Demolition sites can be some of the most dangerous environments to work in, especially if you’re a heavy equipment operator. This is one area where site safety and heavy equipment safety are paramount. This last week we saw scenes of a tower demolition that went wrong, all because the demolition experts failed to see a crack in one wall. If you missed the story, head on over to The Star to see the video.

While heavy equipment were not involved with this particular story, a quick search on YouTube will display hundreds of videos of heavy equipment accidents on demolition sites – and some of them are not pretty. Heavy equipment can be cumbersome to move so getting out of the way in a hurry is not an option. What is needed is a well planned approach to the job. Because evasion is not an easy option, heavy equipment operators need to plan where they place their equipment and what sort of work they can safely perform.

In order to increase safety awareness on work sites, most state legislatures have invoked fairly tough workplace safety rules. These rules include a set standard for workplace safety equipment and a mandatory level of workplace safety training. Today, you will find it almost impossible to gain employment on construction sites if you haven’t completed that safety training.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools ensure that every student studying to become heavy equipment operators also completed a module on heavy equipment safety. This ensures that our students enter the workplace with the minimum standard of safety knowledge required. If you are considering a career as a heavy equipment operator, check to see whether or not your training includes safety components. Your future career may well depend on whether or not you have received this training.

If I mention a bulldozer – what image springs to mind? Let me guess, a short squat vehicle on tracks with a large blade at the front. That pretty much describes your average everyday bulldozer – the only real difference then being in size. However, bulldozers are not all built the same with designed to cover a diverse range of terrains. Rather than tracks, these bulldozers are driven on wheels.

Operating a wheeled bulldozer is not quite the same as operating a tracked dozer. The steering of a tracked bulldozer is managed by speeding up, slowing down and even reversing one track while the other track is stationary or perhaps doing the reverse. A wheeled bulldozer is operated using a more conventional steering wheel.

Whether wheeled or tracked, both do essentially the same job – they push dirt around. Tracked bulldozers work well on ground that is soft and potentially boggy for wheeled vehicles. Wheeled bulldozers work well on hilly terrain where tracks would find it slow going. The military have big users of wheeled bulldozers over the years because of that ability.

Training to become a bulldozer operator can be completed in as little as three weeks. This provides you with the skills required to undertake entry level employment positions within the heavy equipment field. Your heavy equipment training includes hands on operational skills, workplace safety knowledge and preventative maintenance knowledge. You will also learn about the different types of soils, grade reading and site layouts, all important to enjoying a successful career as a bulldozer operator.

Planning a new career is a big step for anyone and one of the most daunting aspects is the concept of transitioning from training to an actual job. Heavy equipment careers can be even more daunting since there is such a wide range of machinery and industries from which to choose. This is where career services personnel who are experienced in the field of heavy equipment are so valuable. It is their job to create a bridge between your training and prospective employers.

At Associated Training Services (ATS), our career services personnel are not there to just push possible job vacancies at you. Their role starts early on your training with an interview designed to give them a feel for your goals and preferences. During the interview they will determine what geographic locations best suit your needs; what, if any, industries interest you; and which heavy equipment do you feel most comfortable with? This helps the career services personnel put together a package that includes possible employers in your preferred geographic region and information related to your training.

During your time at ATS, you will also receive soft skills training designed to develop skills in employment application procedures, interviewing techniques and networking methods, all designed to help you win that first job. Instructors at ATS all come from the real world so they bring with them years of industry experience, many as foremen, superintendents or small business owners. They know what it takes to succeed in the industry, and they pass that knowledge onto their students.

When you first start your training, you may feel there is a gulf between your training and actually finding work. It needn’t be as there are jobs available in the field of heavy equipment. When you bring together nationally respected training in heavy equipment, and the knowledge and experience of career services personnel, that gulf between training and employment suddenly shrinks to a crack. If you’re considering a career change, be sure to select a training company that not only delivers the training, but also delivers real employment assistance.

Were you fascinated by big trucks, bulldozers and cranes when you were a youngster? Did you ever dream of operating a real one as you pushed your toys through the sand pit? There are many children that do, girls included, but somewhere along the line, their dreams become waylaid by other careers. You can still see the glint in the eye with some people as they pass by a construction site. They stop and watch and always seem to be reluctant to move on. If that’s you, it’s never too late complete the dream you had a child.

While many consider training to be a young persons game, it’s not, especially when it comes to heavy equipment operations. And if you think it’s a male only realm, think again. There are many woman now enjoying stable careers in the industry. There are only a couple of requirements to becoming a successful heavy equipment operator, the major one being a willingness to learn, and to continue learning while on the job.

Speaking of jobs, you may wonder if there is a future for the industry. At present, there are billions of dollars being thrown into construction. Much of it is government money, but as the economy improves, the private sector will start to invest – they have to if they want to grow. Construction is the backbone of our economy so there will always be a need for proficient and reliable operators.

If you had a dream to get behind the controls of any heavy equipment, why not fulfill that dream by undertaking a heavy equipment training course. You can complete a course and be work ready in as little as three weeks. The opportunities are there – why aren’t you!

Skid steer loaders have become one of the most popular machines on a building site and it all comes down to costs. Skid steer loaders are much cheaper to purchase, easier to maintain, and only require half the fuel compared to their larger cousins. Add to this a skid steer loader’s versatility and its ability to maneuver in tight spots and you have the perfect construction site work horse.

With the current economy still tight, construction businesses are looking at ways to cut costs while still getting the job done – on time, safely, and under budget. Skid steer loaders can certainly help businesses cut costs. More importantly, they are able do most of the work that other machinery, such as wheel loaders, do. The downside is, being smaller, their scoops cannot carry as much. However, being nimble little beasts, they can still load a truck with sand or gravel at the same speed, or faster, than a wheel loader. They can certainly nip around a construction site with more ease, laden or unladen.

Talk to operators of skid steer loaders and they will admit they are fun machines. However, whilst they may look like toys, the work they do is serious. Learning to operate heavy equipment is not that difficult today. Good training organizations can train you to operate a range of machinery in as little as three weeks. At the completion of your heavy equipment training, you will have the skills required to seek entry level employment as a heavy equipment operator. Whilst skid steer loaders may look like little toys, they are still considered to be heavy equipment. They certainly are the work horse of any construction site.

Career re-training has become an important option for many as working opportunities start to dry up and unemployment in some sectors starts to grow. Heavy equipment is one area where spending is increasing, especially in areas involving public infrastructure such as roads, bridges and schools. Whether operating heavy equipment has been seen as too hard, or perhaps individuals feel they are too old, re-training to start a career as a heavy equipment operator has not been a top priority for many.

Often, the biggest hurdle is the perception of cost. Any form of training places an impost on a family’s budget, especially if you have to stop work during training. However, today, you don’t have to stop work and the cost of training certainly shouldn’t be a heavy impost. And as for new recruits being too old, or finding the training too hard, you’re never too old and learning to be an operator can be completed in three weeks – so it’s certainly not ‘too’ hard.

If you are unemployed, or perhaps a war veteran, then there are a variety of government programs that you could be eligible for. We have available information related to military benefits and general government financial assistance for those who feel they may qualify. Other options include looking at education or training loans through lenders.

ATS can help you to source training funds through loans and you can facilitate the process if you complete our online finance application. I mentioned earlier that you don’t have to stop work to undertake heavy equipment training – and you don’t. One of the best options when it comes to funding your heavy equipment training is to break the costs down. For example, if you study part of the training program from home, you can continue to work and receive an income while paying a much smaller fee for the distance learning component of your training.

This is ideal for those who are still not 100% sure that heavy equipment is for them as you can test your own interests and abilities before committing to more advanced training. If you’re interested, check out our page on distance heavy equipment training – it could be the perfect answer to your situation.

If you are really interested in undertaking heavy equipment training then talk to us. Like age and gender, cost is not a barrier as there are many ways for a prospective student to fund their way through our training. If you’re ready to start – we’re ready to help.

The most valuable employees in any business are the ones that can multi-skill. These days, when employers are forced to lay off workers, the last to go are generally those that are multi-skilled. It makes sense, of course. If you have a truck driver, a mobile crane operator, and bulldozer operator, but you only have enough work to keep these three operators busy for a short period each week, the easy way out is to sack those three operators and to employ an operator that can operate each piece of machinery.

However, if you are skilled in all three areas then you will be the last to be dismissed. The employer can use you wherever needed thus keeping you busy all the time. Gaining skills in all three areas may seem daunting, yet it isn’t. If you’re a truck driver then adding mobile crane operator training to your skill set is fairly easy. Likewise, if you are a heavy equipment operator then adding a commercial drivers license is not that difficult. That is the first step – that provides you with two skill sets that are important to employers.

Of course, if you are already a mobile crane operator then you will already have your CDL so it’s only a matter of adding heavy equipment training to your skills list. We are currently in an environment where multi-skilled workers are being held in high esteem. They are an important asset to any business. From the workers point of view, they have always got a range of options when it comes to seeking employment.

Associated Training Services has over forty years experience training truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, and mobile crane operators. We are in effect your one-stop shop when it comes to acquiring the range of skills that most employers find valuable. If you are involved in just one of those areas, consider up-skilling and improving your employment chances.

If you start a career off on the right footing, you will often find there are many directions you can take. Heavy equipment careers are one good example. A thorough grounding in a range of machinery can prepare you well for diverse employment opportunities. Backhoes, excavators and loaders are a prime example of this.

Excavators and loaders are very different machinery. Excavators are normally stationary and are generally used to dig holes and trenches. Loaders, on the other hand, are always on the go and used primarily to carry material. They are very effective at lifting loads of sand and gravel into trucks. What do they have in common? The backhoe! The backhoe takes the best of both machines and incorporates it into one machine.

The front of a backhoe looks very much like a standard loader. There is a good reason for that since that is exactly what it does. Backhoes, when used as loaders, can generally do everything that a loader can do, and just as nimbly as well.

At the rear of a backhoe is an excavator tool that is used in the same manner as an excavator. It does the same work, digging holes and trenches. Over the past 20 years or so both have seen the introduction of attachments such as slab breakers, augers and just about any other digging or breaking tool you can think off.

Being trained in all three machinery means you are able to pick and choose workplaces. You are also more attractive to potential employers since they will then have the flexibility of using your skills across a range of machinery. Rather than approaching a career as an operator of one piece of machinery, take advantage of training that provides heavy equipment operator skills across a range of machinery. It can certainly give your career a boost.

For the last couple of months there has been a lot of interest in the events involving the miners trapped in Chile. It’s these types of events that bring home the real need for workplace safety. Heavy equipment safety goes beyond simple workplace safety – the equipment itself is a deadly tool if not operated within limits. Did you notice what they used to raise and lower the ‘Phoenix’ rescue capsule? It was a large mobile crane. What probably hasn’t registered with most people who followed these events was the safety aspect of that crane.

Having drilled through to the trapped miners, rather than plowing ahead and trying to free them, they tested every safety aspect possible. The crane double and triple checked to ensure it was on a stable footing. The crane was positioned precisely so that it could raise and lower the rescue capsule with ease. In fact, they practiced the raising and lowering dozens of times before they were happy to perform the rescue. Did you watch the rescue? If you did you will have seen the speed of the cable constantly changing – this was at the instruction of the rescue foreman. This means their communications were spot on as well.

This is a rare and unusual situation. However, the rescue itself, from the crane operator’s perspective, was just another job (albeit with half the world watching and men’s lives at risk). That operator’s training, together with the training of those on ground, was integral to the success of that rescue. For most heavy equipment operators, the job is far more mundane than rescuing people. However, the heavy equipment safety that is required is no less. When looking at heavy equipment training, don’t forget the events of Chile – be sure your training has a strong safety aspect to it.

When I suggest you can sit in the seat of a bulldozer for free, I am not talking about joy rides. I am talking about real down-to-earth experience and when I say ‘free’, I really do mean free. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have been conducting highly successful one day workshops in heavy equipment and truck driving with entry to these workshops totally free.

If you decide to attend one of these workshops, you will be able to participate in the training module, “Introduction to Heavy Equipment”. You will also be able to participate in a range of training-related activities including:

• Meeting instructors and current students to get a feel for the campus
• Meeting admissions counselors and discussing training options
• Experiencing training in real time by attending actual training sessions
• Gaining hands-on experience, and that means climbing all over the equipment and sitting in the operators seat

While bulldozers are one of the most popular machines, you can also get a feel for a range of equipment including:

• backhoes
• graders
• loaders
• cranes
• excavators

And that is just a short list (the equipment available will vary from campus to campus). What is important for anyone considering a career as a heavy equipment operator is the chance to gain a real feel for the industry. By attending these workshops you will gain a better understanding as to whether or not this is the best career option for you – at no cost. The no-cost component is important because it really is free. These workshops are offered free of any obligations – no contracts, no expensive agreements and no commitment required to undertake any further training.

If you are interested in attending one of our workshops, check out our website for further details on where and when our free heavy equipment workshops are being conducted. We currently have workshops scheduled through to early December and since numbers are limited, booking a place is essential. If you’re ready to discuss booking a place, call us on 1-800-383-7364 and reserve your spot. If you’ve never been in the seat of a bulldozer, or any other heavy equipment, then do yourself a favor; call us and give it a try – it could be the start of an interesting career as a heavy equipment operator.