The typical route into crane operation is through a two-year paid apprenticeship in which the majority of time is spent with an employer and under the supervision of an experienced operator. The theoretical part of the training will usually be delivered on a part-time basis through a local college, but some employers offer in-house training instead. Find out if the company offers training in the specific cranes on which you want to work. If you have no particular preference, try not to receive all your training in a specific type or model of crane as this will limit your mobility between jobs.
In addition to undergoing a majority of required training with the employer, many states also require that the employee take an external course accredited by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) to achieve certification. The basic course is typically a week long with a combination of classroom and practical training that culminates in written and practical exams. The course covers safety, standard communication procedures, math related to loading, basics of crane rigging and legal standards. Following this basic training, further classes will have to be taken to cover the peculiarities of tower, crawler, gantry and other types of cranes. Your employer may cover the cost of these courses, but if not they will typically cost around $1,500 by 2011 prices.
Unlike cranes, it is usually possible to train to use other pieces of heavy equipment in a matter of weeks instead of years. Training to be an excavator operator takes six weeks of full-time training in which the student learns about all aspects of operating the equipment from controls, grading and soil types to maintenance and safety. The course costs around $10,000 by 2011 prices, with certification and personal protective gear included. Schools often have information on ways you can secure funding to cover the cost of the course.
Other pieces of heavy equipment, such as articulated rock trucks, graders or loaders, usually require between two and four weeks of training. Courses cost between $4,000 and $7,000 dollars by 2011 prices. Training is comprehensive, and covers working in adverse conditions, communication with workers and many other aspects. Although these courses are expensive, a broad range of skills on number of machines makes you a more valuable and thus higher-earning employee.