Scope of Work - Operating Engineers operate and maintain heavy and portable construction equipment.  Work includes operation and maintenance of construction equipment such as bulldozers, graders and cranes, scrapers, endloaders, and asphalt plants, rollers and pumps,  etc., on all types of projects - highway, commercial, industrial, residential, underground, etc.   The Operating Engineer is generally employed in the building of highways, airports, buildings, waterways, stadiums and sewers.

Working Conditions - Operators work outdoors and their work is often seasonal.  The equipment they operate can have open cabs such as pavers and roller compactors or crane and truck cabs that may have heating and air conditioning.

Apprenticeship Requirements

Length of Program - 6,000 hour apprenticeship (approximately 3 years), with 200 hours training per year (usually during off-season). 

Requirements - Should be proficient with minimum of three different types of construction equipment at end of apprenticeship.  Reading skills important for maintenance manuals and training materials; math skills important for interpreting grade stakes and load charts, etc.  Also need good mechanical skills and good hand/eye coordination.

To apply contact the apprenticeship school to learn when applications are accepted.  Applicants selected based on aptitude test and interview scores.  Must complete 2-week pre-apprenticeship program for safety, preventative maintenance, and a general overview.

Courses Required - Construction and Shop Equipment Orientation, Fuels/Oils/ Lubricants/ Coolants, Tires/Tracks/Undercarriages, Introduction to Hydraulics/ Engines/Power Trains, Brakes and Steering, Introduction to Oxygen/Acetylene, Introduction to Welding/Welding Applications, Grade Stakes and Their Use In Construction, Crane Types and Applications, Soils and Materials, Safety and Emergency First Aid and Apprentice Block Training.

Operating Engineers Local 324 Journeyman & Apprentice Training Fund, Inc.
275 East Highland Road
Howell, MI  48843
dangstrom@iuoe324.org
www.iuoe324.org
(517) 546-9610
FAX (517) 546-9793      Gregg A. Newsom , Training Director

Territories Covered:  All Counties in the State of Michigan.