Education · 1 of 4

The path

An apprenticeship, not a degree. Most operators start on the ground as a rigger or an oiler.

1. 1

   High school diploma or GED (General Educational Development certificate)

   Grade 12

   Math you can do in your head matters here: load charts, angles, percentages. You must be 18 to operate.

2. 2

   Get on a site

   Months to a year

   Many operators start as a laborer, rigger or oiler, which is the person who greases and helps run the crane. This is where you learn what a crane actually does.

3. 3

   Apprenticeship

   3 to 4 years

   Apply to a registered program, usually through an International Union of Operating Engineers local or a contractor association. Paid work plus classroom and simulator time.

4. 4

   Certification

   Weeks

   Pass a written exam and a practical exam for the crane type you want, given by an accredited testing organization such as the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators.

5. 5

   Employer evaluation, then your own crane

   Days to weeks

   Federal construction rules require your employer to evaluate you on the specific machine before you run it alone.