Heavy Equipment Operations

Daniel Helveston, Department Chair
Email address: helvesdr@alfredstate.edu

This program will provide you with the hands-on skills and expert training required by heavy equipment operators for the light construction and heavy highway industries. Instruction is provided in heavy equipment operations theory, as well as grades, soils, blueprint reading, safety, and supervision.

You will spend approximately 25 percent of your lab time operating real, industry-standard equipment; the balance of the lab time is spent on equipment inspection, maintenance, grades, lot layout, operation support, and estimating.

Advantages

Programs leading to an AOS degree are hands-on and do not include liberal arts and sciences courses. Offered at the School of Applied Technology campus in Wellsville, heavy equipment operations is geared toward a person who would like to enter the heavy equipment operation industry following graduation.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

• Select the correct piece of equipment and demonstrate the proper use for an earth moving or excavation project.
• Select and use the necessary PPE for a given construction project.
• Demonstrate the proper set-up and use of various types of survey equipment.
• Read and interpret blueprints.
• Accurately estimate materials for a project.
• Demonstrate essential problem-solving and supervisory skills.
• Perform common mathematical calculations.
• Demonstrate how to excavate to meet construction and OSHA standards, based on the soil type.
• Safely operate various equipment utilized in the construction industry.
• Perform computer-based research and communication.

Direct Entry Into Baccalaureate Degree Program

Occupational Opportunities

• Town, village, or county department of public works
• NYS Department of Transportation
• Highway and heavy construction companies
• Mining companies
• Logging companies
• Energy industry
• Self-employment
• Equipment operator
• Construction foreman
• Construction superintendent

Employment Statistics

Related Programs

It is crucial that all student applicants in this degree program must be able to meet the following requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation. Students who are enrolled in this degree program should have the physical capabilities to be able to engage in all training, field, and laboratory environments in a safe and ethical manner. Students must be able to:

• Lift and carry up to or 50 pounds of building materials/equipment without accommodations.
• Perform and function in a safe manner in all laboratory and classroom environments and off campus job site locations.
• Effectively communicate with classmates and instructional staff using appropriate visual and/or auditory communication from a distance of 20 feet.
• Physically setup, move, or climb ladders, scaffolding, etc., unaided, using the designated safety method.
• Identify and react to safety alarms which include, but not limited to, fire alarms, back up alarms and those meant for emergencies.

Office of Accessibility Services

Students who believe they need a reasonable accommodation to properly participate in this program may contact Melanie Ryan in the Office of Accessibility Services. This office may be contacted by email at oas@alfredstate.edu  or by phone at 607-587-4506. Please keep in mind that some accommodations may take time to implement, so students seeking accommodations are encouraged to contact OAS as early as possible.

Heavy Equipment Operations - AOS Degree