Heavy machinery operator

[redfarmer]

Hey have you considered large scale farming? Just thought I had to mention that beings that I am a farmer at heart, and love what I do!

 

[MossRoad]

Don't forget that a lot of heavy equipment work is seasonal and cyclical. That means you can be unemployed for months between jobs due to weather, winter, economy, etc.... so you better have a backup plan to bring in cash and you need to understand personal finance as well (which a lot of folks don't).

For example:
I have a brother-in-law that is a heavy equipment operator. When he works, he makes great money. But he is off work most winters for at least 4 months, and some years 5-6 months. He sometimes gets called in to plow snow, but last winter, there was NO snow to plow.

So, try to look for consistent employment if you plan on having a family some day.
If you plan on being single for a while, I would suggest work that requires travel. It generally pays much more and you can have a rowdy good time with the folks on the job. Just be sure to stockpile as much money as you can for the future.

I don't know the laws in Canada, but I tell every young person I meet here to start a ROTH IRA as soon as they turn 18 and deposit 15% of their earnings in it before they do anything else. Pay yourself first. Had I known about reitrement savings at 18 instead of 24 I would be retiring at 55 instead of 67 with more money!

Stay in school. Go heavy on math. Become a foreman for an engineering/construction company. Start your own excavating company. You can do it. :thumbsup:

 

[swick1]

I agree that the more geometry and unit conversions you can do the better. Converting cubic yards to feet to tons is a big one as well as calculating stockpile and excavation volumes to figure how much fill will have to be trucked to or away from the site. Learn basic surveying skills for using survey tools and reading and writing surveys. Learn to estimate fuel usage, wear, and maintenance costs. Take a basic business and accounting class to learn how to keep track of what you are spending and earning. If you never see that an employee costs their salary +30% then you won't bid your jobs high enough.

It took me a while to get out of the "I can do that job for less" mind-set when bidding jobs. It's usually more like "what hidden cost did I forget about?"

 

[rubes2311]

Hey have you considered large scale farming? Just thought I had to mention that beings that I am a farmer at heart, and love what I do!

I would love to be a farmer but it cost A LOT of money to start a farm unless you inherit one. Unfortunately I have no farmers in my family so the next closest thing would to be a heavy machery operator

 

[dave1949]

I would love to be a farmer but it cost A LOT of money to start a farm unless you inherit one. Unfortunately I have no farmers in my family so the next closest thing would to be a heavy machery operator

Or get close to a farmer's daughter :laughing: Just kidding. Don't shut doors prematurely. You could connect with someone who farms but needs help which could take you from hired-hand to something larger with the right attitude and mentors, you could rent or lease land to get your foot in the Ag door.

 

[sdkubota]

I would love to be a farmer but it cost A LOT of money to start a farm unless you inherit one. Unfortunately I have no farmers in my family so the next closest thing would to be a heavy machery operator

Yopu could always marry one's daughter.

 

[dave1949]

Yopu could always marry one's daughter.

Dirty Old Man

 

[seymour]

Hey guys,
I'm 36 and have had a construction/landscaping biz for about 12 years. I bought our first machine (a tiny little MT55 with a hoe attachment) about 8 years ago. Then we uptraded it for a T190 track loader and a 430 excavator. Now we uptraded the 430 for an E55 and are soon to be upgrading the T190.

Some times I'm the operator and at times I've had operators running our machines. I never planned on this path and only started getting into the machine work because we couldn't find reliable owner/operators. We would arrange for a bobcat guy for a week and on day one we'd have five tandems sitting waiting for a couple of hours while our machine or operator showed up late. Aaaarg that was frustrating. After it happened with he third guy we were using I but the bullet and got our own machines. I just learned to run them by running them. I'm alright but not as good as some of the operators that we've had that can REALLY run them.

My advice is to learn it by doing it not just by becoming certified. We've hired and fired a number of guys that were 'certified' but didn't know their stuff. And we've had some incredible guys who were born on a tractor but have no paperwork. I prefer the latter.

My advice...take a year or two and get on at a small company that will give you some time running them. Ask to practice on the machine for free on the weekends or something. Don't focus on your immediate wage and look at it like free schooling.

Your generation is going to have a dozen different career changes and being handing on machinery opens up tons of options. If you have fun on those machines give it a shot and see what happens.

Cheers

 

[sparc]

Rubes, just glanced through the 4 pages but didn't see anyone suggest the military. I'm retiring from the Army (Chinook Helicopter pilot) and did 4 years in the Air Force as a mechanic on F-111D/Fs. I won't say in today's climate that the military would be my first choice as an option, but..... All 4 branches have heavy equipment operators, you'll get to do the job for a few years to see if you like it. If you don't then you'll at least have that knowledge and the Post911 GI Bill.

If you were in the US and thinking about going in the service to gain some experience I would say consider becoming a EO (Equipment Operator) with the SeaBees. There is most likely a similar group in your military.

 

[rubes2311]

I like the idea of free schooling but im planning to go to college to learn how to do simple repairs on diesel engines and maybe a corse on road construction

 

[swick1]

I like the idea of free schooling but im planning to go to college to learn how to do simple repairs on diesel engines and maybe a corse on road construction

Just so you know, you would learn more at a technical school, not a college. That is, unless you want to take art and literature classes too.

 

[rubes2311]

Ok thanks ill look into that

 

[rubes2311]

There is a local college that specializes in heavy machinery. Do you think that would be alright?

 

[dave1949]

You are in Canada as I remember, so this may not apply.

Check out a school like you would any other outfit.

What is their reputation? Are the costs normal? Are they fully accredited by whoever accredits schools in Canada? Are any credit hours transferable to another school? What is their record for job placement? Most technical schools maintain close contact with large area employers. If you have our equivalent of high school guidance councilors, what do they know about this school?

Ask for references from former students and employers who have hired graduates. Is their equipment up-to-date and well maintained? What are the qualifications and work experiences of the instructors?

Google would probably be where I would start, if there is something negative about the school, it should show up in comments, old news stories, etc.

Edit:
By all means, take a tour! Ask if you can sit in on a couple of class sessions, that shouldn't be a problem. At most, they might ask you to sign a liability waiver. If they say "we don't do that", I would be very skeptical. That's the best way to see if you think it is a fit for you or not.

 

[swick1]

People that run heavy equipment seem to be very polarized regarding operator schools. Some like them and others hate them. Either way work experience is what counts. You should be doing excavating or landscaping part time while going to school. Even being a Mexican backhoe operator for a while is okay. On the heavy equipment forums a gal graduated operators school and she's a trench worker now. She has been riding a roller for a year or so now with no apparent room to move up. I think she needs a new job. Working part time in a mechanics shop sweeping floors would also be beneficial for you at this point.

 

[rubes2311]

One of my neighbors is a contractor and I think it would be a good idea to go talk to him and he keeps a backhoe at his place so i could look around and check it out, but id ask him where he went to school and ask what kind of people hes looking for

 

[sdkubota]

Actual doing and running equipment on a job would be far more beneficial in my mind then taking some kind of classes. What, day one they show you were to place the key??? Also remember when working for someone you are not an operator and will cost the owner money in training you. I would show motivation to learn and slowly work your way up learning everything you can and showing enthusiasm.

 

[rubes2311]

I would like to go to school so I can learn a few things like how to repair diesel engines and how what to do when working on road construction. I would also like to have more on the job training I find it easier to learn that way. My dad got a jd 755 and the only way I learned to operate it was to spread top soil and remove rocks

 

[swick1]

One of my neighbors is a contractor and I think it would be a good idea to go talk to him and he keeps a backhoe at his place so i could look around and check it out, but id ask him where he went to school and ask what kind of people hes looking for

Great idea. At this point in your life enthusiasm will get you far. Ask if you can help him do maintenance on his equipment on the evenings or weekends then give him your phone number. Don't be shy about telling him you think you want to be an operator. If he says no, ask if you can help him clean up his equipment. Nobody likes powerwashing or shoveling out tracks. If he refuses thank him for the opportunity to talk with him and try again this summer or during spring break. Operating is a small part of working in the business.

You need to make yourself valuable to him. Taking out the trash, sweeping the shop, cleaning equipment, changing fluids, and lubing fitttings are all good places to start.

 

[rubes2311]

If I do get into operating I would love to sit and run machinery but once in a while I would be happy to pick up a shovel and I will ask him that. In the winter he does snow removal so in the neighborhood so if hes out one day ill ask him if hed like my help