I wanna knw if there are any tips anyone can give me to pick a school to learn and get certified to operate an excavator in michigan or anywhere near michigan. What do i look for? Im 23 nd i really need to get on track even tho ive kept a steady job for the past 4 years i need to move up in the world i love working with machinary and if i can learn how to use an excavator nd get paid good i wanna know everything about it. Honestly i dont even know what questions to ask. Anything will help. Thanks. Rico.
Just my opinion, and I may be totally wrong, but any school that teaches you how to drive a truck or operate a machine is a complete joke. No instructor is going to be able to teach you everything you need to know in a six week course. Any contractor I've ever worked for told me they'd never hire anybody that came from an operating "school." Your best bet, instead of paying somebody to "teach" you how to be an operator, is to go to work for a contractor at the bottom of the totem pole, pay your dues cleaning out tracks and greasing equipment, and work your way up from the bottom. You'll be getting real, hard earned experience, and you'll be collecting a pay check every week, instead of going in debt by taking out a loan to go to school. Just my two cents, man. Hope this helps.
Welcome Rico....jmoney is right in his opinion, you need to join a company who runs machinery and learn from operators of that equipment.when i first got in the seat i dont think there were any (schools) teaching operators.I've been on them years and i still learn watching other guys use them.My advice would be start at the bottom and try to get on with someone who may show you how it's done....It looks easy because the guys doing it make it that way it takes awhile to be a good operator so dont expect to learn in a few weeks..good luck
Ditto what jmoney and plantman said. There is no 1 year course that could teach you what you need to know on a site much less a shorter one. A controlled teaching ground where the same dirt is dug, moved and compacted does show the basics of operating the iron. However, there are a multitude of information to learn just about the different soil conditions you will encounter and how the machine responds to the different types. Or one of the toughest lessons to learn - the "don't break the crust lesson" or the "if you broke the crust, get out of dodge as quick as possible". Those are just a couple of things that you learn through the school of hard knocks. I have been running iron for 25 years, starting off with a skid in my teenage years and graduating up the food chain since then. You have to start with a shovel and work up from there. I had an old fart operator tell me as a kid that if you can't grade with a hand rake, there is no way you can grade with a machine. Unfortunately there is no quick express route to land in the seat of an excavator unless you buy one for yourself. The labor market is not tight at all from an employers standpoint. There are a lot of good operators and craftsman out there that are looking for work - experienced operators that are either sitting at home or doing whatever to get by. If I were to hire a newly graduated "operator", the first piece of equipment they would operate would be a shovel and a broom. I wouldn't waste my time nor my money going to school. Cut to the chase and hire on as a laborer and work you way up.
go to school, then apply for labor job, show them your shovel skills first. The thing is every parent teaches their kids how to spell "CAT", no one ever considers spelling "SHOVEL" as a first word to learn.
Yep , these old boys are telling you right . There is no school except experience . Usually the excavator is the mainline machine .Sewer , water main , pipeline , you are the one that's got to get it done . You are not going to learn how to pull a box , swing pipe , manage material box , set manholes at a school . I went to work for an old man right out of H.S. That did tile work , sewer , water main and demo work . I started out in theditch and gradually he let me run the machinery . After about ten years I got in the union , as an operator . I have been there for 17 years and there is still something new everyday . I admire the fact that you are 23 and want to take this on . Most of the better operators will enjoy showing you the ropes if they see you are serious about wanting to learn . Keep your eyes and ears open and mouth shut . Wish you good luck , Kevin .
I agree with jmoney. I am 24 years old and I feel none of this should be taught in a classroom. I stated in the ditch and now I am a superintendent and an extremely great operator on anything. I watched for years from some of the best in the business and took their knowledge and skills to teach myself. Doing what I did is a great way to learn. Also play video games helps a lot with the hand eye coordination.
:thumbsup Had to get mine unloaded by the guy who brought it because I didn't know what I was doing... Still don't
There is sometimes a sticker in the side window that tells you what the joysticks do and the pedals make it go back and forth. Unfortunatley the rest is trial and error, sweat and stress, common sense and determination. If your lucky you'll find someone who knows what they are doing and be able to inherit some good methods.
Hey Rico, Just an FYI to why you’re not going to fall into a seat once you get out of Heavy Equipment School. But there’s hope. I’m not some teacher or shrink type, had a few min. to kill. I’ve just been in the business a long time. I hear it all the time from students of these schools, how the school has a 75%+ employment rate. When they list there placements half of them have operators out of work. So why an excavator career? Do you have family or friends in the business? It is a flooded market in the US that’s hard to get in with-out having an in, even with experience. Excavation/Construction is a tough business that about 70% of new business start-ups fail by the third year (so I’ve read). I'm not trying to discourage you. I’ve been in the business in one form or the other since I was a kid. Do you want to stay local or travel? How much construction work is possible in your area? Are there quarries in the area? They can be a great place to start out. The pay is not great but you learn the basics fast and get paid. Maybe Demolition works. That’s a huge field as well, from running a hammer to a shear on an excavator on site or in a scrap yard. There is nothing wrong with running a shovel & rake or doing traffic control (flagging) for a while. I was hired as a County equipment operator when I was a kid and didn’t have more than 2 – 3 hundred hours the first 2 years of 10. 22 years running and fixing other peoples equipment and now in my eighth year running my own excavation company. Other than becoming a labour off the hoop, an employer loves to have an operator that knows how the machine works and be able to maintain and fix the basics. Do you have any mechanical skills? Heavy Equipment has many employers that pay well other than operators from equipment dealers and repairing starting in cleaning, maintenance, parts and service to moving equipment, field maintenance, fueling etc. Another great asset is knowing the basics of site surveying and can be a great career as well. I’ve fallen back on these trades when times are slow and have never been out of work. If you’re lucky enough to get in with a good crew, the education is priceless. Just a few things to think about. Good luck with it.
By no means an expert but many great thoughts already mentioned. If I were you I'd pick up the phone book/google, and start calling around. Find yourself an oldtimer that's been doing it for many years. Ask them if they need any help, on an as needed basis and tell them you're willing to start on the shovel. I bet you will come accross someone. Small business owners love to see pro active people that are willing to pay their dues. You may even be able to get various experience from various guys. Few years down the road a lot of these old timers (baby boomers) will be calling her quits. You may be able to pick up a nice small business for a few cents on the dollar. A lot of these guys are great operators but not great business people. In this line of work, there is no substitute for experience. Having a mentor will speed up your learning curve 10 fold.
In order to proficiently run the big shovel you need to learn on the little shovel and graduate to the powered ones. It will make you a better operator and the laborers will respect you more in the future. Like the Canuck said find a small company where you can get your feet wet and go from there. I have worked with the operator school grads and their inexperience shines.
great advice,,,,,,, do as he suggests and you will get a foot on the ladder,, go to a school and waste your money
Sosdd jfa .
I agree with Jmoney. If anything, you might want to access a class that has a simulator. Besides that you should read up, and start job shadowing. Good luck!
been operating heavy equipment for 35 years and i agree 100 percent with what CM1995 said (especially his last couple sentences). Hire on as a laborer and put your time in. Eventually you will get your shot at a piece of equipment, and when you do go slow and safely.