How to Become a Heavy Equipment Operator

A heavy equipment operator is the person in charge of handling the machinery used at construction sites, during road paving and trench digging. As an operator, you must be able to dig, move materials, break through hard surfaces and perform other important physical tasks with heavy machinery that would be either impossible or too slow to do by hand.

Things You'll Need

• Formal training in heavy machinery (at least 8 weeks)

Instructions

1. Enroll in vocational school with a training program that allows you to become acquainted with a variety of machinery, including scrapers, backhoes, loaders and dozers. Unless you have a specific industry in mind you would like to work for (and therefore know which machines you will have to drive), it's important to become acquainted with a wide variety of heavy equipment.

2. Make sure you get both theory and practical training in your schooling. Besides the actual driving, you should be knowledgeable about safety, surveying and mechanics. You should also get field practice and at least a basic understanding of engineering principles.

3. Take on an apprenticeship at a local company or governmental office. This is a great option if you cannot afford formal training (which can be quite expensive), and it can give you the option of earning a living while learning the field at the same time. Formal apprenticeships last an average of 3 years.

4. Start with light equipment if you have no previous experience. Cranes and bulldozers are often assigned to beginners because they are easier to learn than other machinery. Asphalt paving machines and piledrivers, however, require more expertise and are usually reserved for those who already have some experience working with smaller machines.

5. Learn Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, in-site preparation and mechanical principles to keep up with the new technology now being used in machinery. A heavy equipment operator needs to be able to deal with unexpected problems related to the machines he's working with, and be able to come up with a solution on the spot. This is important because many projects are done out of the city and companies cannot afford to stop work for hours to wait for a mechanic to arrive.

Tips & Warnings

• You may be required to show a driver's license (either civilian or CDL) before you can enroll in a class. If you don't have one, make sure you get it before taking a step into this field.

• Keep in mind that a complete coursework with both theory and practice should last a minimum of 8 weeks. Anything less than that is probably too general to be useful.