If there is one thing that irks construction companies more than anything else it is the loss of their heavy equipment. New heavy equipment technology is now helping with loss prevention devices being fitted to most new machinery.

You would be surprised at how brazen some thieves can be. They have been known to turn up in broad daylight with a flatbed tractor-trailer and simply load up the machinery of their choice and take off. This normally happens on a weekend, or in the early evening when there is no one on the site to protect the equipment. There have, however, been situations where they have turned up on a working day, with what appears to be an authentic work order, and loaded up right in front of the construction crew. Let’s face it, if the equipment is not being used at the time then it makes sense to move it to a new site – how are the onsite workers to know any different?

The latest heavy equipment technology includes GPS devices that are constantly on. They are often self powered and hidden so even the removal of the equipment’s battery won’t bypass the security system. If the machine is stolen at any time, it can be found, often very quickly, simply by tracking the GPS signal. Security firms will eventually have monitors for all heavy equipment fitted with these devices and an alarm will be raised should one be moved without authorization.

Fortunately for operators, heavy equipment technology like this doesn’t require any special training. In fact, most operators won’t even know of its existence unless told or warning labels are placed on the equipment. Heavy equipment training will only be affected in the short term by the introduction of GPS equipment when it is being used to complete a job – that, however, is a story for a future post.

Have you ever paid any attention to heavy equipment safety campaigns like the ‘Look Up and Live’ campaign? One of the leading causes of death to heavy equipment operators is by accidentally coming into contact with overhead power-lines. Whilst the experience for the operator is not that great, energy consumers in the area won’t be thrilled either when they lose their power.

Whether you operate a farm tractor, an excavator, crane or any other heavy equipment, being aware of power-lines has always got to be at the back of your mind. Those working around you have also got to be aware of those power-lines so they can guide you safely around them. As one of the leading causes of death for heavy equipment operators, it is not an issue that can be taken lightly.

Most heavy equipment safety training programs include a component on overhead power-lines. This is because of the number of deaths and injuries that occur each and every year. Unfortunately, there is not a lot that can be done to protect operators should they come into contact with those power-lines. The simple solution of course is to avoid contact with them.

This is just one of many issues that heavy equipment operators need to consider in their day-to-day working lives. If you are planning on training to become a heavy equipment operator, one attribute that is going to be very important is your ability to pay attention to factors not directly related to what you are doing.

Heavy equipment training will always focus on three areas – the equipment itself, providing skills to operate that equipment, and knowledge of heavy equipment safety.

Job placement is one of the hardest components to starting a new career. In fact, it is often the main reason why many decide against embarking on a new career. The biggest fear that human’s possess is the fear of the unknown. When it comes to employment, no employment means no income and that can have a huge impact on our lives.

There is little doubt now that employment in the heavy equipment field is rising. Over the last five years there has been a high attrition rate, mainly affected by those reaching retirement age although many are lost to other careers. This high attrition rate together with the boom in construction is starting to lead to a shortage in qualified operators – and that is where we can help.

ATS has developed a reputation for producing very capable operators through our heavy equipment training schools. This reputation has led to employers approaching us at times looking to recruit new operators, often before they have completed their training. ATS has also established a strong relationship with a network of employers. You have access to this network of employers when you start your heavy equipment training program.

Job placement is an important issue and ATS recognizes the impact that being jobless can have on your life. More importantly, we have discovered that the sooner a graduate can put their skills to work, the more effective their training is as the skills learned are reinforced.

If you are considering a career change and a career as a heavy equipment operator is high on your list, don’t let job placement be the deciding factor. We can help you find those vacancies, you need to concentrate on developing the skills to be effective in that job – after all, your success is our success.

If you are an employer and you are not quite getting the best out of your workforce, you may want to consider engaging a custom training organization. There are few businesses that have the resources or skills required to intensively train their workforce although many try with less than satisfactory results.

Professional training organizations that have custom training programs available have a host of real advantages. One of the biggest often comes as a surprise to employers yet a careful study will reveal how true it is. Custom training is generally speaking far cheaper than trying to do it yourself.

Think about the costs associated with training just one member of your workforce. Someone has to do the training which means taking them out of the production cycle and placing them into a low producing position is one hefty cost. Other costs include developing a training program that can deliver the required skills immediately.

If you are not employing skilled training staff then there is a good chance that the training delivered could be ineffective – or worse. It could lead to the development of poor work habits. Cost is a huge factor and is a part of many of the other reasons that employers undertake custom training. These reasons include:

• qualifications and skills of training staff
• flexibility of delivery
• on/off site delivery of training
• assessment and awarding of certificates
• tailoring of training to meet specific goals

You may feel that as an employer you can handle some or all of these areas. The last point is a good example. You know what goals you want to achieve and how the equipment should be used to achieve those goals. That, however, does not mean you have the skills to develop a training program to achieve those goals, at least not without help. Custom training – is it right for you? Almost always – yes!

If there is one general trend in our society at present it is to go ‘green’ and heavy equipment careers look set to be one of the biggest beneficiaries. When I say going green, I am of course referring to environmental issues. One of President Obama’s aims is to create 5 million new green construction jobs over the next ten years. That equates to half a million jobs each year.

Green machines have been developed in the past. Fork trucks often run on LPG rather than liquid fuels like diesel. Diesel itself is slightly better for the environment than petrol, even the unleaded version. But that is the heavy equipment itself.

What President Obama is looking at is the building of zero emission power stations, roads that shorten journeys and prevent gridlock – a huge cause of pollution and green house gases. Other projects are likely to include dam building and hydroelectricity, wind farms and the demolition of old buildings – replacing them with green earth projects.

This will create a demand for operators of heavy equipment such as bulldozers, backhoes, graders and cranes. There will also be an increase in the demand for truck drivers, not only for transporting heavy equipment around the country, but also for the transportation of building materials.

As we move forward with controls on green house gas emissions, demand for skilled operators will increase. Operators who have received heavy equipment training through professional training bodies will be the ones most sought after. Their heavy equipment careers will blossom whilst those from a generation ago that trained “on-the-job” may find that refresher and safety training courses are required.

Heavy equipment careers look set to travel in one direction only – upwards. The demand is already growing with some states now trying to influence school leavers into exploring a heavy equipment career. There has never been a better time than now to investigate a career as a heavy equipment operator.

If you were looking at heavy equipment careers then you are probably considering construction, mining or perhaps forestry. It is those three industries that do employ the highest number of heavy equipment operators. However, there are many other areas where you will find a piece of heavy equipment.

The area that is perhaps the least thought of is in the food industries. Believe it or not, heavy equipment such as loaders and mini bulldozers are used in a broad section of food supply. Stockpiled raw sugar is often moved around using a small front loader. I must say it made think about using sugar after seeing the front loader driving over piles of sugar.

Sugar isn’t the only area. Grains that we use to make bread, or to mix with various foods are also often moved around a work area using a front loader. I have seen small bulldozers being used to push dried corn from the drying room floor in manageable piles.

I have read of farmers who stand in the scoop of a large loader to pick fruit – the picked fruit going straight into the loader. Once full, the bucket load is tipped into large bins. Whilst we may turn our noses up at the thought, it has been going on for decades. You needn’t worry. By the time the food reaches our tables it has gone through so many processes that any possible contaminates are long gone.

If you were to undertake heavy equipment training, you just never know where you may wind up being employed. Whether it is on a construction site, or in a sugar mill, the skills required are just the same. Heavy equipment training prepares you for a heavy equipment career – where that career takes you is solely up to you.

Heavy equipment training is not the same everywhere. As with any business, you have good operators and poor operators and many that fall somewhere in between. So what is validating and how do you do it? The term validating in this case refers to checking the suitableness of the training to your needs. This involves checking the training methods and ensuring the credibility of the training itself.

The next question is how to validate your training. Your first step has to be to talk to the training organization to determine how they deliver their training. The second step is to talk to former students to get their feedback on heavy equipment training. This can be difficult. However, good training organizations will have testimonials in either written or video format. The most reliable are the video format testimonials – you can read people’s faces as they talk to gauge how honest the testimonial is.

If you’re fortunate, you may even get to talk to the end users, the employers. They are the people who can really tell you how effective the training has been. If you can’t actually talk to the employers, you can at least get an indication of how successful a heavy equipment training organization is by the list of employers on their job’s database – if they have one.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operators Schools are not the only organization offering training in this field. However, when it comes to validating your training, you can talk to us, you can review video testimonials from former students, and we do have a large group of satisfied employers on our jobs database. We also go one step further by offering free online training. This is a unique opportunity to get a feel for heavy equipment training – all in your own home at your own pace. Before undertaking heavy equipment training – get some form of validation – it is time well spent.

Bulldozer operators really do have a grand life. They work outdoors, get to master complex heavy equipment and often become a part of a great work team building relationships that last a lifetime. At the same time they are helping to build roads, bridges, houses and other construction projects that are designed to last well past their own life time. There are many bulldozer operators that can drive through an area and point to the many projects they worked on – always with a hint of pride.

Although the economic climate has looked bleak, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) has forecast a growth of at least 8% over the next decade. With an aging population there will be more operators retiring than commencing over that period, which will inevitably lead to labor shortages – a factor now being recognized by many sections of the construction community.

One area where labor shortages could have an impact is on wages. According to Salary.com, the median salary for bulldozer operators is currently around $38,285. There are highs and lows across the nation with those working in more isolated areas earning a much higher salary. If there does become a shortage of qualified bulldozer operators then salaries could climb even higher as employers outbid each other for talented operators.

One of the great things about a career as a bulldozer operator is that it is open to almost anyone. You don’t need to be a high school graduate to commence training as training is open to all ages. In fact, some employers actually prefer mature aged operators, this doesn’t mean the young miss out since there are plenty of opportunities for all.

Training to become a bulldozer operator is not difficult. Good hand-eye coordination, a desire to work outdoors, and the ability to work as part of a team are three of the most important factors. If you wish to train to become a bulldozer operator then there is no time like the present to get started. There is a whole world of opportunity waiting for freshly qualified and eager bulldozer operators.

I am sure you have heard of GPS in cars and trucks. Those little devices that sit on your dash and tell you where to go – in the nicest kind of way of course. At least, they give you driving directions, tell you which roads to avoid, where the traffic snarls are, and the quickest way to get to your destination. Pretty clever little devices really – in fact, there is so much more to GPS than just helping you get to your destination.

The construction industry is starting to rely on GPS in a big way, however, they are stuck with one big problem – there are not enough trained GPS operators in the industry. If you already work as a heavy equipment operator, or if you have a yearning to drive one of those big monsters, perhaps now is the time to consider training in something like GPS training for heavy equipment operators.

Ever wondered how they started a bridge from both sides yet met perfectly in the middle? What about these highways? They are often working on four or more sections at once, yet they all meet exactly where they are meant to. The answer in the past was hours of very careful surveying. Now, surveyors work with GPS to map out a route and the heavy equipment operators take over – again using that same data determined by the surveyors.

Associated Training Services have a network of heavy equipment training centers for you to choose from. If you are interested in GPS training for heavy equipment operators then our training school located in Ohio has just the course to satisfy your needs. The demand for specialist operators is growing and, being a specialist field of employment, often attracts a much higher wage – you can’t say no to that.

There are lots of people in the United States that are looking for a new job at the moment and for those that stop to look at the options presented to them, heavy equipment training stands out as one one of the best ways to get that new job leading to a successful future. Of course there will be many of these people who know nothing about backhoe training or grader training, so they’ll need to get together with a firm that can supply them with the best in vocational training for these jobs.

And there are a few things that they’ll need to look for.

First off, they will need to look for a company that has the best reputation in the field, a firm that has the right credentials and has been recognized in some positive way by the industry it works in. As well, there should be a place reserved on their website for testimonials from the students that have used the service and then gone on to be successful.

Of course the training itself should be at the top of the list for things that need to be scrutinized. A firm that can supply saftey training as well as instruct you on the operator of the machines is best, and of course if they have financial aid available they should be all the more attractive.

If it sounds like there’s a lot of ‘digging’ that you’ll need to do before you find the right place to get the heavy equipment training you need, that’s not the case at all. Associated Training Services meets all of the criteria mentioned.