Water Truck Driver

So you want to operate machinery? Can you:

• Use hand eye coordination
• Use your mechanical aptitude to maintain plant and troubleshoot
• Concentrate on the task for safety and performance  
• Work logically to get the most out of the machinery

What do plant operators do?

Lots of things, other than driving the plant, they must maintain the machinery as they are very expensive and require daily maintenance for longevity. There are lots of machines that are used in the construction industry and plant operators can be trained in just one piece or more commonly multiple pieces of plant. A plant operator would usually start out on site as a labourer or spotter for other operators. Then move on to small plant such as rollers, skid steer loaders and small excavators before gaining enough experience to drive more complex plant such as graders or large excavators.

Employers who own plant usually want workers to gain lots of site experience before allowing them to train for plant operation. This is because it is not just about know how to use the controls and operate the plant, more importantly, it’s about knowing what to do with it.

What plant is used on construction sites?  

• Various cranes 
• Skid steer loaders (bobcat)  
• Excavators
• Scrapers
• Backhoes
• Rollers
• Elevated work platforms

How do I become a plant operator?

Firstly you need to find an employer that uses plant. This may be in the domestic housing, commercial building or civil construction sectors. You will probably be starting off as a labourer but you should let your employer know that it’s your intention to one day operate plant. Next you will need some formal training from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) There are many RTO’s delivering training in plant operation, an internet search will be the best place to find one in your location. Once you have received formal training, you can start operating plant and logging training hours in your logbook. During this period, you are known as a trainee and after sufficient hours logged, you can once again attend the RTO for final assessment. You may be able to find work as a trainee plant operator without previous site experience but more you are more likely to gain employment operating plant after several years of site experience. These machines are valuable and employers need to know the person operating the plant is capable in all aspects of construction on site, not just how to use the controls of a piece of plant.