Richard Smith, Heavy Equipment Operator
Heavy equipment operators work on the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, airports, pipelines and other structures. They are employed by construction companies, heavy equipment contractors, public works departments and pipeline, logging, cargo-handling and other companies.
Richard got to where he is through experience, but these days a high school education and other training courses are necessary to get into his line of work. Heavy equipment is highly computerized and requires specialized skills. A Class 1 or other driver's licence appropriate to a specific type of equipment may be required.
Employers often require experience in operating other equipment before trusting workers to learn on the job with larger and more expensive machinery.