Construction equipment operators work on construction sites. They operate heavy equipment. They prepare the land for construction of buildings. They repair utilities. They may work on oil rigs. They use equipment to spread concrete and asphalt. They inspect equipment and perform repairs. They use GPS technology to grade and level. There are three categories under the construction equipment operators occupation:
- Operating engineers
- Paving and surfacing equipment operators
- Piledriver operators
Operating engineers work with three types of equipment: 1) excavation equipment, 2) bulldozers, and 3) trucks and tractors. With the excavation equipment, operating engineers scoop, shovel, and dig earth. With the bulldozers, they manage the trench excavators. With the trucks and tractors, they lift heavy materials. They may also operate air compressors at the site.
Paving and surfacing equipment operators may be classified as 1) asphalt spreader operators, 2) concrete paving machine operators, and 3) tamping equipment operators. Paving and surfacing equipment operators spread and level concrete and asphalt for building structures. Asphalt spreader operators regulate the temperature of asphalt; they also distribute and manage the flow of the asphalt. Concrete paving machine operators level the concrete. They locate uneven spots and add more concrete so that it becomes leveled. Tamping equipment operators manage the tamping machine.
Piledriver operators manage the piledriver to ground piles. Operators may work at construction sites or on oil rigs. Job opportunities in the industry are expected to increase due to more construction equipment operators entering the field.
Construction Equipment Operator Job Responsibilities
Construction equipment operators work in uncomfortable environments all year round, mainly outdoors in heat and cold and rainy weather. They are subject to injuries and accidents and illnesses due to the weather. They must operate heavy and dangerous equipment on muddy ground. They often leave the job site dusty and dirty. They work in remote areas and in some factory locations. They are exposed to dangerous situations on a daily basis. They don’t work a typical forty-hour week and they are subject to work overtime, late night to early morning.
Construction Equipment Operators Training and Education Requirements
Construction equipment operators typically complete on-the-job training in the field. They may also enroll in a vocational program. They must have completed a high school education. Vocational skills in driving are usually attained through high school programs in driver’s education. Construction equipment operators must also have some familiar knowledge of science and drawings. They must be able to read site plans and operate a computer. Before they can operate heavy equipment, they must train on light equipment under the supervision of the site manager. To operate computerized equipment, construction equipment operators must have a working knowledge of electronics. They are also expected to have an advanced education beyond the high school curriculum. Operators may attain formal training through an accredited program in operation engineering offered through the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE). The IUOE offers an apprenticeship program in which operators enroll in a minimum of 6,000 class-related and practical hours. Construction equipment operators may also enroll in a vocation school that offers a curriculum in construction equipment.
Construction Equipment Operator Salary and Wages
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for construction equipment operators was $18.88 in May 2008, with the lowest ten percent earning $12.47 and the highest ten percent earning $33.34. For construction equipment operators working in commercial construction, the median hourly wage was $21.45. Construction equipment workers who work for local government earned significantly less than those working for commercial construction, earning a low $17.19. Contractors earned $18.61, $2.59 less than construction equipment operators who worked on highways and street construction.*
*According to the BLS, http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Construction equipment operators who worked on paving and tamping equipment earned a low $16.00 in May 2008, with the highest ten percent earning more than $26.70. These same operators who worked on bridge and street construction earned $16.13. Construction equipment operators who worked as piledrivers earned a median hourly wage of $23.01,with the highest ten percent earning $38.01. Piledrivers who worked in commercial construction earned $20.46, less than a dollar than their construction equipment operator counterparts.*
*According to the BLS, http://www.bls.gov/oco/
Construction Equipment Operator Certifications
Construction equipment operators must have a commercial driving license to operate construction equipment. They attend a driving school or a vocational school to become certified.
Construction Equipment Operator Professional Associations
Construction equipment operators may join the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). NCCER provides education in the construction equipment industry. It offers a standard curriculum, testing and assessment, and career development for its members through its Construction Management Academies. These academies are specifically designed for supervisors and managers of construction projects and professionals who ensure health and safety standards are met on the job sites. Students enrolled in the construction academies undergo extensive training in construction management principles. They read case studies. They participate in group discussions. They perform practical exercises. They review lectures.
Students of the academy may also pursue a master’s degree in Construction Science. The master’s degree is offered by an affiliate school. Most of the lectures are conducted online through distance learning technology. To be eligible, students must complete one of the construction management academy’s offerings.
Construction Equipment Operator Professional Associations
Construction equipment operators may join The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE). The IUOE represents construction equipment operators, mechanics, and operators who manage heavy equipment. The IUOE has approximately 400,000 members and it manages in excess of 120 unions.
Construction equipment operators may also join The Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA). The PDCA is an advocacy organization that supports the use of pile drivers as a major solution to increase efficiency at the work site. Membership benefits include educational programs, conference shows, newsletters, annual subscriptions, marketing resources, and cooperative partnership programs. Members may join as a contractor, a firm, a small company, an equipment supplier, an engineering firm, as a technical school, a union or labor organization, a retired individual, or as a student. There are different categories for small and large organizations. Annual dues are determined by the sales volume of the company, the membership totals, the total offices, and whether the firm or company is large or small. Student members may join for $20 and retired individuals may join for $100.
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