About this program
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to operate and maintain a variety of heavy equipment, such as a crawler tractors, motor graders and scrapers, shovels, rigging devices, hoists, and jacks. Includes instruction in digging, ditching, sloping, stripping, grading, and backfiling, clearing and excavating.
Career Opportunities
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Hoist and Winch Operators
operate or tend hoists or winches to lift and pull loads using power-operated cable equipment.
$62730
No degree required
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Excavating Machine Operators
operate or tend machinery equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets, to excavate and load loose materials.
$48500
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Dredge Operators
operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
$53790
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Crane and Tower Operators
operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
$64010
Post-secondary certificate
Strong job growth
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Continuous Miner Operators
operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation.
$58340
No degree required
Personality Match
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Earth Drillers
operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap sub-surface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. May use explosives. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.
$51040
No degree required
Strong job growth
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Explosives Workers
place and detonate explosives to demolish structures or to loosen, remove, or displace earth, rock, or other materials. May perform specialized handling, storage, and accounting procedures. Includes seismograph shooters.
$51040
No degree required
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Track Equipment Operators
lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.
$57430
No degree required
Personality Match
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Highway Maintenance Workers
maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement and repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road, or plow snow from roadway.
$43200
No degree required
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Construction Equipment Operators
operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
$55280
No degree required
Strong job growth
Related Majors
Mobil Crane Operator/Operation
A program that prepares individuals to hoist and swing loads via complex rotating machinery that is driver operated. Includes instruction in crane operational characteristics, load and capacity chart usage, emergency control skills, safety, specific types of mobile cranes and loading devices, applicable codes and standards, and applications to particular types of jobs and loads.
Flagging and Traffic Control
A program that prepares individuals to control the movement of traffic through construction and maintenance zones and to protect the safety of work crews, drivers, and pedestrians. Includes instruction in flagging duties and responsibilities, the traffic control zone, flagging signals, pavement markers, freeway flagging, utility flagging, emergency response flagging, and night traffic control.
Railroad and Railway Transportation
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to the operation of railroads and other aspects of the railway industry, including railroad and railyard service. Includes instruction in railway culture, operating skills, General Code of Operation rules, conductor service, signal systems, switching, transportation of hazardous materials, safety, and railway telecommunications systems.
Forklift Operation/Operator
A program that prepares individuals to operate forklifts in a variety of work environments. Includes instruction in accident prevention, forklift operation, materials handling, and worksite safety.
Commercial Fishing
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to function as commercial fishermen, fishing operations supervisors or in related fishing industry operations. Includes instruction in fishing vessel operation; fishing equipment operation and maintenance; equipment repair; catch identification, sorting, and storage; safety procedures; record keeping; and applicable legal regulations.
Diver, Professional and Instructor
A program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to function as professional deep-water or scuba divers, diving instructors, or diving support personnel. Includes instruction in the use of diving equipment and related specialized gear; diving safety procedures; operation and maintenance of underwater life-support systems; underwater communication systems; decompression systems; underwater salvage; exploration, rescue, and photography; and installation and fitting of underwater mechanical systems and their maintenance, repair or demolition.
Marine Science/Merchant Marine Officer
A program that prepares individuals to serve as captains, executive officers, engineers and ranking mates on commercially licensed inland, coastal and ocean-going vessels. Includes instruction in maritime traditions and law, maritime policy, economics and management of commercial marine operations, basic naval architecture and engineering, shipboard power systems engineering, crew supervision, and administrative procedures.
Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology
A program that focuses on the general study of aviation and the aviation industry, including in-flight and ground support operations. Includes instruction in the technical, business, and general aspects of air transportation systems.
