Becoming a skilled bulldozer operator is a career within itself. For the more adventurous, there is a lot on offer beyond the construction and road building industries. It all starts with heavy equipment operator training. Once you have the basic set of core skills, you can find employment. This gives you the opportunity to hone those skills and become a highly skilled operator. From there, the world is your oyster, as the saying goes.

As I mentioned, careers exist for skilled bulldozer operators outside simple construction and road building. A military career is one option – bulldozer operator recruits are often in high demand in the military and after basic training, you could find yourself anywhere in the world operating bulldozers.

The mining industry is possibly the third largest employer of skilled bulldozer operators. In some areas around the world, bulldozers are used under ground as well as on top of the ground. Bulldozer operators are also ideal for training for some of the more specialized equipment used in mining. Bulldozer operators are also employed for 8-9 month contracts on bases on Antarctica. Don’t get your hopes too high, these positions are few and far between and very competitive – but then, you never know what the future holds.

Other industries that use bulldozer operators include forestry, farming and some manufacturing sectors. There are also opportunities in other areas of the world, particularly third world countries. International operators are often called in to help with special projects whilst helping to train local operators.

The role of a bulldozer operator is not restricted to just local construction and road building. There is a broad range of opportunities for skilled operators – you just need a little research to uncover some of the opportunities. It all starts with your bulldozer operator training and as the nation’s oldest heavy equipment training organization, ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools is there to get you started. Are you ready to start?

Technology is everywhere and over time it has developed to the point that mankind has almost become redundant. Where advances won’t take over from humans is in the area of heavy equipment technology. There are many reasons why this won’t occur – here are a few:

Reaction to changes in dirt – it takes more than a human eye to know when the dirt under the heavy equipment is changing. Operators will tell you it’s in the hands – really, it’s like a sixth sense – they feel the change in the hands and feet just like an experienced driver can feel the changes in a road’s surface. There is no way you can build that into technology without it consuming a lot of time as it senses the area before it digs.

Reaction to the environment – machines are not that good at avoiding anything that moves, especially if it moves unexpectedly. An operator can see a child, adult or animal that wanders too close. They can also see vehicles, buildings and intangibles like wind and the effect it has on the environment. Even if a robot had ‘eyes’ to see these changes, would it react as quickly as a human?

Experience – experience has shown that even in areas where robotic heavy equipment has been trialled – for example in mining, it is has still taken an operator somewhere to control that robot – so it is still not working on auto pilot.

A career as a heavy equipment operator is quite safe from any modern technology. Heavy equipment technology can do a lot to make the work environment safer, more comfortable and to work faster – but it will never replace a human at the controls. Heavy equipment operator training is still a worthwhile investment in your future – an investment that has a lot of rewards to offer.

Heavy equipment safety training has two aspects and they are both covered by workplace safety laws. Those working as heavy equipment operators have a responsibility to themselves and to everyone and everything around them. Those working on the ground have exactly the same responsibility. Heavy equipment safety often covers both in the cab and on the ground safety aspects.

Communication is one area that is common to those both in the cab and on the ground. Whether it’s via hand signals or through the use of two-way radios – being able to clearly understand what is being communicated is important.

For those on the ground, and for operators, jumping on and off moving equipment is considered a dangerous act and should not be attempted. If you are on the ground, you should wait until the equipment has come to a stop before attempting to get on. For the operator, if someone is wanting to get on board, the obvious step is to make your equipment safe so they can get on.

Safety laws include the wearing of safety equipment such as hard hats, footwear and specialist equipment such as hearing protection. Both ground and cab personnel need to be aware of what safety clothing is required and to be using them on the job.

Observation is another key area for both heavy equipment operators and ground workers. For the operators, this includes equipment inspections prior to starting work. For those on the ground, being aware of and reporting unusual noises and/or vibrations coming from the heavy equipment can help to prevent serious accidents, or serious equipment breakdowns.

Heavy equipment safety involves everyone on a work site whether you are an operator or part of the ground crew. Heavy equipment safety covers a broad spectrum of issues – what is important is that these are fully understood. A lack of understanding can lead to serious accidents often resulting in death – sometimes that of the operator. Heavy equipment safety training – it’s more important that you realize.

If you are planning to take up one of our training programs in the new year, you may be scratching your head wondering how you can afford Christmas and pay for your training as well. The is a simple answer – ask us for financial aid. There are many different ways to pay for your training, maxing your credit cards or emptying your bank account doesn’t have to be one of them.

Financial aid can come in many different ways. You could approach your own lending institution to see if they will finance a career loan. You can apply through us for a career loan. Fill out one of our online application forms and we can do most of the work for you. You may also be eligible for assistance through one of the state or federal grants. These grants include:

• Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
• Department of Workforce Development
• Trade Adjustment Act (TAA)
• Displaced Workers
• Displaced Farmers
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Tribal Education (BIA)
• Veteran’s Benefits (VA)

Financing a training program can be stressful. We try to take some of the stress out by looking at financial options for you. There are financing options available for most people although your eligibility for some of them will depend on your credit worthiness.

Rather than maxing out your credit cards this close to Christmas, put in place some financial strategies now and you can have the best of both worlds. You can find more information related to financial aid on our main website. If you need financial assistance – fill out the application form. There is no drama, no hassles and it saves time.

There has been a lot of discussion here and throughout the news regarding the economic stimulus packages and the effect it will have on employment. This package is having a huge impact on heavy equipment requirements with motor graders in high demand. The economic stimulus package, however, goes beyond dumping a lot of money on infrastructure. There are few a little programs that can impact on grader operator demand in their own right.

One of these programs is the one-time 50-percent tax depreciation bonus that is available for purchases made before December 31, 2009. Heavy equipment manufacturers have jumped on this and made their own offers. This includes payment free six or twelve month periods. This has led many businesses to either replace or add new equipment to their work force. Those that have added new equipment are the businesses that are expecting to be part of the infrastructure construction program in 2010.

Obviously, if you add new equipment to your line up you are going to need additional operators to utilize the equipment. Motor grader sales are up compared to this time last year and the demand on operators continues to grow. This reinforces our opinion that now is the best time to act if you want a career as a motor grader operator. The winter period is one of the best times to gain hands on experience in these machines in preparation for the expected busy spring construction period.

If you are interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator, particularly as a motor grader operator, then act now and give us a call on 1-800-383-7364 to discuss your motor grader training options. It can be tempting to say – ‘I’ll wait until after Christmas’. This could be a big mistake. Act now and come the New Year; you will be well placed to commence a career as a motor grader operator.

You may not realize it, but there is a strong link between mobile crane operators and environmental protection strategies. One area that mobile crane operators may like to consider is emergency services. These operators are responsible for clearing accident scenes and this may involve vehicles with dangerous loads.

Whenever possible, authorities work to remove as much of the load before trying to clear an accident scene. There will, however, always be residues. All workers on the scene, mobile crane operators included, have to work with great care to ensure that none of the residue that is left contaminates the area. Mobile crane operators often work with others to lift vehicles back onto the road. Sometimes they need to lift vehicles onto flat top trailers ready to be driven away.

Lifting vehicles, or parts of vehicles, can be a tricky job and a lot of care is required to ensure no further damage is done to the environment. This is why a crane is brought to the scene, to lift debris rather than dragging it and causing further damage.

Don’t expect to walk out of a mobile crane operator training school and walk into one of these jobs. It requires several years experience before an employer will consider you for a job such as this. However, don’t let that put you off since you have to start somewhere. Like all jobs, you start at a level that equates to your training and experience. The more experience you gain as a mobile crane operator, the better equipped you will be to apply for more challenging positions.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools can help you get the start you need. We offer you the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge to work as a mobile crane operator. We may even be able to help you find that first job so that you can start acquiring the on-the-job experience needed to succeed. The rest is up to you – if you’re up to it of course?

Building modern roads would be rather difficult without motor graders. One of the reasons we have such good highways is because of the work done by motor graders. They put the finish on the foundations of our roads.

When we drive along a highway, what we see is the finished product. What we don’t see is what is sitting below the road’s surface. In most cases, bulldozers and loaders work together to cut out a rough road. Motor graders then come in and cut that rough road back to a level and smooth base. If road base or other materials need to be added, it is the grader that levels this out, once again to a smooth surface.

I said that motor graders provide a level surface. This is not quite right. All roads have a slight slope to them. This slope is very precise since it is designed to help cars stay on the road yet encourage water to quickly run off the road. Motor graders use laser technology to get that precise slope in the road’s foundation.

Motor grader operators are amongst the elite when it comes to heavy equipment operations. The position is well paid when compared to other operations, the work more precise and hence more challenging, and they are a part of a well oiled team that steadily builds our highways.

Becoming a motor grader operator is not that difficult. Complete a heavy equipment operator training course that includes motor grader skills then hit the workplace to put your new skills into practice. Before you know it, you will be one of the elite operators on a construction team – leading the way to providing us with first class roads to drive on.

If there is one problem with our modern society it is that we are never satisfied. We are constantly looking to update, upgrade, modernize and/or invent new things in the belief it will make life easier. Sometimes it is true. Crane operator training is one area that has to try to keep up with all new technology. Sometimes it can be difficult with new devices and new ways of doing things coming out with the release of every new model.

Of course, manufacturers do it on purpose. If they didn’t bring out new equipment with more modern technology then no one would bother updating – at least not until the old equipment was beyond repair. What does this mean for students studying to become crane operators? Heavy equipment operations, and cranes are included here, is a job that is a constant learning cycle. Whether it is a new technique, a new soil type, or a brand new technology – these all require a new phase of learning, often by the seat of your pants in the cab.

Take laser and GPS technology. There are courses you can take to learn this technology. However, most operators were simply given a ten minute run through and left to their own devices (when the technology was first introduced). Imagine what it was like when magnetic cranes were first introduced – it really was seat-of-the-pants learning back then.

Fortunately, we have top quality training providers that try to maintain equipment that has all the latest technologies on board. Simply being familiar with the technology is a good start to your career. Crane operator training is not a training program you attend once and it’s finished. Once you’re on the job you will continue learning – at least until you decide to retire.

Winter may be rapidly approaching but that does not seem to have reduced the demand for grader operators. If anything, demand has continued to climb. Grader operators are generally employed to assist with road construction projects – of course, these have exploded in number in recent months thanks to increases in Federal funding. Winter also sees the arrival of snow in many places. Grader operators can sometimes be found also helping to remove snow from our roads.

Operating a grader is perhaps one of the most technically demanding jobs on a building site. Grader operators have a lot of variables they need to constantly watch. Unlike most construction site equipment, graders are driven over very long stretches of new road. Fellow workers are just one aspect that needs to be watched. At the same time the operator needs to be watching what the blade is doing as the grader cuts, removes and level a stretch of ground.

These days a grader is often guided by laser technology. This is another instrument that must be given attention. With so much going on inside the cab, and a lot going onside the cab, the operator needs to concentration skills and an ability to multi-task. Fortunately, a grader is a relatively easy machine to learn to operate.

Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have grader training programs commencing all the time. If you are interested in a career as a motor grader then I suggest you contact us to inquire about our next training program starting soon.

Excavators are a part of the earth moving family but what are they exactly? Some people mistakenly refer to all digging machinery as excavators, backhoes included. This is not quite correct – excavators are machines in their own right and have distinct differences to other machinery like backhoes.

An excavator can be identified by several features. The first is a distinctive scorpion like appearance. The scorpions tail in this case is an articulated arm with a bucket attached to the end (other attachments can be used instead of a bucket). What makes an excavator different to a backhoe (the backhoe also has the articulated arm) is the platform the articulated arm is connected to. Forward of the articulated arm is an operators cab that also sits on the rotating platform.

The rotating platform of an excavator can rotate through 360 degrees. The platform sits on either a set of wheels, or more commonly a set of tracks. Excavators don’t have the same freedom of movement that a backhoe possesses but what it lacks in maneuverability it makes up for with shear digging capabilities. An excavator can dig a deeper and wider trench than backhoe over a similar period of time.

Like backhoes, excavators work in a variety of jobs including demolition, lifting and placing heavy materials especially pipes, for mining, river dredging, landscaping and of course digging trenches. You can find employment in excavators ranging from the mini excavator right up to huge excavators used in mining. Excavator training is generally undertaken as part of a broad heavy equipment training program that includes other earth moving equipment.