Posts Tagged ‘construction’

How To Get A Job As A Construction Equipment Operator

Construction Equipment Operators work with a variety of both light and heavy equipment.  They work at building sites, mines, airports, logging camps, and on off-shore oil rigs.  Construction Equipment Operators work on the construction of buildings, dams, bridges, roads, power plants, sewer systems, piers, and reservoirs.

Construction Equipment Operators, use machines to move earth and heavy materials, dig excavations and ditches, pour concrete,  level road beds, grade hillsides, break up cement slab, and spread and level concrete and asphalt.  They drive tractors, fork lifts, trucks, and rigs of all sizes.  They operate tamping equipment, pile drivers, and cranes.

Construction Equipment Operators work outside in all weathers.  They must inspect maintain and sometimes repair their own equipment.  The atmosphere, in which they work, may be dirty, dusty, and greasy.   The machines are noisy, often vibrating and shaking the drivers.  Even though Construction Equipment Operators follow strict safety guidelines, the work can at times be dangerous.  Some projects may be in remote areas and some may continue for twenty-four hours a day.  Operators may need to work during the night.

Construction Equipment Operators should be mature, stable  individuals with good eyesight, good coordination, good balance, and good distance judgment.  A mechanical aptitude is essential.

Education

To be a Construction Equipment Operator, you need a High School Education which will hopefully have included some science and computer courses as well as some automobile mechanics courses.   Some employers will hire and train recent, or even non-graduates.  These will begin by operating light equipment under the supervision of an experienced operator, and later move to slightly heavier equipment.

As a great deal of skill is needed to operate the more complex equipment of today with computer-based controls and advanced hydraulic and electronic systems, employers prefer to hire those who have graduated either from a  Vocational or Technical School Program or, preferably, an Apprenticeship Program.

Vocational and Technical Schools run a variety of programs for Construction Equipment Operators.  Before you commit to one of these training programs, check their reputation with some of the employers in your area.  When operating Construction Equipment, book learning is not enough.  Practical experience is essential to gain the amount of skill needed to work with today’s sophisticated machinery.  Some Vocational and Technical Schools offer Certification for those that have achieved a certain level of expertise and training.  This may be useful when seeking entrance to an Apprenticeship Program or seeking employment.

The Associated General Contractors of America and the International Union of Operating Engineers offer a three year Apprenticeship Program that offers essential classroom instruction together with considerable paid on-the-job practical experience that provides pupils with expertise in a variety of areas.

Any type of driving experience you have gained during previous employment or while in the armed forces will further your chances of employment.

The demand for skilled Construction Equipment Operators continues to increase.  The hourly wage is excellent.