Career Spotlight: Heavy Equipment Mechanics
Summer Ignite program from UTI offers free technical training for High School Juniors.
An article published by ForConstructionPros.com highlights the salary ranges for mechanics of mobile heavy equipment, such as cranes. (How Much Should Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics Make?) These technicians are responsible for making sure equipment complies with regulations and safety guidelines, conducting preventative maintenance, doing systems troubleshooting and repairs, as well as rebuilds.
Manufacturers, dealers, and rental firms, are among the biggest employers of mechanics in the crane, rigging, and specialized transportation market. According to the article, the majority of heavy equipment mechanics in the field only have a high school education. However, additional technical training is necessary.
More than 73,000 heavy equipment technicians are needed over the next five years, according to a report released in March 2020 by the Association of Equipment Distributors. (The Equipment Industry Technician Shortage: Reassessing causes, impacts, and policy recommendations.) Almost 90% of AED member dealerships have a job opening rate above the national average and 89% report a shortage of workers in their company.
Bragg Companies, Inc., a crane rental, heavy rigging, and heavy haul solutions provider based in Long Beach, Calif., identifies these common tasks their mechanics perform.
- Read technical manuals and understand equipment and controls
- Disassemble equipment when there is a problem
- Repair or replace broken or malfunctioning components
- Perform tests and run failure analysis to make sure that the machine is running smoothly
- Adjust and calibrate equipment to optimal specifications
- Perform day-to-day preventative maintenance and repair of trucks, trailers, and other heavy equipment
- Understand heavy equipment rebuilding process
When considering a career as a heavy equipment technician, Jim Laarhoven, a former technician himself, offers this advice. “Becoming a technician is as much of a lifestyle as it is a career, so it’s important to put family first. You don’t want to be worried about what’s going on at home while you are hanging off the side of a boom,” he says. Laarhoven is currently the National Key Account Customer Services Manager for Liebherr USA, Co., a crane manufacturer. His previous experience includes working as a service manager and diesel instructor for Universal Technical Institute.
Those individuals who are self-starters are often the most successful. “When a crane or heavy haul piece of equipment goes down, it can cost the company or the project thousands of dollars. You must be able to handle the situation while doing your job to the best of your abilities, but that’s also what makes it a very rewarding career,” he says.
Laarhoven also suggests:
- Electrical and hydraulic systems training is a must.
- Take advantage of any training offered to you. This might include service schools provided by equipment manufacturers.
- Never be afraid to ask for help and be able to admit when you are in over your head.
- Move forward by learning from your mistakes.
- Maintain a positive professional attitude.
Looking to get started? Universal Technical Institute is a nationwide provider of diesel technical training. As part of its ongoing effort to address employer demand for skilled transportation technicians, Universal Technical Institute campuses nationwide have offered summer programs that are free to high school juniors. The three-week program will return in the summer of 2021. The program gives prospective technicians hands-on training and an early, exclusive introduction into high-tech, high-demand careers in the transportation industry.
“To serve growing demand for technicians, UTI’s Ignite program demonstrates the career pathways available and showcases exciting new technology in our industry,” said Paul Neumann, Penske Automotive Group Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Students receive hands-on training on today’s transportation technologies and learn from local employers about the demand and earning potential for trained technicians. Participants are also eligible to receive credit toward future UTI courses and can complete a UTI program and begin a career in the transportation sector in less time.