hey some of you guys might remember me, but basically im in the army as an heavy equpiment operator, and i plan on getting out when my term is over (2 years and 3 months) but when i get out i wanna use my G.I bill and go to some civilian heavy equipment schools because i know the military does stuff jussttt a little different then a regular company/union, so anyways if you know some good schools i live up by sacramento california thanks for the help!
-
Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!
Good school for training??
- Thread starter Soldati06
- Start date
xcavator120
Well-Known Member
First, a big thank you for your service. It is really appreciated!!
Most of these schools, are scams, and will not teach you more, most likely not as much as you already know. They are very expensive, and depending on your location, the construction companies don't put any weight in them. I know I wasted my money, about $20,000 on one.
I finally got hired by a small company, and found out I didn't learn squat at the school, except how "run" them. I've been working for the same little company for about a year and half, and have been able operate about anything. However it's taken about that long to finally get to run trackhoes. Most of the time I'm running a wheel loader, skidloader, or ADTs.
My opinion use your GI bill for something else, a real college, to get a real degree, like civil engineering. With that you could look at jobs paying upwards of $100k...
Most of these schools, are scams, and will not teach you more, most likely not as much as you already know. They are very expensive, and depending on your location, the construction companies don't put any weight in them. I know I wasted my money, about $20,000 on one.
I finally got hired by a small company, and found out I didn't learn squat at the school, except how "run" them. I've been working for the same little company for about a year and half, and have been able operate about anything. However it's taken about that long to finally get to run trackhoes. Most of the time I'm running a wheel loader, skidloader, or ADTs.
My opinion use your GI bill for something else, a real college, to get a real degree, like civil engineering. With that you could look at jobs paying upwards of $100k...
Deeretime
Senior Member
Yea schools are noo good if i looked at a resume and seen u went to a school, I would recycle it asap
You are better off to go find a job as a labour and tell them that u have experience with equipment and move up from there, I honestly havent found a school that is worth the money or the time !
Good luck !
if u ever come to canada i will hire u
You are better off to go find a job as a labour and tell them that u have experience with equipment and move up from there, I honestly havent found a school that is worth the money or the time !
Good luck !
if u ever come to canada i will hire u
EZ TRBO
Senior Member
I read this yesterday and thought bout it more. When I graduated high school I took off for North Carolina, building race cars for the summer, a friend of mine wanted to get into construction and he had asked my dad bout schools, etc. Waste of money!! Dad was going to hire him for the summer, start him off on the ground then slowly progress him to running some equipment, doing easy task and slowly work him into digging footings, etc. He, being a farm kid, ended up going to work for a large grain operation. Thats how I was raised, slowly being put into things until you were comfortable and then moving on to more. "only way your going to learn is to sit you ass in the seat." Don Conroy.
Trbo
Trbo
diggerman57
Well-Known Member
First of all, thank you for serving our country. From the little bit of knowledge I have about some of these heavy equipment schools they don't seem to teach you much. If you think about it how much could you really learn in one month of training? I think if you want to break into the industry you should look into the Helmets to Hardhats program with your local International Union of Operating Engineers. You already have a knowledge base, so I think you would be a shoe-in. As a part time instructor I know that my particular local has a pretty comprehensive apprenticeship and training program that consists of 3 years of classroom and practical training, as well as 6000 hours of on the job training, so you earn as you learn. Don't get me wrong, you won't learn it all, but you'll get as much out of it as you put into it. Please don't think I'm trying to convince you to join the union, I just want to point out that option. Good luck with whatever you choose and stay safe.
Hi Soldati06,
diggerman57 has some good advise for you if you are interest in union training and membership.I joined the Operating Engineers Local 3 in 1957 and have never been sorry. Just east of Sacramento is Rancho Murieta, Local 3 training center. I have never been there but I know many hands that have trained there to improve their skills and made themselves more valuable to the contractors. Thank you for your service to America.
diggerman57 has some good advise for you if you are interest in union training and membership.I joined the Operating Engineers Local 3 in 1957 and have never been sorry. Just east of Sacramento is Rancho Murieta, Local 3 training center. I have never been there but I know many hands that have trained there to improve their skills and made themselves more valuable to the contractors. Thank you for your service to America.
Last edited:
EGS
Senior Member
That pretty much says it. I know two people that got in the union with the Helmets to Hardhats program. Don't waste any time/money with those "schools". I have seen three guys that come from them and they did not know anything.