Why You Can’t Get Crane Operator Jobs with No Experience

Choosing to pursue a career as a crane operator can be an excellent career choice if you know where to begin. The fact is that it’s a competitive industry, and there will be many qualified candidates jostling for the same positions you are. This is great for employers since they can have their pick of applicants, but it can prove to be difficult and stressful for you if you’re attempting to apply for jobs.

Why Become a Crane Operator?

A big part of the reason crane operator jobs are coveted even above other jobs in the construction business is because of the competitive pay: according to Glassdoor.com, the average salary is around $63,843 per year. In many places, the pay can be even more than that, and there will often be opportunities for upward mobility.

There’s also the fact that crane operator jobs are considered sort of “rock star” positions in the world of construction: you’ll be an important person in your industry, provided you can get the work.

Getting the Job

As with any job, getting a position operating a crane or other piece of heavy construction equipment requires a strong knowledge of how the equipment works and a deep commitment to workplace safety. It also requires a working knowledge of networking so that you can get your resume out there and ace interviews as you get them.

The biggest challenge, however, is that it can be difficult to get hired, even if you are highly qualified, if you lack experience. The reality is that getting crane operator jobs with no experience just won’t happen. This, of course, is a bit of a catch-22: you can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t build experience without first getting a job.

Fortunately, other ways of earning experience do exist. You just need to know where to look.

Earning Experience So You Can Get the Job

The best way to earn experience operating cranes is to find a reputable crane operator school. A good crane operator school will have qualified instructors who can help you get your certification from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). That’s what a good school will do, but if you want to earn real field experience, you need a great school.

A great crane operator school will offer courses taught by professionals who are experienced in the world of heavy equipment. In addition to extensive, detailed classroom learning, a great crane operator school will also allow you many hours practicing behind the controls of real cranes and other heavy equipment so that you can earn the experience you need to actually get hired.

One such school is West Coast Training where you’ll never have to worry about applying for a crane operator job with no experience again. You’ll earn practical, real-world training in a supervised, safe environment so that when you leave, you’ll be confident you can demonstrate to prospective employers that you know how to do the job.