Operating Engineers
Operating engineers operate and repair all types of heavy equipment, including cranes, bulldozers, front-end loaders, rollers, backhoes, graders, dredges, hoists, drills, pumps and compressors. These tradespeople work in industries such as highway and building construction, mining, tunnels, landscaping, power plants, refineries, railroads, quarries, plants that produce rock, sand and gravel, logging, and utility work like gas, water and sewer excavation.
Compensation Information
Work Conditions
Outdoor, varying weather
Skills Needed
Strong math, mechanical ability, hand/eye/foot coordination, comfortable with heights
Application Requirements
Education and Training
How to Apply
After completing the application process and successfully completing the written jobs skills test, applicants will receive a Letter of Introduction and a list of affiliated union contractors. It is then the applicant’s responsibility to secure a contractor willing to take them on as an operating engineer apprentice. Letters of Eligibility are only distributed in March each year.
