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From the length of training to basic requirements and funding help, your next career move has never been easier.
Heavy equipment training programs offer an accessible and fast path forward for many who are looking for a new beginning or direction in 2022. Complete with a wide variety of equipment types and with multiple areas of specialization, operating heavy equipment continues to grow as an in-demand and valued skill for many different industries.
The variety in the heavy equipment available — from backhoes to bulldozers and much more — and the many different applications of that equipment mean average salaries can vary quite a bit. But heavy equipment operators still command family-supporting salaries and that compensation is one of the benefits to transitioning to a full-time career in this area. For example, data from 2021 across all experience levels and types of equipment indicates that more than half of all heavy equipment jobs will have an annual salary of more than $50,000.
Beyond the opportunity for strong salaries, heavy equipment training programs offer participants a quick return on their investment while also remaining within reach for many. Completing the training and acquiring the credentials necessary for heavy equipment operation happens in a matter of weeks, not years. The list of other requirements to enter the field is modest, and there are funding solutions available to help some get started with the training process.
Today we’ll look at each of those aspects of heavy equipment training programs and how Performance Training Solutions help you find and start a new career path quickly.
Dig deeper with PTS: Learn much more about salaries and job growth with heavy equipment operators here.
The Strengths of Heavy Equipment Training Programs
The benefits of pursuing career enhancement with heavy equipment training programs include two key aspects: the requirements to enter into such training are within reach for most, and the timeline to begin and complete the necessary instruction is modest in comparison to other avenues of education.
The requirements to become a heavy equipment operator are not prohibitive for most people. First, for vocational education involving heavy machinery, you’ll need to be at least 18 years of age and possess your high school diploma or its equivalent. Next, there are physical requirements that should be met as well. You’ll need good hand-eye (and foot) coordination to operate the assortment of steering mechanisms, levers, pedals, and more that reside in the cab areas of most forms of equipment. The stamina to complete full shifts, and the ability to react to changing circumstances of the job site are also vital.
The most important requirement is being able to show you can operate equipment safely, and understand safety procedures in place on job sites. To prove this proficiency, you’ll need certification once the required instruction is complete. The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) offers credentials once the required instruction with an accredited institution is completed. As the top heavy equipment and mobile crane operator training school in the Midwest, Performance Training Solutions is fully accredited and certified by the governing bodies in the industry to provide the necessary instruction to fulfill all your heavy machinery operator requirements.
The other benefit of working for heavy equipment training programs is the speed at which they can be completed, and the accessibility of the program itself. For instance, at Performance Training Solutions students will receive all of the instruction needed for NCCER credentials in a condensed, efficient setting. Our programs last only three weeks — 120 hours — with roughly half that time spent with in-the-seat training. At PTS, you’ll be operating real equipment — not simulators.
The overall price and time commitment are far less than you could expect to pay for a semester at a university or a two-year community college degree. The courses are accessible, too — ninth-grade level reading, math, and comprehension skills apply to the NCCER course curriculum, and a combination of textbooks, visual presentations, and models will be used in the classroom environment.
Ready to grow with heavy equipment operator training? Plan with the right course.
PTS Works With You to Find Funding Solutions
At Performance Training Solutions, we are committed to finding ways to make our training programs available to anyone who is interested. Whether you’re recently unemployed, a veteran, a recent high school graduate, or disabled, we’ll collaborate with you to find forms of assistance to make receiving training possible.
If you are not prepared to pay tuition outright, several funding and finance options are available to you. For veterans, PTS gladly accepts the Post 9/11 GI Bill® as well as Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program Chapter 31 benefits.
Performance Training Solutions serves many students who are funded by training grants through programs such as the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act and the Trade Adjustment/Readjustment Act. Depending on your circumstances, these training grants may include additional funds for lodging, transportation, and meals. Call 1-866-248-9958 now to learn more about how we serve unemployed or underemployed workers.
There are also different state and federal grants that individuals may be eligible for that can be used to pay for training. Examples of some of these programs are Tribal Education (BIA), WIOA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Department of Workforce Development, and Displaced Workers, Displaced Farmers.
Lastly, remember it’s possible to use Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to support students’ efforts in acquiring training. Contact us to learn how IEP support can be used to get training at PTS.
Want to see more, in person? Schedule a free tour to see our facilities, and earn a $500 tuition reduction in the process.
PTS Provides the Heavy Equipment Training Programs You Need
PTS provides accessible training to get you set up for a new career quickly. We offer two, three-week, 120-hour courses in heavy equipment operations that — upon completion of both — will have you credentialed to operate 10 different pieces of heavy equipment.
- Heavy Equipment Operator 1 is an entry-level course and covers the knowledge and skills required to obtain employment as a skid steer, wheel loader, compactor, backhoe, or articulated off-road dump truck operator.
- Heavy Equipment Operator 2 follows up on that initial training and opens the door to employment as an operator for bulldozers, scrapers, excavators, and motor graders.
With PTS you’ll acquire the skills needed to further your job prospects and open up doors to new opportunities.