Heavy Equipment Operator Shortage Drives Great Opportunities
Careers in the trades are hot today, and the shortage of heavy equipment
operators makes this trade one of the hottest. With many industries looking
for operators, governments and educational institutions are realizing that
this is the perfect time to encourage people to turn this occupation into
a rewarding career path.
What heavy equipment is all about
Think of those large pieces of equipment you see on construction, road
building, mining, and industrial sites. Bulldozers, excavators, backhoes,
graders, loaders, rock trucks... they're the heavy, driver-operated machines
that make up the backbone of any project.
A heavy equipment operator, sometimes called an operating engineer, knows
how to work one or more of these pieces of equipment.
The shortage
"According to an FMI [a management consulting company] study on the construction
workforce shortage, there is a nine percent deficiency in the field of operating
engineers," says Don Whyte, president of the National Center for Construction
Education and Research (NCCER), located in Florida.
"This means that for every 11 heavy equipment jobs available, one will
not be filled."
Kent Orrock is a human resources programs manager for a road builders and
heavy construction association. He points out that there are increasing numbers
of heavy equipment operators retiring.
Heavy equipment operators are in demand for infrastructure projects and
renewal. Bridges, highways, airports, pipelines, railroads, schools, hospitals,
shopping malls -- all these structures and services need to be built and maintained.
"If you think about it, all the infrastructure out there was built around
the baby boom era [between 1940 and 1960]," says George Gritziotis, executive
director of a council in charge of construction.
"Well, guess what? The infrastructure has been aging, too. We need to
invest in it, and that has implications for heavy equipment operators."
Heavy equipment operators may find employment in various sectors. These
include construction, mining, quarrying, public works, cargo-handling, and
oil and gas companies.
Skilled operators wanted
Most people become heavy equipment operators through on-the-job training.
However, many companies now expect operators to have at least some basic formal
training, obtained through a technical institution or trades school. Local
regulations and internal company certification may make such specialized training
a requirement. This is partly due to concerns about safety.
"We know that one of the most effective practices for reducing and eliminating
accidents and incidents on a job site is the presence of a skilled craft professional,"
says Whyte.
"Owners hold the key to the solution. When owners broadly enforce that
no contractor will be employed who does not invest in training, then participation
in training will rise."
Training and apprenticeship leading to certification are what managers
say will also give heavy equipment operation the profile of a career rather
than just a job.
This means that industry and government must invest in more training programs,
which is gradually starting to happen.
"We are in the process of developing assessments geared towards specific
pieces of heavy equipment through [NCCER's] National Craft Assessment and
Certification Program," says Whyte.
Orrock thinks that more resources could be devoted to training in trades
like heavy equipment operation. Right now, it's often difficult for those
who are already on the job to get all the training they will eventually need
in their career.
"It costs money to take these courses," he says, "and companies can't
afford to let people go to take courses because they need them on the job
site."
Nonetheless, industry insiders feel that apprenticeship and certification
should become required for operators in the future. As Gritziotis points out,
a career as a heavy equipment operator should be based on the professionalism
that comes with certification.
Shifts in thinking
With evolving employment trends in North America, people are realizing
that there are career prospects and job security to be found in types of work
that do not require a college degree.
Plus, as Orrock points out, "There's a lot of competition among all of
the trades." Since there are many skilled trades to choose from, competition
for young workers is downright fierce!
It's a great time to look beyond stereotypes about who tends to be in an
occupation, as industries are more open to diverse types of workers than ever
in their recruiting. The NCCER has formed a partnership with the National
Association for Women in Construction.
To attract new workers to road building and heavy construction, Orrock
does 13 to 25 career fairs per year. He also sends brochures to high schools.
Will demand for heavy equipment operators continue to be as strong in the
future? It's true that retirement will level off eventually, and all booms
come to an end. However, a new boom usually takes over, and infrastructure
just keeps getting older. It's a good bet that there will always be a demand
for heavy equipment operators.
Links
Associated Training Services
Explore this organization's training centers across the country
National Heavy Equipment Operators School
Test drive a lesson online
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