Becoming a Hydraulic Excavator Operator: Tips

[digger242j]

Ill only receive training on the excavator, but thanks for the info

why wouldn't they hire me on the excavator if i've received a full blown excavator training course?

Can you clarify this for us, Mike? Are you suggesting that you're going to a school to learn excavator operation, and only excavators--nothing else? I can't claim to know that much about the schools, even though the question seems to come up here fairly regularly, but will they teach you only one type of equipment, to the exclusion of all the others? Or is there some other type of "excavator training course" you're looking at?

Either way, I think you'll find that you're limiting your employability by knowing how to operate only one type. Most employers have a varied fleet and expect their operators to be able to jump from one machine to another as needed. and, in line with what the others are saying, there's no substitute for the experience you'll get working with the equipment, as a laborer. If nothing else, it's a necessary part of earning the respect and trust of the guys who'll be working alongside the machine you're operating.

 

[murray83]

your best bet is to hire on as a laborer,OR if your lucky to get on ANY gear get on a roller or rock truck thats how my uncle starts them if they look decent he'll put them on a loader.dozers and excavators are more for the older guys with experience.

its a respect thing,those in the equipment earned their keep there by busting their butts for years on shovels if you show promise your formen will notice you.i agree with rino,too many things can go wrong in percise digging with men in the hole its the perfect way to get someone killed.

by the way if your on a machine and hurt someone and they prove your inexperienced,i'd have a good lawyer handy cuz your getting sued.

 

[miKe F.]

basically i would be attending a ceritified school where i would receive a certificate explaining that I have met the criteria for operating the hydraulic excavator, the course is i believe 8 weeks being on the machine, and some in class so really its not just learning about them. Your required to learn & complete Grading, trenching (with live individuals on the hole), surveying, etc. etc. I believe with the course I will go directly to an excavator's position as opposed to someone starting from the round head shovel with NO experience. I've already had plenty of experience on a variety of machines but not neccessarely dozers, graders, etc.

i know a guy my age who's done this and he started in the quary making 30/hr. to start on a big CAT excavator loading gravel haulers.

i don't see why I would be such a risk if I've spend weeks in the seat with a certified trainer....

 

[murray83]

i think the course is a great tool but its really based for people say for example labourers to have the small foot in the door not so much "here's yer 450 excavator go dig near the gas main" kinda deal.

i'm puzzled the course only has excavator? i don't know if a firm would hire you with just knowledge of an excavator they look for the jack of all trades kinda operator who can run anything since most companys will throw u on say a dozer if your not busy and since you have no knowledge of it they may look past you.

 

[miKe F.]

you can get training for each individual piece of equipment. the problem with taking a course on each machine is 1. the cost, and 2. the time it would take to give the proper training for each machine.

 

[miKe F.]

i think the idea is for the new operator to have the oppertunity to start on the equipment but not neccessarely high skill jobs such as gas lines, hydro lines, etc. more so starting out on basic jobs such as backfilling, loading dumpers, or trenching.

the course gives the future operator on-site work like digging a trench yay deep, and yay wide, digging around objects, movements, all types of grading... loading on lowboys, unloading, maintenance, fill calculations, using site drawings, estimating meterial, volume and weights, etc.

any additional tips and info appreciated.
Mike,

 

[digger242j]

Thanks for the clarification.

I think you'll find the consensus of opinion here, and out in the real world too, is that to expect to get a hired as an operator without anything but a training course in your resume, is a little optimistic. You'll notice that I said hired as an operator. I'm sure that the training will give you an advantage over another applicant, all other things being equal, but you may still have to prove you're worth a chance in the seat the old fashioned way.

I'll reiterate what I said above too--there's no substitute for the experience you get looking up at the excavator, rather than down from it.

On the other hand though, hiring-wise you could find yourself in the right place at the right time. I wish you luck!

 

[Electra_Glide]

basically i would be attending a ceritified school where i would receive a certificate explaining that I have met the criteria for operating the hydraulic excavator

Is this a private school, or some union apprenticeship program? If it's a private school, do they offer any placement assistance?

Joe

 

[Happy J]

I'll reiterate what I said above too--there's no substitute for the experience you get looking up at the excavator, rather than down from it.

I have to agree with this...There simply is nothing better than being down in the hole with the hoe swinging over YOUR head before your swinging it over others.:yup

Also just a tip, being a foreman myself, if you are willing to jump in and do the dirty work (i.e. grab the shovel etc) even when you don't have too, it means a lot to your boss or forman and is in my mind a necessity to be a good operator.

Good luck!:thumbsup

Happy J

 

[CascadeScaper]

Good luck with it, but I didn't get hired on as an operator with a large firm out here because I only had 3 years experience. You can read a book and play on a closed course but when it really gets down to it, it's seat time that makes the difference. I don't claim to be an expert, nor will I ever be, I still have a lot of learning left to do, but I'm above the guys with zero experience applying for an operators position and I still didn't get a spot.

 

[tylermckee]

i agree with the rest on here, the school may give you a slight edge over the next guy, if you are applying for a laborer/pipe layer position, but as an operator you probably wont have a whole lot of luck. Hire on as a laborer, bust you ass and let your boss know you want to run equipment and you will be there in no time.

 

[CascadeScaper]

^^^I should have gone that route, learned some trench work for someone else, but I didn't get a real good opportunity to do so. Now I going to have to learn this business the difficult way....hard knocks.

 

[miKe F.]

the school is run in conjunction with the government, and there is immediate job placement upon completion. I'm going to ask the school what their take is on this. The demand for operators specifically around here is high. I'm at a big disadvantage as a manual laborer due to my extensive back injuries. I can't lift much due to this. I'm going to keep my head aimed at directly becoming an operator like the guy I met that started on an excavator at the quarry, and hopefully with any luck I will end up in the seat. I've earned my way up in the landscaping company I work for now, so going back to a full-time manual laborer for me would be a step down. I think I just need to find the right oppertunity, and with the older operators all retiring I'm at an advantage. Funny thing is when I pass a job site there's usually very young guys operating them. *Shrug*. Thanks for the clarifying, though.

I want to be sure that a $20,000 course is even worth my time, when a guy with zero experience can do just as much as me by getting the oppertunity and not paying for a high cost course. I believe the certified-operator should have the higher hand over the guy who learned while buddy was on lunch.

Mike,

 

[CascadeScaper]

$20,000? I'd pass, that's ridiculous. Sure they'll teach you everything you need to know, but as mentioned, nobody hires anyone right outta training. Just like the guys at my Cat dealership, they don't have the noobs working on my 312 if it goes in for work, the veterens are the only ones actually turning wrenches on those pieces. You could be straight out of diesel mechanic school, doesn't matter, you run the broom for a while until you are called upon. Becoming an operator is much in the same, you start in the trench, and when you're needed to run a piece you get called upon.

Honestly man, 20 grand is a little silly for operating school, especially when you're probably only REALLY going to make about $20 an hour once you actually become an operator, that's not a real good return on your investment IMO. A buddy of mine is going to Universal Technical Institute (UTI). Not sure if you're aware, they are a automotive/diesel/industrial mechanics school and they say the same thing: "We guarantee job placement for every graduate". Sure they can give you a job, but more than likely it's one you'd probably never want to take, leaving you absolutely crushed that you blew a wad of time and money on something that didn't really get you anywhere. Unless you graduated in the top 5-10% in your class, you'll be working at Jiffy Lube right after sloshing down $30K worth of school.

I'm not here to tell you what to do, but as a young guy currently going to college and looking at other education options for myself down the road those tech schools want you to believe it's super easy to get a $60-70K job right out of school, no way in hell that happens for everyone who graduates. They will train you everything you need to know, but without a good paying job to back up what you've shelled out for school you'd be better off learning it yourself or starting at the bottom and working up, taking matters into your own hands. I know the mechanic analogy is a little different, but it's almost the same thing, so you'll just have to go with me on that one. Just my .02

 

[Steve Frazier]

I'm not sure heavy equipment operating is good for anyone with extensive back injuries. There's a lot of bouncing and vibration going on in the seat and guys with good backs are often sore at the end of the day.

 

[bobcatuser]

I would upgrade to a class one drivers licence. Then take a course in pipe laying / waterworks before the excavator training. If you had that training and were willing to move to BC or Alberta there are well paying jobs available for people with some basic training.

Spending 20K just for excavator training is overpriced. I have heard it cost about 6k for an 8 week excavator course. The waterworks course cost 3k for 12 weeks. And class 1 might be 3 or 4 thousand.

 

[miKe F.]

Fortunately the government funds this type of course (most of it, anyway) I'm just unsure now if I want to bother? It's kind of a turn off to be shut out because you don't have 10+ years experience. *Shrug*

 

[greywynd]

geez mike, where are you here in ontario that they are looking that heavy for operators?

Personally, spending $20K on a course sounds ludicrous. That's a down payment on your own machine, of course, there's a lot more training involved then too....business management, estimating, customer relations, and on and on....

Mark

 

[itsgottobegreen]

You probably will be a RPS operator
Round Pointed Shovel operator

I'll put in a couple

6. Don't hit the guy in the trench.

Yea or you will end up being the guy in the trench:yup

I was running my buddies jcb 1550 and the two mexicans keep trying to clean up the trench soon as I pulled the bucket back. Well I chased them out of the trench with the bucket. That got them to stay back.

 

[murray83]

hey mike are you willing to travel for a course?,the one near me is $4400 plus the cost of rooming for 5 weeks,you get time on excavator,loader,dozer,backhoe and skid steer it'll save you big bucks and its not hard to save for it yourself,just a thought.

i see your pondering student loans possibly? from me to you they are a farse the pay back interest rates are those equal to a loan shark and will ruin your credit like mine if you can try to pay for any course yourself.