The US economy is still going through turbulent times with unemployment high across many sectors. This is a situation that creates numerous problems, one of which is the nervousness of those looking to change careers. A lot of money is being poured into construction by the government so one would expect that careers such as heavy equipment careers could be worth chasing. But are they?

There is a lot of talk by many people in the industry, particularly training providers, that there are thousands of jobs on offer. Receive training today and walk into a job tomorrow is their mantra. The reality is the opposite. Despite a lot of money being poured into construction, jobs are still hard to come by. This makes a move into a heavy equipment career very risky – and individuals ought to be a little nervous about making such a move.

The long term outlook is bright, however. We have an aging population and many of those currently employed as heavy equipment operators are nearing the end of their working life – you could say their use-by date is almost up. This will leave a vacuum in the field of experienced heavy equipment operators. I use the word ‘experienced’ because it is a key for those looking at a successful long term career as a heavy equipment operator.

Opportunities are there now for new operators to enter the market to gain experience. However, to be in a position to take up these opportunities, you need to have two key ingredients. The first is versatility. You need to be in a position to operate a range of heavy equipment. Employment could be patchy and you will most likely start with very basic operations. Having a secondary skill such as a commercial drivers license could be ideal. You may start as a transport driver picking up and delivering heavy equipment to construction sites. With heavy equipment training, you will most likely also load and unload this equipment. As you prove your worth, you will gain more opportunities to operate this equipment. What is important is that you are employed in the industry, and you are gaining experience – and this is just one example of having versatile skills.

The second component is probably more important and revolves around your training. When an employer looks at a job application, especially from someone who is new to the industry, they will be looking to see where that applicant undertook their training. It is imperative in today’s market that training is undertaken by training companies that are well respected by employers. Find a well respected heavy equipment training organization and that’s half your battle won.

Starting a heavy equipment career is not going to be a piece of cake. However, do it right and you will make life a lot easier on yourself. Industry expects a skill drain in around five years and they say it takes five years to become recognized as experienced in this industry. Start now and you will be right at the pointy end when your skills will be in high demand and you will be considered experienced. Wait a year or two and it could be too late – you won’t have gained the necessary experience. One suggestion well worth following up on is to talk to heavy equipment career services personnel to find out what options are available to you in your area right now.

Heavy equipment careers seem to wax and wane in popularity, and it normally doesn’t relate to demand. In fact, it can often be more location-based than national. This has been evident in areas where there has been a lot of heavy construction over the last year. Seeing heavy equipment being used on a daily basis seems to trigger a desire to ‘give it a go’ by people from that area. Motor graders are one piece of machinery that is seen for extended periods of time. If you’re interested in a motor grader career, the path is not that difficult.

To gain an entry level job as a grader operator, you need to have completed a heavy equipment training program. These training programs can take from three weeks to three months depending on how many hours of instruction are delivered each week. Some training establishments also stretch training programs to the max in order to justify higher fees. When looking at a heavy equipment training program, there are several factors that should be covered. These include:

• hands on operation of a wide range of heavy equipment,
• safety training,
• basic preventative maintenance skills,
• technical skills such as laser levels and grade reading,
• soil types and how they react when worked, and
• site layouts.

Finally, look for a tried and trusted heavy equipment training provider. These are training organizations that have a long history in the business and that have good reputations with employers. When talking to your training provider, ask if you can visit the training site prior to signing on the dotted line. Normally, after three weeks training you should be ready to accept entry level employment as a grader operator. The path is easy, if you find the right training provider to begin with.

Loaders come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. There are dozer loaders than run on tracks like a dozer, but use a shovel like a traditional loader; backhoes that have an excavator at the rear and a shovel at the front; and wheel loaders which, as the name suggests, run on wheels. However, as you can see from this image, there is one area in their operation that can throw students.

Wheel loaders are generally articulated. There’s nothing new in that, there are many different types of articulated machinery – in fact, if you have towed a boat or trailer then you have been in a form of articulated vehicle. The difference between a normal articulated vehicle and a wheel loader is that the operator is sitting in the back half of the articulation. To put that in an everyday situation, that would be like the driver sitting in the trailer when driving down the road.

This makes for some interesting maneuvers when students first climb aboard. It can take a while to become accustomed to the way the vehicle handles, particularly the steering. Once you get the hang of it, the rest becomes easy. The best way to master a wheel loader is to start with good quality hands on training. A good grounding means you enter the workplace with sufficient skills that driving a wheel loader is second nature. You will need experience to learn some of the finer points of loader operations, but the fact the vehicle is articulated should hold you back.

Wheel loaders can be difficult to master, however, the right heavy equipment training will soon bring out the master in you.

Backhoes – they are the backbone of many construction sites. However, I can’t think of many places where backhoes aren’t used these days. One of the big advantages of a backhoe is its versatility. With a bucket at the rear and shovel at the front, it has a wide range of applications. Backhoes also come in a wide variety of sizes – some are quite large and tackle big jobs while others are quite small and can get into some of the smallest places imaginable on a construction site.

Consider some of the work situations where you will find a backhoe:

• swimming pool construction
• digging foundations for new buildings
• digging trenches for pipelines
• demolition work
• agriculture, particularly dam building and irrigation
• cemeteries

That is a very small list of work situations. I could extend that list considerably if I also took into account the range of attachments that can be used in place of the bucket. While a backhoe is an extremely versatile work unit, operating one is not as complex as one may think. In fact, you can learn to operate a range of heavy equipment, including a backhoe, in as little as three weeks. At the end of the training, you are ready for entry level employment as a heavy equipment operator.

For operators, one of the benefits of specializing in backhoes is that it opens the door to further employment options such as loader and excavator operations. The bucket of a backhoe mimics the actions of an excavator while the shovel at the front mimics the actions of a wheel loader. If you are looking for a career in heavy equipment that offers a little in the way of variety, consider a career as a backhoe operator. Backhoe operator wages are good as are the working conditions. Your next step to a successful career is to commence heavy equipment training – are you ready?

Truck driving careers offer a lot for employees who enjoy working in an environment where they are almost totally in control. The only outside influence on your career is the where, what and when – where you need to load and unload, what you are loading and unloading, and when the items need picking up and dropping off. It sounds like a lot, but you’re in control of the how and that is really is the major component of the job, especially when it comes to interstate truck driving.

Having a commercial drivers license opens the door to a wide range of truck driving jobs. When we say flexibility, we really mean it. You could be driving dump trucks, perhaps local delivery trucks, or flatbeds transporting heavy equipment, and that’s just for starters. Take a moment at some time and just watch the main roads. In most areas, you will see trucks of many different shapes and sizes delivering everything from water through petroleum and gas products; fresh food from farms through to manufactured foods; in fact, any item you can buy has a truck’s involvement somewhere. You can even see homes, or parts of homes, being trucked across the country.

It takes all of three weeks to train to become a truck driver. Gaining your commercial drivers license will depend on how quickly you can pass the local requirements for that license. When it comes to employment, like most industries, the hardest part is getting your foot through the door. If you are a competent driver then you find that the industry is fairly stable – even in poor economic climates (we still eat and drink and we still drive).

ATS Truck Driving Schools have a number of locations across the country. We have almost 50 years of continuous service teaching students in fields such as truck driving, crane operations and heavy equipment operations. With that experience, and strong reputation amongst employers for graduating quality drivers, the only thing holding you back from a truck driving career is you yourself.

Workplace safety has had many different approaches over the years. In the beginning, it was virtually a system of look after yourself. Over time, governments, often at the behest of unions, brought in legislation requiring safety equipment such as hard hats, work boots and scaffolding requirements. The problem with most of these systems is that they were designed to protect people in the event of an accident. The easier route has to be to prevent accidents in the first place. With this in mind, safety training was introduced and it is now becoming mandatory across the country for workers to have this training. Heavy equipment safety training is no different.

Protective clothing can help to reduce injuries when it comes to minor incidents, however, major incidents still result in the loss of human life and expensive damage to property. Preventing these accidents is now the best approach and, believe it or not, it isn’t that difficult. Safety training has several core components, the main one being awareness. The more aware an operator is, the less risk there is to life and property.

Heavy equipment safety training also covers areas such as basic equipment maintenance, equipment stability, and securing equipment for transport. As an operator, the last thing you want is a hydraulic hose failing and causing your equipment to suddenly drop, or for your crane to topple over because it wasn’t set up properly on the ground. Perhaps the worst accident of all these days is heavy equipment coming into contact with high voltage over head power lines. I hear it’s a hair raising experience that’s well worth missing.

If you are looking to commence heavy equipment training, be sure to check on whether or not your training includes recognized safety training. If it doesn’t then look elsewhere for your training. Almost all workplaces now insist on only employing heavy equipment operators who have completed recognized heavy equipment safety training. It is therefore pointless undertaking training if you cannot use your new skills because you lack the safety training required.

Bulldozers are one of the most popular machines for new operators entering the heavy equipment field. For many, the dream of operating a bulldozer starts in childhood and only re-kindles after leaving school. If you’re considering entering the field as a bulldozer operator, you may be wondering where you could possibly find employment.

Heavy equipment is used throughout industry with loaders and bulldozers the most popular. They certainly appear in the most diverse areas of industry. Bulldozers started life in rural communities where they helped to clear land and build dams. There is still a strong demand for this type of work today. While ever we eat and have farmers supplying that food, we will need bulldozers.

Construction is the biggest employer of bulldozers and bulldozer operators. From clearing land for new buildings to clearing land for roads and highways, bulldozers are there, often in numbers. You will also find bulldozers in use in the mining industry, forestry and in the military. Snow plows are nothing more than specialist bulldozers and, in communities where snow is not a regular event, bulldozers are used as snow plows.

You will find bulldozers in use across a broad range of industries and over time, employment opportunities have been steady. The prediction is that opportunities will rise in the future as ‘baby boomers’ start to age and retire. This could leave a vacuum of experienced operators – a factor that is well worth considering when deciding on a career.

Bulldozer training is part of a more general heavy equipment training program. These programs can be completed and have you prepared for entry level employment in as little as three weeks. If you still have that childhood dream of operating heavy equipment, why not make it a reality – the work is there.

Excavators are a popular option when it comes to heavy equipment careers. They look more complex than they really are, a fact you can see for yourself if you attend one of our free workshops. These workshops have a range of heavy equipment on display – you can even climb into the cabs and check them out for yourself – and while you’re there, participate in one of our training modules, all at no cost.

Why attend a workshop? You can:

• see the campus, the classrooms and the general environment;
• meet some of our training instructors;
• talk to some of our current students;
• discuss training and payment options with our admissions counselors;
• experience real training firsthand;
• gain a head start on actual training by fully completing a training module;
• gain firsthand experience on the machinery;
• find out if this is something you really want to do – before spending any money.

They are important considerations, especially the last. Each of the previous points lead to that final conclusion. By walking around the campus, talking to other students, and getting a real feel for the environment, you will quickly come to understand whether or not you will ‘fit in’. By attending a training module you will gain an understanding of what is involved in learning to operate heavy equipment, excavators included.

Firsthand experience is invaluable, and when it’s offered for free, even more so. Heavy equipment is an exciting field to get into and with the amount of construction being undertaken at present, there is no shortage of work. Employment opportunities for the future are probably better than most other industries.

If you have been considering a career as an excavator operator, or in any other field of heavy equipment, check out our complete schedule of free heavy equipment workshops. While you’re at it, check out our free CDL workshops as well.

Getting a start in any career can be difficult unless you know someone in the business. Even then, employers are keen to employ the ‘right’ people for the job. If you’re considering a career as a heavy equipment operator, here are a few tips that may help you to reach your goal.

Heavy Equipment Training – research this area well. You need to choose a training business that will expose you to a range of heavy equipment, will train you to industry standards, and has a good reputation within industry. A training business that has been around for a long time generally suggests they are doing all the right things.

Select The Right Heavy Equipment – this is essential to your success. Heavy equipment ranges from small loaders through to backhoes, excavators, graders and bulldozers (and that’s only a brief list). Once you start your training, consider each vehicle carefully then select heavy equipment that you feel most comfortable with. You don’t have to settle on one type either, especially if you feel comfortable with related vehicles. For example, a backhoe, an excavator and a loader.

Seek Entry Level Work – be honest with employers and let them know you are seeking entry level work. This may reduce the number of options available to you, but employers appreciate honesty and there are positions available for entry level heavy equipment operators. Initially, don’t focus on money or the type of work offered – you are seeking experience and, hopefully, a good reference down the track. If you can achieve both, you will be well on your way to a successful career. A good training provider will help you to obtain employment so look for training providers that offer career services.

If you follow those three tips you will give yourself the best possible chance of gaining a start as a heavy equipment operator. The field can be competitive, but there are opportunities available for anyone who is prepared to work towards them. Training is at the core so select the very best heavy equipment training program available.

The perception amongst most people is that graders are difficult vehicles to drive. The truth is probably the opposite, driving them is a piece of cake. However, setting the controls, such as the angle and height of blade is a little different. That does take some skill, especially when setting them to fine degrees. However, it doesn’t really matter what type of heavy equipment you are operating, they all have their little idiosyncrasies that make them a challenge at times.

Whether it’s a grader, excavator or backhoe, being able to work to fine measurements is part of the job. Even bulldozer operators have a set of plans that they must work off and they too have to work to pre-ordained measurements. If a farmer wants a dam 6 feet deep then that is what he expects to see, not a dam that is ‘close enough’ 4 feet.

Being able to operate heavy equipment like a grader to produce finished results that perfectly match plans is a result of good training, and experience behind the controls. I am amazed when people tell me they learned how to operate heavy equipment simply by sitting in a classroom for a week or two then spending an hour or two behind the controls. That is more like familiarization than learning.

Students attending ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools can expect to spend some time in the classroom – there is a lot to learn that is theoretical in nature. However, it is equally important to spend as much time behind the controls as possible. It is only by operating heavy equipment that you can get a feel for what is really happening – it is the only place where you can learn fine controls and how a machine reacts every time you touch a lever, pedal or button.

Graders are not the hardest heavy equipment to operate, they are all fairly equal. It is the standard of heavy equipment training that will determine how ‘easy’ any piece of heavy equipment is to control. Contact us at ATS if you want to try out a training program – we have open days running through to the end of the year where you can try out a free heavy equipment training program – and when we say free, we really do mean – no charge. Who knows, you may take to graders as a born natural, and find yourself starting a new career as a grader operator.