How Long Does It Take to Learn to Operate a Crane in Washington State

The state of Washington has plenty of employment opportunities available for skilled crane operators. If you have the knowledge and experience to get behind the controls of machinery such as a tower crane, crawler crane, or others, you’ll be able to advance your career in a way that was never possible before. Additionally, if you are lucky enough to live in the great state of Washington, you will be able to pursue this incredibly rewarding career path while also likely increasing your yearly earnings a great deal. According to CareerExplorer, Washington residents can earn $81,000 a year or more if they can operate a crane.

We offer the necessary training and the prerequisite on-the-job experience at West Coast Training. Read on to discover what you can expect from our crane operator school, including how long it will take to complete our certified NCCCO training.

Learn How To Operate a Mobile Crane in Four Weeks

There are many different types of cranes, each of which has different applications depending on the needs of a given job. You may decide that it is in your best interests to focus on just one, or you may decide to learn as many as you can. At West Coast Training, both of these options are available to you.

You may decide to focus on learning how to operate mobile cranes, which are usually smaller and are capable of being driven directly onto a jobsite. As part of the program, you’ll learn how to do the driving and become familiar with the controls of the crane itself.

During the four-week program, you’ll spend about half of your time in the classroom, where you’ll study the ins and outs of the required NCCCO test. You’ll spend the other half of your training time earning practical experience behind the controls of real, functional cranes of the same type as you’ll be using once you’re employed in the industry. In this way, you’ll gain that all-important practical experience that your future employers will demand.

Take the Eight-Week Course and Learn the Larger Cranes

If you decide to spend a bit more time with your training, you can continue on and take the full eight-week course, which will expand your arsenal of heavy equipment skills. During the eight-week course, not only will you study mobile cranes, but you’ll also learn the rigging and handling of much larger tower cranes. These are the machinery types used in the construction of buildings and other massive-scale projects.

Over the course of 160 hours, you’ll work toward your certifications in fixed cab hydraulic cranes, swing cab hydraulic cranes, lattice boom truck cranes, lattice boom crawler cranes, boom truck fixed cab cranes, and service truck cranes.

You will walk away with these certifications on the completion of the course while being free to explore the scenery during your time off. If you’re going to learn to operate a crane, Washington State is one of the most beautiful and picturesque places to do so. So contact West Coast Training today and get started on the road to crane operator certification.