where to learn a trade? Heavy equipment operator

[Hippie Rancher]

I have a son who didn't outgrow the little boy interest in big machines. (Do they ever?) We don't even have a small tractor on this place (you could probably tell by the condition of the roads :help: )

He took a couple of years of construction in High school and his instructor took them out to HIS dad's farm and they all got to push some dirt around with a backhoe. He LOVED it, of course. Checking on line for some kind of training, I find all kinds of for-profit "schools". They all come across as a little shady and too eager to accept credit cards or issue high interest loans. Then there is a local community college that has a course in conjunction with a big mining company - it seems to stress mechanics more than operating and same with another community college in the state that works in conjunction with Caterpillar.

I was also told there was a union in the state (hard to believe in AZ) that has some kind of deal and does training, but you have to commit to working for X-number of years after and the person telling me this was of the opinion that many involved were pretty crooked.

I have also heard a good way is to apprentice to somebody, but we don't KNOW who or how to set something like that up.

So my question: How can this young man get started? He wants to operate, not mechanic - are they independent of each other? Seems most guys with these kind of toys mostly work on them themselves so... :?: :?: :?: Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[larryshoat]

I would think find a good company in your area that does that kind of work and get a job there. He will start out at the bottom but, eventualy he will get a chance to operate the equipment. When I hire boys to work with cattle I tell them that the job is to do what I tell them to do and as I see the kind of work they do they either move up or out. One bit of advice I give every young man that works for me is to not sort jobs into things that you want to do and things that you don't want to do.
There are only things that need to be done. If he will take that attitude he will soon find that he is moving toward the top. Always be on time . You can't afford to put your operation on hold while you wait for one guy to show up for work. I hpoe this helps some and it is just my opinion.

Larry

 

[dun]

There's alwasy the military! army engineers or NAVY CBs

 

[Hippie Rancher]

There's alwasy the military! army engineers or NAVY CBs

Despite my user name, I don't really have anything against the military. But I sure do have some problems with the folks in charge of it at the moment and a couple that are likely to be in charge in the near future. :secret:

I think Larry is right, needs to start digging ditches - hey, it would be a step up from around here - he would be getting paid! :cboy:

 

[john250]

Around here, the "operating engineers" have a school. I think it is in Michigan, but I bet there is one on the west coast.

 

[cattleluvr18]

if he likes to move dirt so much, he should being one of them guys who tiles fields and does terraces and stuff. they make BIG bucks around here.

 

[kerley]

Hippy, Try the local Teamsters union in Tucson. They will most likely direct him to The Heavy Equipment Operators Union. To become a member you first have to secure employment. Once that is done you are required to join the union. There will be initiation fees, union dues. No free lunch there.

 

[ffamom]

Check with the local trade associations or unions. Around here, North Texas, they provide you with companies that offer you an internship and school part on Sat.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Correct name is International Union of Operating Engineers. Local 400 here.
They offer a 3 year training course.
Also check out Job Corps. There is a good one up here in Montana that has an operators course.
I know alot of companies are looking for operators right now and this normally the slow season.

 

[auctionboy]

I do not know alot about this, but if he wants to be a owner/operator then mechanics would be invaluable. Waiting for someone to come out to a work site to fix a small problem would cost a lot in time and mechanics fees.

 

[cowcamp]

Central Lakes Collage, Staples Minnesota, 218 894 5100, i believe it is a 2 yr course

 

[backhoeboogie]

He just needs some time behind the sticks.

The bigger the piece of equipment, the easier it is to operate it seems to me.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Depends upon the person backhoeboogie. I never was very good running a D-7, but a D-6 or a D-8 I was pretty good at them.

 

[Angus In Texas]

The best way is to find an entry level position with a construction company or mining operation doing manual labor. Work hard and prove that you are reliable. Let it be known to the company that you want to run equipment before you ever take the job. And more often than not you will get a shot to run equipment sooner rather than later.....as long as they can trust you on it. It might not be anything fancy at first, just pushing dirt or blading haul roads or something like that but it is experience and that is what matters most. I run the office at a gravel quarry but I have had the chance to run haul trucks, blades, trackhoes (excavator), and wheel loaders.... still waiting to get my hands on the D-6.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have a son who didn't outgrow the little boy interest in big machines. (Do they ever?) We don't even have a small tractor on this place (you could probably tell by the condition of the roads :help: )

He took a couple of years of construction in High school and his instructor took them out to HIS dad's farm and they all got to push some dirt around with a backhoe. He LOVED it, of course. Checking on line for some kind of training, I find all kinds of for-profit "schools". They all come across as a little shady and too eager to accept credit cards or issue high interest loans. Then there is a local community college that has a course in conjunction with a big mining company - it seems to stress mechanics more than operating and same with another community college in the state that works in conjunction with Caterpillar.

I was also told there was a union in the state (hard to believe in AZ) that has some kind of deal and does training, but you have to commit to working for X-number of years after and the person telling me this was of the opinion that many involved were pretty crooked.

I have also heard a good way is to apprentice to somebody, but we don't KNOW who or how to set something like that up.

So my question: How can this young man get started? He wants to operate, not mechanic - are they independent of each other? Seems most guys with these kind of toys mostly work on them themselves so... :?: :?: :?: Any advice would be appreciated.

Nephew is a HEO seems like they are rolling in the money as there are jobs everywhere, or starving to death in the lull's and he has to go oversea's. Son is an Instrument/Electrician his phone never stops ringing on companies trying to steal him away from the one he is with.

 

[backhoeboogie]

There's alwasy the military! army engineers or NAVY CBs

Despite my user name, I don't really have anything against the military. But I sure do have some problems with the folks in charge of it at the moment and a couple that are likely to be in charge in the near future. :secret:

I think Larry is right, needs to start digging ditches - hey, it would be a step up from around here - he would be getting paid! :cboy:

If someone takes the military route, my advice would be Navy Nukes.

There's been no new Nukes constructed in 30 years. It was a dying industry. Now they're back. Nukes are being planned everywhere. There is going to be a huge shortage of operators, designers, and engineers. That is where the money is. There will be a lot of construction opportunity initially. Operations will be career employment.

 

[Parkerson Cattle Co.]

Apply for entry positions, thats what I did, doesn't take long to learn dozers, backhoes, or excavators. You just have to be well coordinated. You can move up fast with the more hours you log on a machine. Most companies will train.

 

[Lammie]

Try Amarillo College. They have all kinds of trade schools. My son is there studying mortuary science but he is housed with two truck driving students there for six weeks.

 

[Farmer Z]

Pearl River Community College - Poplarville, MS. They have a program...equipment donated by Caterpillar. It's supposed to be a good one...emphasis on operation.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Thanks everybody! I think we will see if he can get on someplace local and see how that works out. Right now he is pounding t-posts into solid rock on a mountain after a 20 minute hike to get up there. Needless to say any low level paying work is going to seem pretty nice :lol2: Then if it seems like he is getting somewhere we can look into more formal training/mechanic stuff.
Unfortunately nobody in this family seems interested in learning real mechanic-ing. Guess they've seen mom and/or dad too many times half crazed and covered in grease, dirt, and ants cussing out some stubborn bolt..."just remove part b from frame and reinstall in the opposite manner" the book says. Those simple tasks are always the worst aren't they?