Presently, there is a great demand for operators who are professionally-trained to drive or use heavy equipment. The sudden need for heavy equipment operators has something to do with the sudden boom of construction, infrastructure, and mining industries in the UK. Most of these industries make use of heavy equipment. Unfortunately, there are very few qualified operators (by qualified, it means people who have been certified and have passed certain requirements before finishing their trainings). This is also why heavy equipment operators now have higher salaries.
The demand for operators has also triggered the mushrooming of training and certification programs being offered to would-be operators. Trainings are designed to keep the operator (and the people around him) safe. Safe operation is the key to handling heavy equipment, which can be taught in two stages.
The first stage is the home study stage, wherein the student learns about the different principles and aspects of heavy equipment operation. This stage is often easy as there are no machines to be handled yet. Once the student completes this stage, he will advance to the resident training stage where he will get to apply the principles he learned.
Possible Jobs
There are specific training and certification programs meant for operation of certain heavy equipment. There could be separate training and certification programs for backhoe operation and also for excavator, bulldozer and truck driving. Once a student finishes a certification program, he may be able to apply for any of the following positions:
- Backhoe operator
- Excavator operator
- Bulldozer operator
- Loader operator
- Snow-removal equipment operator
- Bridge worker
- Side boom tractor operator
- Paving equipment operator
- Grader operator
- Shovel operator
- Sewer flushing truck operator
- Road oiling truck driver, etc.
Finishing a training and certification program in heavy equipment operation would qualify a candidate to fill a certain position. He just has to be prepared to work in not-so-clean environments, such as construction and mining sites. However, his salary would be 20% higher than the average provincial salary.