Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics

HOW TO GET THERE

Typical pathway

A typical path is to finish secondary school, with courses in math, science, and shop or mechanical studies helping prepare you for the work. Many students then look for an apprenticeship or on-the-job training with a heavy-equipment, farm, construction, logging, or mining equipment employer. Early experience often includes helping to inspect, test, clean, lubricate, and repair machines under supervision, while learning to use hand tools, power tools, diagrams, and computerized testing equipment. Some people later specialize in certain machines or systems, such as hydraulics, electronics, transmissions, or engines, depending on the employer and role.

THE WORK

What you may do

Legacy duties

• Check bulldozers, cranes, graders and other heavy construction, agricultural, logging and mining equipment for proper performance and inspect equipment to detect faults and malfunctions
• Diagnose faults or malfunctions using computerized and other testing equipment to determine extent of repair required
• Adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components or systems, using hand and power tools
• Test repaired equipment for proper performance and to ensure that work meets manufacturers' specifications
• Clean, lubricate and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment
• Service attachments and working tools such as harvesting and tillage equipment, blades, ploughs, winches and side booms
• May perform repair work on heavy trucks
• May attach components and adjust new farm equipment.
• Heavy-duty and farm equipment mechanics may specialize in specific types of machinery such as combines or tracked vehicles, or in engine overhaul, power shift transmissions, fuel injection, hydraulics or electronics.

SKILLS TO BUILD

Skills used in this Career