Heavy equipment operators
Career Overview
Heavy equipment operators run heavy equipment used in the building and maintenance of:
- Roads
- Bridges
- Airports
- Gas and oil pipelines
- Tunnels
- Buildings and other structures
As well, they operate heavy equipment used in surface mining and quarrying activities and in material handling work.
People in this career work for heavy equipment contractors, public works departments, as well as construction, pipeline, logging, cargo-handling and other companies.
Job Titles
Duties
Heavy equipment operators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Operate heavy equipment such as backhoes, bulldozers, loaders and graders to excavate, move, load and grade earth, rock, gravel or other materials during construction and related activities
- Run bulldozers or other heavy equipment to clear brush and stumps prior to logging activities and to build roads at logging and surface mining sites
- Operate heavy equipment with pile driver head to drive piling into earth to provide support for buildings, bridges or other structures
- Run heavy dredging equipment to deepen waterways or reclaim earth fill
- Operate heavy paving and surfacing equipment to lay, spread or compact concrete, asphalt and other surface materials during highway and road construction
- Run power shovels to excavate rock, ore or other materials from open-pit mines, strip mines, quarries or construction pits
- Run heavy equipment to move, load and unload cargo
- Do pre-operational checks on equipment and clean, lubricate and refill equipment
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
12,095% Employed Full Time
52%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work is done using various types of heavy equipment
- Working with machinery can be a source of injury
- Work often takes place in hazardous locations such as construction sites and underground sites
- Workers may be exposed to dust, noise and vibration
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Some secondary school education is required
- Completion of a one- to two-year apprenticeship program or some high school, college or industry courses in heavy equipment operating combined with on-the-job training are required
- Trade certification is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut
- Internal company certification may be required by some employers
Trades training resources
Visit our trades training page at www.workbc.ca/trades to learn about apprenticeship and trades training in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Driver/Heavy Equipment Operator Training
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
12,095Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 950 | 7.9% |
| Kootenay | 1,485 | 12.3% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 3,935 | 32.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 775 | 6.4% |
| Northeast | 665 | 5.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 2,415 | 20.0% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,870 | 15.5% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
5,140Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 370 | 0.5% |
| Kootenay | 780 | 0.4% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,750 | 1.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 430 | 1.3% |
| Northeast | 230 | 0.4% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 1,010 | 0.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 570 | 0.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 2,620 |
| Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1,240 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 450 |
| Manufacturing | 160 |
| Business, Building and Other Support Services | 140 |
Resources
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B.C. Road Builders & Heavy Construction Associationwww.roadbuilders.bc.ca
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BC Building Tradeswww.bcbuildingtrades.org
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British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA)www.bccassn.com
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Careers in Constructionwww.careersinconstruction.ca
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Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) of British Columbiawww.icba.bc.ca
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IUOE Local 115 (Operating Engineers)www.iuoe115.ca
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Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC)www.mining.bc.ca
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Piledrivers, Divers, Bridge, Dock and Wharf Builders Union Local 2404www.piledrivers2404.ca
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Skilled Trades Employment Program (STEP)www.stepbc.ca
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a heavy equipment operator is like.
Watch the video below to see what a day in the life of a heavy equipment operator is like.
