Women Selecting Heavy Equipment As Career Option

One of the benefits of selecting heavy equipment operations as a career is that age is not a factor. It seems that gender isn’t either.

As children start college, or indeed head off to start a career of their own, their moms find themselves stuck at home with little to do. One of the options that many select is to get back into the workforce and with age and gender no longer barriers, heavy equipment is becoming one of those career options. And why not?

If you think about it, modern heavy equipment has become so much easier to operate. Equipment in use twenty or thirty years ago were heavy and cumbersome. The steering on some units required superior strength to control. These days, power steering is the norm with electronics and hydraulics working together. Controls are almost too light.

Some of our older operators complain that controls now are too light, they can no longer ‘feel’ the earth through the controls. New operators that haven’t experienced the older heavy equipment don’t seem to have that problem.

The biggest hurdle for women entering the heavy equipment operations work force are the employers. However, they are now coming to the party and employing people of either gender, based on their merits. Women have been behind the wheels of trucks and tractors for decades so the progression to the heavy equipment is only natural. In fact, there have been women bulldozer and loader operators around for many years.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools has an open policy. We don’t discriminate and treat all individuals on an equal basis. If you’re a mom looking at career options and you love the great outdoors – consider a career as heavy equipment operator.