Career as an Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator: Know How to Become

Will you have to leave school after Class 8 for some reason? Will you have to earn money as soon as you can after you complete Class 8 in school? Are you physically strong and not afraid of working with heavy machines or equipment? Are you alright with hard physical labor to earn your bread? Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator gives an option to start earning money at a young age.

Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator is responsible for driving and controlling construction equipment such as bulldozers, backhoes, dump trucks, hydraulic truck cranes, excavators, etc. They will be responsible for handling construction equipment, paving and surface equipment, and pile-driver equipment.

Why become an Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator?

As an Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator, you will be responsible for driving and controlling construction equipment such as bulldozers, backhoes, dump trucks, hydraulic truck cranes, excavators, etc. You will be operating this heavy equipment for assisting constructors in constructing structures such as bridges, roads, buildings, etc. You will be involved in the process of digging holes and trenches on earth.

You must be wondering what is Excavator?

An Excavator is a heavy construction equipment that consists of a boom, dipper or a stick, and bucket which is used for creating trenches and digging holes. They are designed to handle various kinds of jobs. For example, Standard Excavators are used for moving bulky and heavy equipment. On the other hand, Midi Excavators are used at a workplace or a jobsite which is in a confined area and where the work requires something more powerful than a mini excavator. 

So, as an Excavator Operator you will be:

As an Excavator Operator, you will be responsible for handling construction equipment, paving and surface equipment, and pile-driver equipment. A paving and surface equipment operator operates machines for spreading concrete and asphalt at the time of construction of roadways. On the other hand, the pile-driver equipment operator is responsible for controlling equipment to hammer various types of piles such as heavy beams, woods, concrete, and steel into the ground.

Popular Specializations in this Career

1. Excavator Operator: As an Excavator Operator, you will be responsible for controlling and driving heavy machinery or the purpose of digging, boring, and trenching during construction, demolition, mining, forestry work, etc.
2. Crane Operator: As a Crane Operator, you will be responsible for operating a crane for the purpose of lifting, moving, positioning, and repositioning loads. You may also be responsible for moving, locating, relocating, and stacking demolished soil, trees, mines, etc. You might be operating crawler crane, tyre mounted crane, etc.
3. Crawler Excavator Operator: As a Crawler Excavator Operator, you will be required to operate crawler for the purpose of mining and performing other heavy-duty construction jobs. You will be using hydraulic power mechanism for lifting heavy debris and soil.
4. Suction Excavator Operator: As a Suction Excavator Operator, you will be responsible for digging and boring underground soil. You will also be responsible for debris clean-up as it is a vehicle which is having high-pressure vacuum and water jets.

What does an Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator do? 

As an Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator, you will be engaged with one or more of the following roles and responsibilities:

• You will be required to maintain pre-operational checks which include checking of undercarriage & tracks for any cracks, checking the level of oil in engines, etc.
• You will be required to check whether transmission, radiant coolant, and brake, etc. are functioning properly as per the instructions provided by the vehicle manufacturer before operating the vehicle.
• You will be required to plan and organize the task of drilling, loading, and unloading, etc. as per the instructions provided by the supervisor. 
• You will be required to inspect worksites which include identifying hidden trench, checking loose soil, and checking marshy patches where excavator could get stuck. 
• You will be required to load and unload various equipment and other stuff from vehicles and trailers. 
• You will be required to select and use the right type of brake, and ensure that the walkways rules have been followed. 
• You will be required to identify various routine maintenance and troubleshooting tasks of an excavator and inform the same to the supervisor. 
• You will be operating heavy equipment or excavator in compliance with the safety policies and procedures provided by the company.

How to become an Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator – Eligibility Criteria 

After completing Class 8 in school, you may:

• Obtain training in driving from any private or government training center and then avail aLDRXCV Driving License, or
• Obtain NSQF Level 3 Qualification in Junior Excavator Operator or Junior Crane Operator and then avail aLDRXCV Driving License, 
• Obtain NSQF Level 4 Qualification in Excavator Operator or Tyre Mounted Crane Operator or Hydra Crane Operator or Crawler Crane Operator and then avail aLDRXCV Driving License. 

Alternatively, if you haven’t completed class 8 in school, then also after obtaining a minimum of 2 years of experience in the desired field, you may obtain NSQF Level 4 Qualification in Excavator Operator or Tyre Mounted Crane Operator or Hydra Crane Operator or Crawler Crane Operator. 

Before applying for a driving license, you need to be 18 years of age (minimum of 20 years in some states). You must have to apply for an LDRXCV (Loader, Excavator, Hydraulic Equipment) — for Commercial application of all hydraulic heavy equipment, License either online or offline with a Regional Transport Officer at the Public Vehicle Department office of any State.

Educational Fees

The cost of training to become an Excavator Operator or Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator in India can vary depending on the training provider, location, and duration of the program.

Some vocational training institutes offer short-term courses that can range from a few weeks to a few months, while others provide more extensive programs that may last up to a year. The cost of these courses can range from INR 10,000 to INR 50,000 or more.

Additionally, some construction and mining companies offer on-the-job training for new hires or may provide training for their existing employees. In these cases, the training cost may be covered by the employer.

It’s always a good idea to research and compare different training providers to find the best program that fits your budget and career goals.

Job Opportunities 

After obtaining training in driving, you may get job opportunities such as:

• Excavator Operator
• Cranes Operator
• Tyre Mounted Crane Operator
• Hydra Crane Operator 
• Crawler Crane Operator

You will mainly find work in industries like:

• Real Estate Industry 
• Construction Industry
• Engineering and Cement Manufacturing Industry
• Power and Infrastructure Industry

Salary of an Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator

Salaries vary according to job profiles and the kind of facilities you get to work at.

In the entry-level jobs, you may earn anything between Rs.10,000 – 15,000 per month.

Salaries increase with your work experience and as you get promoted.

In junior-level roles, you can expect to earn about Rs. 12,000 – Rs. 20, 000 per month.

In the mid-level jobs, with 6-12 years of work experience, you can expect to earn about Rs.18, 000 – Rs. 25,000 per month.

In the senior-level jobs, with 12-15 years of work experience, you can expect to earn about Rs. 25, 000 – Rs. 50,000 or even more per month.

Career progression in this profession 

In this career, there is no growth as such except that your earning may grow over a period of time.

What does industry trends say – Future Prospects

The future for this career pathway looks fair. The appetite for infrastructure and the real estate sector in India has boomed in the last few years and this has attracted National and International players alike. By 2030, the market size will be USD 1 trillion. By 2025, Real estate is expected to contribute 13% of Indian GDP. By 2019, the real estate in India will be 3.7 billion square feet while adding 200 million square feet each year. The emergence of nuclear families, urbanization and rising incomes are primary factors for the growth in this sector. 70% of the real estate will be contributed by urban areas.

The Government of India has also taken several initiatives for encouraging the development in this sector, along with the governments of other states. A Smart City Plan Project under this initiative (in which there is a plan to build 100 smart cities), is on the major focus and prime opportunity for Real Estate Companies. Interestingly Urban population is still 30% of the total population so more it increases more increase will be seen in real estate.

No doubt such numbers indicate a strong prospect for Excavator Operator/Heavy Earth Moving Vehicle Operator Career. As Real Estate Developers for meeting the above-mentioned growing needs and for managing different projects across cities will require someone to draft a layout or sketch the layout of the buildings. But we can’t ignore the current slump situation of the real estate sector. There is a server crisis in this sector currently. So, we can say that in the short term and maybe in the medium term the growth prospectus could be slow, but for the very long term, it could be good as per the above-mentioned data statistics.

Also Read:

• Career as a Contractor
• How to Become a Construction Laboratory Technician?
• BSc Computer Science: The Ultimate #1 Guide with All You Need to Know
• Career as a Automobile Engineering
• CSIR NET: Exam, Eligibility Criteria, Exam Pattern, Syllabus and More
• Best Polytechnic Colleges in India
• Top 5 Hacks for a Better Career