graduates ready to face the future.

Of course, the coming holidays have gifts on everybody’s mind, too. But there are only so many “I DRIVE A LOADER” coffee mugs anybody wants, so choosing the right kind of gift is a good idea.

The Skilled Trades Deserve The Best Gift

A heavy equipment or crane operator will generally be doing a challenging job outside. Truck drivers are in and out of the cab, too. Think about giving work gear that makes the job easier:

• Good work gloves
• Comfortable, protective work boots
• Winter gear that handles sweat and times of inaction, like high tech long underwear
• High-performance socks
• Travel mugs that don’t spill and keep drinks hot or cold
• Gift certificates for gear

Every job has different challenges, and the list may change with a specific location. The idea to keep in mind is that a professional who works in the skilled trades industry is going to appreciate a gift that can be used hard every day. It’s better to give a hard-working heavy equipment operator one expensive, high-quality item that will last for years than it is to give a pile of cheaper presents that break by next year.

Did you think that heavy equipment operators only work in the summer? Wrong! They work all year round.

It’s true that many construction and highway workers can get laid off during the winter months, but if you are willing to work in the winter, there’s a lot of work available. Every parking lot, and street, that gets snowed on will need to be plowed, right? Even if you aren’t working for the Highway Department, there will often be part-time work available with organizations that need a reliable person to keep their pavement clear.

But it isn’t just plowing snow that’s required, because there’s a lot more to getting roads and parking areas clear than plowing. If you have your CDL, some experience, and are willing to obtain a Tanker endorsement you could drive a truck that carries chemicals for de-icing. Operators are needed for rollers, tractors, front-loaders, hi-lifts, and more. It all depends on the area and what the weather is like in the winter.

A lot of material is needed for salt trucks and spreaders, so a lot gets loaded and moved to various strategic points. Ice storms come through and make opportunity for tree removal jobs or disaster cleanup. Winter weather causes big problems and it takes big machinery to keep things moving along.

Getting trained as a heavy equipment operator now means you’ll be ready when the snow flies, even if you have been laid off from your regular job. It’s a good backup plan, but it’s also a good career path because heavy equipment operators really do have work all year long.