Becoming a heavy equipment operator takes the right attitude in addition to heavy equipment operator training in Ontario. However, 5th Wheel Training Institute has helped many who’ve attended our heavy equipment operators school jumpstart their careers.
Here’s our guide to heavy equipment operators and the machines they use!
What Classifies as ‘Heavy Equipment’?
First, you might be wondering precisely what types of machinery classify as ‘heavy equipment.’ In most cases, heavy equipment is used strictly for construction purposes and some of the most common types of machinery include bulldozers, backhoes, cranes, cargo trucks, dump trucks, and more.
What Are the Responsibilities of a Heavy Equipment Operator?
There are a number of responsibilities for heavy equipment operators and the best ones will be able to handle them all, they are:
- Unload and load equipment to and from vehicles
- Control, operate and drive heavy equipment
- Understand a variety of machine settings
- Keep all heavy equipment well-maintain
- Keep detailed records of all machines on-site and their regular maintenance schedules
- Demonstrate the capability to perform minor repairs
- Evaluate the heavy equipment both before and after it’s used
- Provide proactive maintenance to avoid issues
What Skills Are Needed to Be a Good Heavy Equipment Operator?
As a vital part of any job, having the right skill set is key to becoming a reliable heavy equipment operator. To be a great heavy equipment operator you’ll need:
- Strong attention to detail
- The ability to work successfully with other team members
- Great coordination
- The ability to think critically and solve problems if necessary
- Good decision-making skills
- The proper strength and build to work in a fast-paced, physical environment and operate heavy equipment
- The insight to work safely and prevent accidents
How Do I Become a Heavy Equipment Operator?
One of the best ways to become a licensed heavy equipment operator is attending an Ontario heavy equipment operator training school, where you’ll learn hands-on from industry experts. You’ll also need a high school diploma or GED.
Other things that are preferred but not required include:
- A clean driving record
- On-the-job training and experience
- Knowledge of both manual and automatic operations
- & More!
Contact us to learn more about heavy equipment operator training in Ontario!
If you’re interested in becoming a heavy equipment operator, contact 5th Wheel Training Institute to learn when our classes start. Contact us online here or call (888) 647-7202.
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