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QUESTION:A couple of years ago I decided to take a Heavy Equipment course with a
local school. I really wanted to get into the construction field. I put out
$6200.00 from my own pocket to do what I wanted to do.
Now after 2 years I am still without a job and looks like there is no hope
to catch on with any one in this field of work.
Why? lack of experience, that's why. What the schools fail to teach you and
tell you is that most companies want to hire someone with experience only.
They don't really care if you have certification . They want results NOW!
How can someone get ON-Hand experience when no one wants to take a chance.
Giving someone a promise that you will give them 100% is noit sufficient. I
am 49 years of age and yes I admit that maybe I should have looked deeper
into this before jumping in and taking the course, but the lure of good pay
in that field was all I needed to get into this.
The schools do not teach you everything required, sure they give you a
manual at an extra cost of 90 bucks which I read over and over again, but
hands on is what you need to compete at this level. I received less than 1
week of classroom training, then I got into a backhoe and an excavator.
teacher comes in and tells you to dig a trench with a flat bottom, but lack
of room inside the machines means that while the teacher is inside showing
you how to dig perfectly, you have to stand outside and watch him. Can't see
how he operates the controls. After the 6 weeks, he gives you your
certificate which is not worth the piece of paper it's printed on.
Although I have had a few jobs since I "graduated" operating, backhoe,
excavator, grader. I got let go because of poor performance because of lack
of experience. I can't depend on site Foreman to train me because it's not
his job, they don't have time to babysit you. That's why they want
experience. They expect the operator to jump right in the machine and do
what you are told to do with no problems at all.
I don't think a lot of people read this site at all, last year I posted an
ad looking for employment and had no calls whatsoever.
But if someone reads this and needs someone who will give you an honest
day's work and no flack at all, then email me ay ylave...@sympatico.ca or
call me at 224-0330 in the Ottawa area.
I just need a little more hands on practice and some one with a bit of
patience.
ANSWER: I was in the heavy equipment/earth moving/demolitions industry for a
couple of years; What you say is true and more often than not, you really
*do* need a break to get a head start;
You do, however, have a few options:
1) Call around the local excavation, landscaping, demolition, asphalt
companies and tell them that you've taken and graduated this course:
You'd be willing to give them a day or two of completely free equipment
operations for the chance to prove your mettle.
2) Call the same companies, explain the same as above, but instead of
offering to work for free, you'd like to rent one of their machines and
an operator to show you the ropes for four hours - The idea being that
you want an old hand to show you a few tricks with regards to trenching,
grading, scraping, etc. Worst case scenario: You get some more experience
that you've paid for. Best case scenario: The person you've paid to teach
you hands-on mentions to his/her boss that you're worth giving a shot to.
3) - this one is the most likeley: Get hired on as a general labourer
with a demolitions/landscaping/earthmoving/asphalt/etc company, but make
sure you mention that you are trained in heavy equipment operations. This
is how many, many heavy equipment operators get their start (like so many
other industries): starting from the bottom. I've swung a shovel, carried
rocks, directed traffic, been a gopher, etc, on more than my share of
construction sites; Be nice to your co-workers, but let them know you'd
like a little time on the machines. I can think of several sites where
for the first seven hours of the day I was a grunt, but the last hour I
was given time on the machines under a co-worker's supervision to get
experience (Note: Knocking down a 2 storey house with an excavator is
*fun*!!!!) (Note2: Levelling a parking lot with a D5 is a lot harder than
it looks - experience *counts*)
IMO, it's a *great* industry to get into: The work is hard, but fun and
rewarding. There's a few spots in Toronto, including a section of the 401
near Whites Road, that I can drive by and take no small amount of
satisfaction in knowing that I played a small part in making it happen :)
Word of advice, though: Save money for the winter!!! If you don't happen
to be one of the operators who gets a backhoe for snow clearing, money
can get tight in the winter months!
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