Im a single female Im in the middle of a career change Im in my mid 30s Ive been doing construction for a few years as a laborer and have always dreamed of operating Heavy Equipment . There is a private school close by that can train me but I would have to get a loan the course is $12000 there is also a union hall close by and if I take a Roadbuilding Foundations Course then I can register as an Apprentice to take the Heavy Equipment Operators Course . I dont really understand the apprenticeship route though Do I need a company to sponser me first or how does it work Also I have heard that owners like to hire women to operate their iron because women dont beat the **** out of the machine and tend to baby them more . I have also heard that it is very hard to find work as an operator right out of training school because of lack of experience . I live in Vancouver , BC does anybody know how to go about doing an apprenticeship here in Vancouver or know of any excavation companies that will hire a newbie as an operastor without making them do 99% labor work and 1% on a machine
Well, you need to go to your local operating engineers union hall. Talk to the buisness agent. He/she will point you in a direction from there. I cant tell you how your union is, I can only tell you how my local works. You would be put in an applicants pool. When its time to find the next group of apprentices things start. This could be tomorrow, it could be 4 years down the line. Depends on how much work there is, and how fast the apprentices can get through their hours. You go to the training center, and everyone takes a general apptitude test, think high school. Basicly here its the same as taking a GED. Based on score and other items, such as minority, male, female. You automaticly get so many points on the test score based on that. If you are accepted you begin the long road. All apprenticeships in our union are based on so many hours of classroom, field training, and work experience. We start our apprentices out with saftey classes, hazmat classes, and basic classes about the machines. Then they start training on the machines at the school. From there, they are sent out to jobsites. Usually as oilers, or support equipment operators. A lot start on rollers, skid steers, scrapers, and fork trucks. We have certain hour requirements for each machine, and final tests for them. They also have to aquire so many hours of field time. Once field time is complete, and the hours and tests for each machine are complete, they become "journeymen"
I just replied to you other post on another thread, go to the thread link below. Turbo21835, gave you good info.
thanks guys you both gave me some really good info , One more Question though is there a certain age cut off to be an apprentice ? Im worried that I might be too old .
There isnt not an age cutoff here. Ill be honest, our union will take anyone to keep money going into the pension program. Better yet, they want you to contribute money for 5 years and not work any more. That way your not vested and they keep the money. Im not a big union thumper. I dont owe them anything, they really havent helped me out. Been laid of since october and they havent found me 1 job. But they sure like taking my dues out every year
Not sure how it works in Canada exactly, but it's fairly simple here. I applied last October, the application process is pretty intense, lots of info needed. After that, I was called up to interview and pass basic math and writing skills. Just like Turbo said, it's basically the same here. We attend 7 weeks of training initially, then 160 hours yearly thereafter for years 2 and 3. There are two 7 week training sessions per year, one in the spring and one in the fall. They take a maxiumum of 50 for each session, they cannot train any more people than that. 4 days a week for 7 weeks of training will be spent at the grounds on equipment and in-classroom training. After that, you're dispatched out for work, collecting hours on various equipment types. There are 4 types here, stationary (crushers, screeners, etc.), tracked machines, wheeled machines, and crane/lifting equipment. The minimum amount of hours to graduate from an apprentice to journeyman is 4,000 but can take up to 6,000 hours. Here apprentices recieve 5% pay raises every 1,000 hours completed until we reach journeyman status. They will also train us to get our CDL, I read it required here but I may have been mistaken. That also broadens your work scope as you can be a fairly valuable employee to send with a truck and a machine to a job, could keep you working more year round as well too. I'm in limbo right now, I should know within a week or so whether or not I made it in. I was in a group of 50 2 weeks ago to head out to the grounds for what's called safety and orientation week here. Last week, there was another group of 35 or somewhere around that number I heard from someone who was in that session. They told us they are going to take the best 50 to attend the spring session of training and dispatch sometime in July. I had thought that if I made it to safety and orientation week I was in, apparently they need to cut a few people. I'm a little nervous, I think I'll be fine, but I'm not 100% sure just yet. As far as age goes, there was quite a spread in my group. There were a few guys a year or two younger than myself and I'm 21, there were a few in their mid to late 20's, some in their 30's and a few beyond 40. However, there is no cutoff, simply put if you're reliable, have a good attitude, and take directions well, you're a candidate. It's pretty serious business here, they don't mess around with slackers whatsoever. Showing up on time is incredibly important, one guy showed up late one day and I thought for sure they were going to toss him out. I guess the group after us had a few no-show'ers and latecomers, not good. Overall, I think the union route is a great deal. The pay is pretty good, the training is second to none, and the benefits are absolutely unmatched.
Im attempting to read a book , it's called , "Moving the Earth" and the book is 400 pages of excavator training the book was reccomended to me by an operator to read before starting to work on a machine because he said that most guys will not talk shop with a woman because they think we're not interested , has anyone out there read it or can any of you pros reccomend anything I should read or do before I take the plunge?
"moving the earth" is a good book. A good portion of it is out-dated, though. Most companies are going to put the new guy(gal) in the trenches with the D-1 or the height stick. While earning your dues is not glamorous or fun, it's a closer view to the work than the operators' seat has to offer. As far as being too old to be an apprentice, that's up to you to decide. If you can tolerate hard work and entry level pay, then you can handle being an apprentice.
What are my chances of getting in the union if I am 18 yrs old and do decent on the test
It might be a good idea to talk to a few contractors about work before being dumped on by the operating engineers. Theres plenty of good people who would give you some experience on a machine but pay you a little less while you get apprenticeship status. Loggers and pavers usually bring people in on a good word. Then if they like you, they can put a word in with the hall that you are qualified to operate such and such equipment which guarantees a better pay rate and benefits.
Operating Engineers I'M not sure how it works in Canada, but I have seen A lot of construction jobs for Operators & Construction workers for the Canadian Forces, who are they and what do they offer? union4life:usa I.U.O.E # 825
Hi all. I'm also a woman in her thirties. Grew up on a farm and know how to take care of my tractors. Will you have to have a Class A/B license to get a job operating? Due to a 20 year old prior diagnosis of epilepsy, the state DOT says I can't get a CDL (even though I've been seizure free for 20 years). I have a part time business operating a farm tractor & ASV RC-60 and LOVE it. I program computers during the day and want to get a job doing something I really like doing, instead of something that just pays the bills. Is there any hope? The schools I've talked to said they would let me in but I don't want to invest all that money and hope if it's assured I won't get a job. My dream is to work a dozer or excavator on a pipeline.
There more work laying pipe in urban areas, that maybe something to contend with if your a famer. Getting around a city can be a nasty trade off to do something you like. In the end, you may have to relocate a little, if you try to stay close to home your chances remain limited.