How many careers can you think of that only require three weeks of training? Add to this a couple of extra days to go through the certification process and your career is ready to be launched. That’s all it takes to become a certified crane operator, and yes, certification is now a requirement in the workplace.

While cranes do look to be complex, their operations are fairly straightforward. A lot of your training time is spent developing knowledge in the area of safety, and assessing both the work location and the load. The actual crane operation is fairly easy to learn. When it comes to certification, this is centered around safety, and an operator’s ability to safely set up and operate a crane.

It’s strange how, in a fast-paced society, we look at short training programs and wonder whether or not they produce the goods. When it comes to crane operator training, it does produce the goods and we have tens of thousands of former students who have successfully completed their training. Those graduates have gone on to operate a wide variety of cranes in a number of different industries, and their success is based on their desire to learn, and our ability to deliver the right training.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools has a long history of training individuals for employment in the heavy equipment industry, truck driving, and crane operations. We continue to work with the major stakeholders in these industries to ensure the training we deliver produces operators that are immediately employable following their graduation. For crane operators, that training is over three weeks. Nationally recognized certification assessments can be completed following your graduation and a certificate issued upon your successful completion of those assessments.

Crane operators are always in demand. If you are interested in a career as a crane operator, be sure your crane operator training is comprehensive, delivers the right skills for industry, and prepares you well for those important assessments. If everything comes together well, you’ll be employable as a crane operator in less than four weeks – forget those six or twelve month training programs for a new career.

It seems that every year we report on wildfires somewhere across the country. More importantly, we report on the bulldozers and bulldozer operators that fight bravely alongside firefighters. The current fires in Texas are another example of bulldozers and bulldozer operators being called on to help fight fires. Other states are sending bulldozers and their operators to help out, providing a little relief for operators already in action, and being put to work in areas that are not already covered by bulldozers.

Bulldozers play an important role in brush fires, and we must include before, during and after in that role. In quiet times, bulldozer operators can often be found carving firebreaks and fire access trails throughout the nation. Turn on the television and you’ll see bulldozers helping to fight fires in a variety of ways – either clearing vegetation and other flammable material, or helping to cover smouldering material with dirt. The hardest work often comes after a serious fire when bulldozers are called in to to level homes that have been destroyed by fire – it can be tough leveling what was once someone’s home.

It takes a lot of skill and a lot of faith in your equipment to fight a wildfire. Equipment failure, or a wrong turn, can see you suddenly in the midst of burning inferno. Bulldozer operators that fight fires are generally those that are well skilled and who have had years of experience. The only way to gain that experience is by having a sound training platform to build on. That is one of the primary concerns of ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools. Our graduates leave our heavy equipment training schools with a good grounding in a range of equipment, with all graduates ready to build on those skills in the workplace.

While few operators are called upon to fight wildfires, having the skills and experience to do so is invaluable. If you have desire to become a bulldozer operator, or to operate heavy equipment in general, then be sure the training you receive provides that good platform to build on.

There’s nothing like a natural disaster to alter the balance in industry. When it comes to heavy equipment, the clean up following a natural disaster can really test the industry. Who has the greatest need – the road crew that is busy trying to finish a highway before winter sets in, or those who have suffered a lot of damage caused by the disaster? Irene is having a similar effect with heavy equipment operators, and often their equipment as well, putting their hands up to help with the clean-up.

What we do know is that the ranks of experienced heavy equipment operators is already dropping and events such as Irene can create vacuums of skilled operators in other areas. The industry is constantly on the lookout for new operators, particularly those with skills across a range of machinery. If you have a commercial drivers license, your value to employers is further enhanced.

Many will claim a lack of employment opportunities for heavy equipment operators – the truth is far from it. Heavy equipment operators are always in demand and there are times when that demand is heavier in different parts of the country. There will probably not be a shortage of heavy equipment operators down the east coast right now, but there will be elsewhere as operators are drawn to the east coast.

One of the interesting aspects of a heavy equipment career is that it is well suited to those who like to move around a little. The demand fluctuates around the country depending on the time of the year, any natural events such as fire, storm and earthquake, and state and federal government road and bridge building programs. If you have the wander bug and would like a career that may well support it, then consider a career as a heavy equipment operator – it could take you around the world.

Mention the word heavy equipment operator and most people think of a big barreled hairy chest male, probably wearing a hard hat and a singlet. Soft skills – there’s nothing soft about a heavy equipment operator. Right? These days, that image is far from the truth – in fact, there are many women operating heavy equipment, but soft skills have nothing to do with being soft. Soft skills are those areas relating to how you interact with others.

In the workplace, soft skills include how you frame job applications and resumes, how you conduct yourself during interviews, how you work as part of a team and your interaction in that team, and can even include leadership skills. Do heavy equipment operators need these skills? If you’re new to the industry then they certainly won’t hurt. An old-but-still-relevant report from the University of Minnesota puts it quite clearly when it comes to work in general:

While jobs in today’s economy require that employees be able to solve problems, use technology, and be proficient in reading, writing, math, and speaking skills, it is the soft skills that seem to make the difference in whether or not an employer hires and keeps someone on the job (Bremer & Madzar, 1995; Rentner, 2001)

Research over the years has demonstrated that soft skills can improve job seeking success rates by anything up to 85%, which is understandable given the emphasis placed on training people how to apply for job vacancies to their best advantage. When it comes heavy equipment training, the core training is on operating heavy equipment and heavy equipment safety, however, if a training organization also offers soft skills training, don’t snub that training – it could make the difference between a successful heavy equipment career, and being on the wrong end of job application reject letters.

How safe are you in the workplace? Do you know what safety equipment is required in the workplace? For heavy equipment operators, working safely has several aspects and while protecting people and property in the vicinity of your work area is important, looking after your health safety is also important. Heavy equipment safety training includes being trained in the requirements and use of personal safety equipment. Some of this training can be completed in a training school while other aspects require on-the-job training, especially where equipment may be specific to that industry – mining is a good example of where industry-specific equipment could be required.

On construction sites, your personal safety equipment could include:

• Footwear such as steel capped work boots
• Hard hats
• Safety clothing, including special brightly colored fluorescent clothing when required
• Safety gloves, especially when working on the heavy equipment; for example, changing tools on backhoes
• Noise prevention and hearing protection
• And eye protection

Most construction sites forbid entry to anyone who is not wearing a hard hat and steel-toed work boots. Even safety inspectors need to meet these requirements before making an inspection. Workplace safety is an important issue and one that our legislators have worked on repeatedly over the years. Employers and employees can face severe fines if they do not meet minimum safety requirements, and, as they say, ignorance of the law cannot be used as a defense.

When undertaking heavy equipment training, be sure to check to see if heavy equipment safety is an important component. This doesn’t just relate to safety modules. It also relates to the reinforcement of safety issues while in the seat learning to operate equipment. Complete the right training and employers will be happy to hire you – if you don’t complete the right training, employers won’t give your application a second look.

Learning to operate heavy equipment is not as difficult as it may seem. It takes around three weeks of quality organized training to have someone trained and ready for work. From there, you are on the road to a lifetime of learning – but then, that’s true of most professions. People often look at loaders and think, “they must be easy to operate.” The truth is, they are reasonably easy to learn, but it does take a skilled operator to get the best out of a loader.

The concept of a loader is fairly simple. Four wheels, often articulated in the middle, with a bucket at the front to carry dirt. Lower the bucket, drive forward, raise the bucket, turn around, and dump the lot into the back of a truck. It sounds so easy, yet the work itself is a lot more involved. Filling the bucket requires concentration and a sense of touch through the controls – if there are rocks, it’s time to back off.

Even raising the bucket and emptying the contents into a dump truck requires concentration, a good sense of where everyone and everything is (safety is imperative when operating heavy equipment), and a good judge of distance to ensure you are emptying into the dump truck and that you don’t collide with it as well. These may sound like simple skills, and over time they are, but they still need to be taught and they still need to be practiced.

Learning to operate a loader is not difficult. A comprehensive three week heavy equipment training program can have you in the seat ready to start work. You need to concentrate on building those skills, developing safe work habits, and getting jobs completed on time. If you can manage that, you’ll have a long and successful career as a loader operator.

Undertaking a training program to commence a new career is always a costly process. Some training programs are more costly that others, especially if you take into account the real costs of training. You could decide you wanted to become a doctor, but we all know that takes years of dedicated study and your income potential during that time is minimal – yet you still have to live. Even shorter training programs lasting only six to twelve months come with hidden costs. Your limited ability to earn during this time while still maintaining your normal life can be difficult. Is heavy equipment training the same?

The reality is a definite no! Unlike many other training programs, learning to operate heavy equipment can be achieved in as little as three weeks. On completion, you are ready for entry level employment in the industry as a heavy equipment operator – effectively, you are getting a return on your training investment very quickly. If you compare the wages of heavy equipment operators to many other careers, you will find that not only are you getting a quick return on your investment, your investment in heavy equipment training will be repaid quite quickly.

Since heavy equipment training is such a short program, you are not committing to a long period of learning with little in the way of income. You are also not struggling to find casual evening work to maintain you for six or twelve months (or more depending on the training). Heavy equipment training is short, sharp, and focused on developing skills in all the areas necessary to become a successful operator.

If you undertake your training through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, we can help you arrange finance for your training, deliver high quality and well respected training, and provide a wide range of assistance to help you find that first job. If you assess the real costs of heavy equipment training, you’ll find they are far lower than many other training programs – and the reward is a great career once you have completed that training.

Heavy equipment operators are often in high demand, especially when major construction projects are scheduled. Taking that first step to becoming a heavy equipment operator is always tough. You need to justify the time and expense required to undertake heavy equipment operator training, and then there’s always the concern as to whether or not you will find a suitable job after graduating from that training.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have tried to make that decision a little easier by offering as much help as possible. The one attribute that you need to bring is desire – if you want to be a heavy equipment operator, then there are many different ways of achieving that goal. Without desire, the urge to push on is not there and the temptation to quit at the first obstacle all too easy to take. If you have that desire to work with heavy equipment, then talk to us. We can help you achieve that goal in many different ways. Some areas where we offer direct assistance include:

• Free Heavy Equipment Training – Take a day to attend a free training session. This will help you decide if a heavy equipment career is really right for you.
• Financial Assistance – We can help you locate suitable funding sources. We are also eligible providers of training under several government programs including those designed for service personnel.
• Housing Assistance – We can help you with accommodation for the duration of your training. This saves on travel time and costs and places you close to the training school for easy access.
• Career Services – We have skilled career services personnel who can help you source suitable employers, create application letters and resumes, and provide advice on how to perform well at interviews.
• Free Jobs Site – ATS has a dedicated jobs site where employers can list job vacancies. You can include your resume on site to make it easier for employers to find you as well.
• Heavy Equipment Training – Once you have made that final decision, we can provide you with all the training required to prepare you for employment as a heavy equipment operator. This includes both classroom based training and in-the-seat operator training.

If you have the desire to become a heavy equipment operator, then we have all the tools and resources and training required to help you achieve that goal. All it takes is one toll free phone call to (800) 383-7364 and you’ve taken that first step.

Skid steer loaders are often looked down upon by construction crews, yet they are one of the busiest and most versatile machines in use. In fact, many operators will brag that if a skid steer can’t do it, then it can’t be done. It’s a hard claim to argue against actually considering the range of attachments that can be used with a skid steer.

One of the real benefits to a skid steer is their maneuverability. Being small, and being able to turn in their own tracks, they can get in and out of most places. Being four wheel drive, they can work well in snow or mud, and in the unlikely event they get stuck, they can use their bucket to push themselves out. The most common attachments in use are a bucket and a set of forks. However, you can also attach post hole diggers, trenchers, grapples, and even a snow blower, and that’s just the tip of the attachment iceberg. Skid steers can:

• dig holes,
• load trucks,
• clear snow,
• push dirt, gravel, or sand,
• carry heavy items,
• spread dirt, gravel, or sand,
• back-drag dirt, gravel, or sand to achieve a level finish,
• shave turf strips, and
• dig trenches

Skid steers are used everywhere from farms to the construction industry. However, their real home is in landscape gardening where this one tool can do a variety of jobs, including carrying and holding large plants that are being transplanted. Compared to their larger cousins, skid steer loaders are also easy to transport. The can be driven onto a small flatbed and towed by any decent-sized vehicle. While skid steer loaders are small, they can be tricky to operate, especially for a novice. Heavy equipment training prepares an individual to operate a wide range of heavy equipment including skid steer loaders. Looking for variety, a skid steer loader operator certainly experiences that.

Workplace safety is a big issue across the nation and there has been a lot of attention given to the construction industry in general. Building sites are dangerous places for those who are not fully aware of what is going on around them – it’s certainly not a place that encourages daydreaming. Heavy equipment safety has come in for a lot of criticism over the years due to the number of avoidable accidents that have taken place. Today, an employer will not hire an operator unless they have had some form of heavy equipment safety training – at least sufficient to meet the national minimum standards.

No matter how much training an individual has, their ability to work safely all comes down to one key ingredient – common sense – and you would be surprised how many times an operator has ignored this and created a real problem. Safety rules are put in place for a reason. Not to make life harder for operators, but to make life safer for themselves and for those working around them. And common sense is at the center of most safety rules – as it is in most areas of our lives.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools have fully endorsed the safety rules and working safely is an issue we deal with from day one in training. When students are operating heavy equipment, safety is at the forefront with students encouraged to consider these issues before making any maneuvers. In order to complete their training, students must not only demonstrate an ability to operate heavy equipment, they must also demonstrate their knowledge of the safety issues involved with operating their equipment.

A safer workplace means there are fewer injuries (and loss of life), less downtime (accidents often need to be investigated for causes), and less damage to property and equipment. It estimated that construction companies could save over a billion dollars each year, just by cutting out avoidable accidents. Do you have common sense? If you do, you have the core ingredient for a safer workplace – and we can help you learn the skills to capitalize on that common sense to become an effective and safe heavy equipment operator.