How to Make $135/Hour Operating Heavy Machinery! (I Went to Operator School)

Jim visits the Heavy Equipment Operator School at the Learn Center in Ronkonkoma, NY to experience operating heavy machinery and learn about the heavy machinery trade. This facility is called a "college orientation" by George because it provides the basics of safety and awareness before students operate a machine. George, who has been at this location for 58 years, started the trade college about 20 years ago to help acclimate veterans back into society by teaching them heavy equipment skills. The machines taught on campus include the backhoe, bulldozer, excavator, skid steer, and front-end loader. New students quickly learn that operating heavy equipment is about patience, control, and precision, not just strength. Jim gets hands-on experience with the excavator, a loader, and a backhoe. Students are ready for real job site work by the end of their training. Companies are actively hiring graduates from this school because they are "so much better than the people that walk in off the street". An entry-level operator can expect to make between $25 to $30 an hour while still learning. For some jobs, especially on prevailing rate projects, an operator of a machine like the excavator can potentially make up to $135 an hour. The 84-hour curriculum for certification on one machine is approved by the Department of Education. With flexible scheduling, including 7-hour classes every day, students can complete the certification in as little as 12 days. Heavy Equipment Training Heavy Machinery Operator School Excavator Operator Backhoe Training Front Loader Trade School Construction Careers Skid Steer Bulldozer Operator High Paying Trades Construction Job How to Become a Heavy Equipment Operator Learn Center Ronkonkoma Trade College Construction Safety Entry Level Operator Salary