Heavy Equipment Operations – Level II

To qualify for enrollment, applicants must be able to read and write the English language and be at least 18 years of age. Applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent. Most employers require a drug test; therefore, it is recommended that students are able to pass a drug screening test.

Certain criteria may disqualify an applicant because they may prevent a graduate from obtaining employment; admission may still be granted if the Institution determines the applicant is capable of obtaining employment upon graduation. The Institution will make this determination on a case-by-case basis.

Length. Full Time – 3 Weeks; 120 total instructional clock hours. A clock hour is defined as 50 minutes of instruction in a 60-minute period.

Training hours. 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday – Thursday (Training Hours), weather and holidays permitted. All training hours will be offered but may be adjusted to accommodate weather conditions, holidays and other unforeseeable circumstances.

Class size. The number of students per class range from one to thirty students. Maximum student to instructor ratios is as follows: Classroom Instruction - 30:1, and field instruction - 12:1. The normal training day runs approximately ten hours with a lunch break.

Upcoming start dates. 10/5/2026, 10/26/2026, 11/16/2026, 12/7/2026, 1/4/2027, 1/25/2027, 2/15/2027, 3/8/2027, 3/29/2027, 4/19/2027, 5/10/2027, 5/31/2027.

22201: Introduction to Earth Moving. This course provides a broad introduction to the process of planning and executing earth moving activities on various types of construction projects. The uses of heavy equipment such as bulldozers, scrapers, excavators, and loaders are explained.

22207: Excavation Math. This course covers formulas and methods used to compute cut and fill requirement on a job and illustrates techniques used to quickly estimate excavations. It also provides a brief overview of software used to compute excavation requirements.

22208: Grade Part II. This course presents proper practices for setting grades of benchmarks and describes methods for setting grades using various types of levels. The trainee is taught how to read and interpret construction plans to determine grading requirements and a review of grading operations.

22209: Civil Blueprint Reading. This course explains how to read site plans to obtain cut and fill information. It also identifies safety and legal issues, such as underground utilities and property lines that are of concern for heavy equipment operators.

22306: Advanced Operational Technique. – December 31, 2027 18 This course describes the elements of a safety program and the safety inspection process, focusing on the safety issues associated with trenching work. It includes coverage of equipment transporting and the procedures associated with working in or near water. The course describes machine cycles and their relationship to project cost and productivity.

22307: Finishing and Grading. This course describes the use of various types of heavy equipment to finish and trim grades and slopes of roads, pads, ditches, and other structures; and specifications used for grading, and procedures for checking the final grade.

22308: Soils. This course addresses problems associated with bridged areas and breakthroughs, as well as soil stabilization, presents the proper use of geotextile materials, reviews soil compaction requirements, and specific procedures for running moisture-density tests, and describes methods of fixing compaction problems.

LAB00021: Equipment Operation and Maintenance/Project Site Layout. Maintenance/Project Site Layout This lab is designed for trainees to put into action what they have learned in the classroom. Trainees will rotate between various pieces of equipment including the skid-steer, bulldozer, backhoe, excavator, and wheel loader. Trainees will perform tasks with each of these machines, enhancing their skills and better preparing them for employment as entry level equipment operators. Trainees will also perform the necessary preventive maintenance required by these machines to keep them functioning properly. Trainees will be introduced to more complex layouts with additional field time. Trainees will interpret simple civil drawings, figure areas and volumes, and then lay out the project using grade stakes. After laying out the project, trainees will calculate existing grade and then compute cuts and fills. Trainees will then use this information to estimate the amount of material needed for that project. Building on what they have learned, trainees will, in their 2nd week, lay out a class project and then build the project with the machines available. Trainees will also check grade for their machine to gauge the progress of the project.

Housing. Available but not required: $570 – double-occupancy.

Financial aid. Heavy Equipment Colleges of America does not participate in Title IV federal funding. HEC works with several sources of funding, including, but not limited to: Approved for VA Education; Vocational Rehabilitation; Federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Program; Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act; In-house financing; Bureau of Indian Affairs; Students may also pay cash; Other financing options for those who qualify. HEC does accept WIOA funds provided an agreement between the Agency and HEC can be reached.

The demand for knowledgeable and skilled heavy equipment operators is projected to continue to grow over the next ten years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the field of heavy equipment operation stands to grow as much as 4% from 2025 to 2035. When you complete your training, you will be able to join a growing field with a variety of job opportunities around the country.

Career services. The Institution's job placement service is available to assist graduates with finding employment. Students will undergo a job placement entrance interview/orientation with HEC. HEC will then begin contacting employers within the same geographical area as the students’ zip code, including those zip codes of out-of-state students, post job openings and assist the student in contacting prospective employers. Upon a student's successful completion of the program, the Institution will give each graduate a list of employers who have hired graduates or requested to be on the Institution's list. The Institution does not guarantee any of its graduates that they will become employed as a result of the training.

Outcomes (California School Performance Fact Sheet). On-time completion rate, calendar years 2023 / 2024: 98% / 99%. Job placement rate, 2023 / 2024: 79% / 77%.

Training material. Required books and supplies are provided to students. A training book containing the program curriculum is checked-out to students upon enrollment and students return the training book at program completion.

Training environment. Training may take place in a variety of academic environments including but not limited to lecture, hands-on, field, site, and lab. Field training is structured where students are organized in groups.