Real World Training for a Hands-On Career.
Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program in South Plainfield
Want to build your future in the construction and infrastructure industries? The Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program at Lincoln Tech in South Plainfield, NJ, trains you to operate the powerful machinery used to move earth and build America’s roads, bridges, and buildings. During the program students will operate a variety of mobile off-road equipment in a simulated environment to perform exercises on excavator and wheel loader equipment.
Move your career forward with the Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program at our South Plainfield, New Jersey campus today.
Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program Delivery
Day, Afternoon, and Evening programs are available. Hands-on instruction is delivered on campus utilizing simulations.
Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program Length
- Total Semester Credit Hours: 10.0
- Instructional Hours: 240
- Completion Time: Approximately 8 weeks
Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program Classes and Curriculum
Developed in collaboration with industry professionals, the Lincoln Tech academic approach ensures that our programs align with current employer requirements and technological advancements. Our program on heavy equipment operation also helps you to develop an understanding of grading, interpreting civil drawing, earthmoving, and construction safety standards. And you gain invaluable skills in professionalism, customer service, and career success.
Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program Learning Objectives
- Learn basic operational technique
- Be introduced to earthmoving, grades and interpreting civil drawings.
- Become familiar with below-grad construction, paving, cranes and forklifts.
- Understand safety and identification of heavy equipment.
- Complete the NCCER CORE Curriculum and prepare for recognized credentialing.
Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program Career Outcomes
With above national demand for heavy equipment operators in NJ1, as a graduate of the Heavy Equipment Operation Certificate Program in South Plainfield, you may find entry-level employment opportunities with:
- Highway and infrastructure construction firms
- Residential and commercial construction companies
- Excavation and site development contractors
- Public works department and municipal agencies
- Heavy equipment rental and maintenance services
- Transport refrigeration companies
- Marine and mass transit businesses
Heavy Equipment Operation — South Plainfield
HETX100EO — Certificate Program
CIP Code: 49.0202
SOC Code: 47-2073
Day, Afternoon, Evening Programs
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 10.0 |
|---|---|
| Instructional Hours | 240 |
| Weeks to Complete — Day | Approximately 8 weeks (including holidays and scheduled breaks) |
| Weeks to Complete — Afternoon | Approximately 8 weeks (including holidays and scheduled breaks) |
| Weeks to Complete — Evening | Approximately 8 weeks (including holidays and scheduled breaks) |
Program Objective
This program provides students with the skills necessary for heavy equipment operation. In this program students will learn the following: core craft skills, orientation to the trade, heavy equipment safety, identification of heavy equipment, basic operational techniques, utility tractors, introduction to earthmoving, and interpreting civil drawings. During the program students will operate a variety of mobile off-road equipment in a simulated environment to perform exercises on excavator and wheel loader equipment. Simulator exercises include basic controls, loading, and unloading, excavating, and trenching.
Admission Requirements
- Be beyond the age of compulsory school attendance,
- Be a high school graduate or possess a GED,
- Complete and sign a Letter of Agreement,
- Possess a valid driver’s license
Core Courses
| Lecture Hours | 80 |
|---|---|
| Lab / Shop Hours | 40 |
| Total Hours | 120 |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
| Prerequisites |
None |
Course Description
This course serves as the introductory level of training for the Heavy Equipment Operator. Students will be introduced to the trade and learn safety and identification of heavy equipment. Students will also complete the NCCER CORE curriculum which also carries a recognized credential in the construction trades. Topic areas in the NCCER CORE Curriculum include: materials handling, construction mathematics, introduction to construction drawing, rigging, hand and power tools, and orientation to the construction trade.
| Lecture Hours | 60 |
|---|---|
| Lab / Shop Hours | 60 |
| Total Hours | 120 |
| Total Credits | 5.0 |
| Prerequisites |
HET130 |
Course Description
This course serves as the introductory level of training for the Heavy Equipment Operator. Students will be introduced to the trade and learn safety and identification of heavy equipment. Students will also complete the NCCER CORE curriculum which also carries a recognized credential in the construction trades. Topic areas in the NCCER CORE Curriculum include: materials handling, construction mathematics, introduction to construction drawing, rigging, hand and power tools, and orientation to the construction trade.
Notes:
Mode of Delivery: Residential is the method we will use to deliver content in each course. The Residential courses are offered on ground at the campus.
Course numbers and sequences are listed here for reference only. The actual delivery sequence of courses contained in this program may vary depending on individual campus scheduling.
The program is split into two 120-hours training courses (introduction and operation) that combine lecture and lab methodologies.
This program is out of the commission’s scope of accreditation and is not approved by ACCSC.
1 National Center for O*NET Development. New Jersey Employment Trends: 47-2073.00 - Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators. O*NET OnLine. Retrieved June 13, 2025, from https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/47-2073.00?st=NJ.
The listing of credits is not meant to imply that credits can be transferred into college or other private career school programs. Transfer credits are at the sole discretion of the receiving school.
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