Longboom
Active Member
Hi All, I just did my CCO tests. I have been running cranes for the last 30 years and have yet to have to put a pen to papper to figure out if I could make a lift. First thing is, they say it's a 5 day course. The first day we did the practical exam on some very ragged late 1960 model American and grove cranes. Thats day 1. Then Tues, Wed and Thursday we studied or crammed and took some sample tests. Then Friday we tested. I could be wrong but in my world, thats 3 days of study not 5. On the three days we did study, I have trouble calling it studying, it's was cramming period. The instructor was good people but he went thru all of this as if he were an auctioneer. Then they tested us on Friday. Me and other class mates did some figuring and it came out to be about three minutes per question. That is not enough time for someone who hasn't been in school for over 30 years. Especially for the heavy math involved. I have taken these tests before thru The Operating Engineers Union Local 675 out of Ft Lauderdale Fl. and passed 3 different times. Now they have made it so that you can't even use a calculater. I have never had any boss tell me you have 3 to 5 minutes to let me know if this can be done. I think this is more about creating a scapegoat for the contractors and the employer than training operators. Once you have those CCO's in your pocket you are responsible for anything that goes wrong because YOU are certified and should have known better. I feel as though I am being thrown under the bus I am fixing to have my well being snatched away from me after 30 years, because of a bunch of bureaucratic BS that is very unfair. One day they are going to be looking for Good Seasoned operators and there gonna be hard to come by. Now book worms will be abundant but a Seasoned operator spent his life working and learning how to do this job safely thru seat time. I think Bad times are on the way. I am going to make as much stink about this as I can, untill they do it in a fair way.
BTW I don't even know if I passed or failed yet. But either way, I think it's very unfair. All the while the people giving the test are getting about $2200 bucks a head for the course and more if you fail and want to try again. Well well well, before I finished this post the phone rang and I found out that I did pass my tests. Horay!!!
I still think this is a very unfair proccedure.
BTW I don't even know if I passed or failed yet. But either way, I think it's very unfair. All the while the people giving the test are getting about $2200 bucks a head for the course and more if you fail and want to try again. Well well well, before I finished this post the phone rang and I found out that I did pass my tests. Horay!!!
I still think this is a very unfair proccedure.
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