3 Reasons to Learn to Operate Heavy Equipment
Why should you learn how to operate heavy machinery and equipment? Heavy equipment operator jobs are a staple of construction projects all around the country—even all around the world. Getting trained to operate heavy machinery means that you’ll be well-positioned for an exciting, reliable career path, with skills that you can use anywhere you go. Let’s take a closer look at just why you should learn to operate heavy machinery.
There are two main types of reasons you should learn to operate heavy equipment. The first is reasons why you should want to find a career as a heavy equipment operator, and the second is why, if you’ve made that choice, you should seek out training.
Reason 1: It’s Safer (and Mandated By Law)
Let’s start with the second of the two reasons. To sum up—learning how to operate heavy equipment is required for anyone who wants to work in this career path. At least in the United States and Canada, no individual can operate heavy machinery without being trained in its use.
What’s more, heavy machinery is powerful, and in the wrong hands, these machines can be downright dangerous. Even without the legal requirements, any construction project manager who would want an untrained amateur at the controls of their heavy equipment has no business being in charge of a construction site. It can lead to mistakes that result in slowdowns and cost overruns at best and injury or death at worse.
So, if you want to pursue a heavy machine operation career, learning how to operate heavy equipment isn’t just mandated by law, it’s a no-brainer. (But it is, also, mandated by law.)
Why should you want to get into the career in the first place?
Reason 2: It Opens Up Well-Paying Job Prospects
Heavy equipment operator jobs are well worth checking out if you’re looking for a career with serious long-term prospects that will help pay your bills and raise a family. According to Salary.com, the average (median) salary for heavy equipment operators is $67,502 (at time of writing). As with all jobs, however, this is dependent on experience, education, training, and where you live and work.
In other words, the more highly trained you are, the more money you can get, which makes it all the more critical to learn how to operate heavy equipment.
Despite supply chain crunches, construction in the USA is expected to grow in 2022 and beyond due to a need for new housing. While this does depend on location—the fastest growing states are Texas, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Washington, and Nevada—you can rest assured that your job will be in high demand in coming years.
Reason 3: Heavy Equipment Jobs Are Awesome
It has to be said: heavy machinery is just plain cool. What kid doesn’t grow up wanting to get behind the wheels of a steamroller, bulldozer, or backhoe? Not us, and probably not you either.
If you want to get training to ensure you have excellent career prospects in a highly demanded, growing career, then you should learn how to use heavy equipment and heavy machinery today. Our NCCER-certified heavy equipment operator courses will have you ready to look for jobsite work in just eight weeks. Contact West Coast Training today.