Its a great profession, dads been doing it for 47 years, my older brother 20 years i started when i was 11, im 23 now and get up every day and move dirt. It does have its drawbacks, The exposure to weather the bodily abuse of some machines and a few other downs. But on the other hand Id have to be awful hungry to do anything else. I had 4 years of metal traes in high school and 2 in college with a dgree in tool and die making, I just couldnt stay indoors at all. It takes alont time to get an eye or feel or your work and some machines like a dozer grader and crane take years to master. But then again some folks take up fast with some machines. I took the crane up in a hurry but i was used to swinging pipe and culverts with an excavator.
Quarry work is usually year round because of the good ground to work on but its in the same spot day after day.
I dont want to sound like im trying to scare you but its can be a rough line of work to get into, i had to work alot in the trenches ith a shovel hop hubs for a grader, rig lines, set grade, Layout jobs to get alot of experience. Also helps to have some mechanical knowledge to maintain a machine. The last job i was on when a machine i was on had something wrong i usually fixed it before the mechanics got there. Now i can go set up a job and do all the layout, maintenance, set the order of operations and a few other essnetial things. If you go through with your training be prepared to get stuck lol Ive had every type of machne ive ever been on other than a back hoe or excavator stuck,including a 5299 American crane with 125 foot boom . Again i dont mean to sound discouraging Its a great line of work to be in. Best wishes Taylor Lambert