does anyone know about the A.T.S. or National Association Schools of heavy equipment. I'm considering going to one, but can't decide on the two. Does anyone know how much to expect from an entry level job as well as jouneymen level? thank you

 

What kind of equipment do you get trained for? A family member of mine is like the #2 or #3 man for MacAllister Cat (Rental stores and sales) and I have operated quite a few of their machines small and large. It would be a fun job I think.

 

backhoe, tractor,dump truck, skid steer, wheel loader, dozer, scraper, compactor, forklift, hydraulic excavators, motor graders, large mobile hydraulic telescoping boom crane as well as classroom studies in

safety, rigging, load calculations, maintainence, finish & grading, soils 1, 2, 3, finishing operator, loader 1, 2, backhoe 1, 2, grades 1, 2, earth moving, math tools, blueprints.

Seems cool

 

U can make a good living with compact machines to. If u work for someone else u won't see near as much money as owning ur own equipment, but machines are pricey, and u'll be lining up ur own work and everything so it would be good to work for someone else until u know the ropes of what to expect. Digging foundations is a good money maker, so is lot clearing. It would be good to goto one of those classes just so u can have it on ur resume because some people won't want to train u on the job. But in reality learning to run each piece of equipment only takes a few hours to learn, but awhile to really master them safely.

 

Yeah I like the newer catarpillar stuff vs the older new holland stuff I had prior experience on. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I was up in the woods one day tinkering with some logging stuff, skidders, a small crawler dozer....it didn't take long to learn the basics. But I did notice the crawler appeared to require a lot more skill than I had to be good with it. I've operated several skid steers, mainly cats wheeled and tracked...lots of fun! We usually do remodling and other stuff at the local Cat stores in the winter when we are slow and a lot of occaisional stuff for them during the summer. Right now my uncle is building an 8'x24' bookcase for one of the stores. We built a huge shed for washing the machines at another one....that one was fun!! I think I spent more time horsing around on the machines than helping to get the shed finished! Used a telehandler to set our posts and roof trusses, as well as reach-lifts to fasten all the exterior stuff. I would love to get into that line of work, but might have to wait a while.

 

do not go to A.T.S its a big rip off they care more about money then anything else and have classes with 40 plus students with 1 to 2 instructors

 

Kind of like the majority of the truck driving academies!!

 

I would pick a different school that has smaller classes and more instructors per student or apply to a union and try to get in to a union. then you wont have 16000+ thousand dollars worth of debt and you will get paid to train.

 

A school to familiarize yourself with many different kinds of machines is a great thing. But like Box5 says you need time in the seat to really master a unit.

I'm Case triple stick guy myself. I never have cared for CAT and certainly not Ford
I master the backhoe.
Dozer, Excavator, Skidsteer, wheel loaders: can run thesee with a high skill level.

 

I didn't know Microsoft required you to run all of those....?

 

Tractor-Sim 2.0

How many so called pilots are really playing on MS Flight Simulator!!!!!!

I can't believe I didn't see you here messing with me!!!!

 

You can get OJT from some companies and end up with a good job and no debt.