Operating Engineers

Operating engineers operate and repair all types of heavy equipment, including bulldozers, motor graders, scrapers, front-end loaders, compressors and shovels. These men and women work behind the scenes to help shape the skylines we see in our communities today.

Compensation Information

Per Hour Wage

$41.24

Benefits don’t come out of your check.

Jobs are

515.86%

Higher than Minimum Wage!

Per Hour Total

$69.40

Featuring premium health insurance.

Work Conditions

Outdoor, varying weather

Skills Needed

Strong math, mechanical ability, hand/eye/foot coordination, comfortable with heights

Application Requirements

  • At least 18 years old

  • High School Diploma or Equivalent

  • Arithmetic Requirements: ACT 14 or Accuplacer 222

  • Reading Requirements: ACT 15 or Accuplacer 226

Education and Training

  • 4-year apprentice program

  • 6,000 hours of on-the-job training

  • 400 hours of required training at the Wisconsin Operating Engineers Training Site in Coloma, WI

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.

Are you ready to see what a career as an Operating Engineer has to offer?