Heavy Equipment Operator

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Work Tasks

• Use heavy equipment like bulldozers, cranes, graders, and scrapers to move things
• Move levers, pedals, and switches needed to run the machines
• Load heavy materials on and off trucks and ships
• Fix and maintain the machines they work with
• Work outdoors for mining, construction, and utility companies, logging companies, manufacturers, and the government
• Work with bulldozers, backhoes, power shovels, graders, cranes, hoists, construction material, earth, coal, logs, and records of materials moved

Salary, Size & Growth

• $46,500 average per year ($22.25 per hour)
• A large occupation (481,200 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.0% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: On-the-job training
• Employers Prefer: A high school diploma and a 3-year apprenticeship in operating construction equipment
• Skills/Courses: Training includes learning to operate a specific type of machine. Experience with a variety of machines makes it easier to find a job.
• Licensing/Certification: A commercial driver's license; an operator's license or certificate is required in some states.