The #1 High School and University Resource for Nova Scotia Students
Heavy Duty Equipment Technician

A heavy duty equipment technician is a tradesperson who possesses the full range of knowledge, abilities and skills required to diagnose, repair, adjust, overhaul, maintain, operate and test mobile heavy duty off-road equipment.

Heavy duty equipment technicians are employed by companies that own and operate heavy equipment, heavy equipment dealerships, rental and service companies, construction contractors, forestry companies, mining companies and government departments that service and repair their own equipment. Technicians can work in the following industries: construction, forestry, mining, marine, oil and gas, material handling, landscaping and land clearing. Many heavy duty equipment technicians have experience on a wide variety of equipment types and manufacturers.

Although it is recognized that heavy duty equipment technicians work with different prime movers such as electrical, the focus of this analysis is based on the internal combustion engine as the prime mover.

Heavy duty equipment technicians work in the full range of environmental conditions: from comfortable shops to remote sites where inclement weather can affect the technician's performance of his/her duties. Good physical condition and agility are important because the work often requires considerable standing, bending, crawling, lifting, climbing, pulling and reaching.

Due to the size and complexity of the equipment, safety is of prime importance. Technicians must be conscious of the impact on people, equipment, work area and environment when performing their work. There is some risk of injury when working with heavy equipment.

Though not described in this analysis as knowledge or abilities, some important attributes of the heavy duty equipment technician are: mechanical and mathematical aptitude, an ability to communicate effectively, to work with little or no supervision, to work as a team player and to plan and work sequentially. This analysis recognizes similarities or overlaps in the work of other tradespersons, such as automotive service technicians, agricultural equipment technicians, truck and transport mechanics and truck trailer repairers.

Experienced heavy duty equipment technicians may advance to shop supervisor or service manager positions. With additional training they can transfer their skills and knowledge to positions in sales, purchasing, planning or preventative maintenance or related occupations such as truck and transport mechanic, agricultural equipment technician, truck trailer repairer, aircraft maintenance engineer, industrial mechanic (millwright) or automotive service technician.

Recently Added Resources
  • Grant for Students from Middle Income Families

    Under this grant, students from middle-income families who qualify for a federal student loan and meet the specific grant eligibility requirements will receive $100 per month of study. This grant is available for all years of a university undergraduate, college or trade school program. Delivered by: Human Resources and Skills... More >

  • Volunteer Centres in Saskatchewan

    Volunteer Saskatoon 100-506 25th St East Saskatoon SK S7K 4A7 Tel: 306-975-3477 Fax: 306 244 0583 volunteersaskatoon@unitedwaysaskatoon.ca More >

  • Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program

    The Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) Program - Doctoral Scholarships provides scholarships to doctoral students who have achieved academic excellence in their undergraduate and graduate studies in the field of social sciences and humanities. Delivered by: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Candidates must meet the... More >

  • Automotive Painter

    Automotive painters work on the surfaces of motor vehicles, primarily in restoring vehicles to their original condition following damage and subsequent auto body repair. Generally, automotive painting begins when body work has been completed. Some of the duties that an automotive painter completes include: removing exterior trim and hardware; removing... More >

  • House of Commons Page Program for High School Students

    Each year, 40 students are selected from high schools and CEGEPs across Canada to come to Ottawa and work as Pages in the House of Commons. Pages have the opportunity to learn about the House of Commons while witnessing the legislative process first hand. Those hired as Pages work on... More >

  • Veterinary Colleges in Canada

    The Atlantic Veterinary College University of Prince Edward Island 550 University Avenue Charlottetown, PEI, Canada C1A 4P3 Université de Montréal 3200, rue Sicotte Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada J2S 7C6 The Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 The Western College of Veterinary Medicine University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon,... More >

  • Canada Student Loans and Grants

    The Canada Student Loans Program and the Canada Student Grants Program help by providing student financial assistance in the form of loans and grants to Canadians attending post-secondary education in most provinces and territories. The federal governmentâ??s student loans and grants make it easier for Canadian students and families to... More >

  • Ironworker (Reinforcing)

    Ironworkers (reinforcing) cut, bend, lay out, place and weld reinforcing steel rods, welded wire fabric and composite materials in a wide variety of poured concrete products and structures such as buildings, highways, bridges, stadiums and towers. They also place and stress various post-tensioning systems in structures such as parking garages,... More >