Also known as
- Construction Equipment Mechanic
- Diesel Mechanic – Heavy Equipment
- Equipment Maintenance Worker
- Equipment Repair Worker
- Equipment Service Worker
- Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic Apprentice
- Heavy-Duty Equipment Technician
- Heavy-Duty Mechanic
- Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Your duties | Work conditions | Essential Skills | Apprenticeship | Certification | Where to study | Salary ranges | Building your career | Job prospects
Can you lead teams of people? Are you a good listener who can give clear instructions and manage conflict? Are you strong and physically fit? Do you like precise work? Do you hold a construction trade ticket or have college or technical training in construction? If your answer to these questions is yes, then you could become a Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic.
What the work is like
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics repair, troubleshoot, adjust, overhaul and maintain mobile heavy-duty construction equipment. Some mechanics in this occupation specialize in hydraulic-operated transmissions and attachments, drive trains, tracked vehicle suspensions and steering.
They are employed by heavy equipment dealers, service companies and companies that own and operate heavy equipment.
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics work in all four construction sectors: New Home Building and Renovation, Heavy Industrial, Institutional and Commercial, and Civil Engineering. To learn more about the construction sectors, check out Inside the industry.
Your duties
As a Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic, your duties may include the following:
- inspecting bulldozers, cranes, graders and other heavy construction equipment for proper performance, and inspect equipment to detect faults and malfunctions
- diagnosing faults or malfunctions using computerized and other testing equipment to determine the extent of repair required
- adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components or systems using hand and power tools
- testing 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 blades, ploughs, winches and side booms
- may perform repair work on heavy trucks
Work conditions
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics normally work on construction sites or in construction company maintenance facilities. They usually work full time, but hours can be flexible and they vary with the industry and the season. In addition, work may involve shifts, weekends and overtime.
Most of the time, heavy-duty equipment mechanics work on site. The work is physically demanding and involves heavy lifting. They often work with grease, oil, dirt and diesel fuel, and are exposed to fumes and noise.
Most employers expect mechanics to have their own tools.
As with all careers in the construction industry, safety is the top priority. Heavy-duty equipment mechanics are trained to work safely and take special precautions to protect themselves from injury.
Essential Skills
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has identified nine Essential Skills that are necessary to succeed in the workplace. These skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and apply to most construction careers. Best of all, you can learn and improve on these skills in school, on the job and during your everyday life.
The most important Essential Skills for heavy-duty equipment mechanics are the following:
- Document Use
- Numeracy
- Oral Communication
- Significant Use of Memory
- Thinking Skills
- Working with Others
;
Click here to see how these skills are applied on the job. You can also click here to learn more about Essential Skills.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is one way of starting out in the construction industry. It involves both classroom studies and on-the-job training under the supervision of a certified Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic, called a journeyperson.
As an apprentice, you earn while you learn and are paid by the hour while working on the job site. Wages start at about 60% of a journeyperson’s hourly rate and increase during your apprenticeship until you reach the full rate.
Entering an apprenticeship program
Requirements for heavy-duty equipment mechanic apprenticeship programs vary across Canada. In most provinces and territories, you must have a Grade 12 education or equivalent to enter a heavy-duty equipment mechanic apprenticeship program.
Some provinces and territories offer secondary school apprenticeship programs that allow high school students to work towards a career as a Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic.
Check out the Apprenticeship section to learn more.
Program length
Apprenticeship training programs for heavy-duty equipment mechanics vary across Canada, but generally last four years and include at least 9,000 hours of on-the-job training, as well as technical training and a final certificate exam.
Related work experience or completion of a heavy-duty equipment mechanic program at a college or technical institute can reduce the time required to complete your apprenticeship.
Certification
Certification is required in Alberta and Quebec, and is available but voluntary in all other provinces and territories. Even where certification is voluntary, it is still recommended. Certification tells employers and other workers that you are a skilled professional. It also helps you get jobs.
To be certified as a Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic, you usually need to complete a three- to five-year apprenticeship program. Once you successfully complete the required on-the-job training, technical training and exams, you are awarded a journeyperson certificate.
You may be eligible for certification in some provinces and territories if you have more than four years of on-the-job experience and some high school, college or industry courses for heavy-duty equipment mechanics.
As a certified Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic you may attempt the Interprovincial Exam to qualify for the Interprovincial Standards’ Red Seal. With a Red Seal, you can work as a Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic anywhere in Canada.
To keep your skills current, you have to keep up with new technological developments by reading and talking with other heavy-duty equipment mechanics.
Where to study in Canada
In addition to the Canadian schools listed below, many employer and labour organizations offer training. For more information, check out Related links.
Specialty programs
In addition to the schools listed above, Aboriginal Canadians, new Canadians and women can enrol in one of several specialty programs.
For Aboriginal Canadians, Northern College offers a Native Residential Construction Worker Apprenticeship Program and Red River College offers an introductory program called ACCESS.
For new Canadians with experience as heavy-duty equipment mechanics, NorQuest College offers a program called Transitions to Technical and Trades Careers.
For women, Red River College offers a program called Pre-technology for Women.
Salary ranges
Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanic hourly wages vary depending on the contract, the company, collective agreements, and local and national economic conditions. Typical hourly wage ranges for heavy-duty equipment mechanics (based on national or regional averages) are as follows:
Junior apprentices
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$14-$17 |
Based on national averages, junior apprentices can earn annual salaries ranging from $29,000 to $35,000 per year, not including overtime.
Journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$18-$25 |
Based on national averages, journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $37,000 to $52,000 per year, not including overtime.
Highly experienced journeypersons
| Region | Typical hourly rate |
|
National average |
$23-$32 |
Based on national averages, highly experienced journeypersons can earn annual salaries ranging from $48,000 to $67,000 per year, not including overtime.
Construction work can involve overtime, so your total annual salary will vary depending on the number of overtime hours you work.
In addition to the hourly rate, many construction workers receive statutory holiday and vacation pay. Depending on the contract, you may also receive benefits such as group insurance for health, dental, and vision care, as well as retirement packages and training benefits up to 30% of your hourly rate. If you are self-employed, it is up to you to arrange your own benefits.
Building your career
With experience and additional training, you can move into more senior positions such as supervisor or service manager.
As with most careers in the construction industry, your skills are portable. If you want to move, you can take your skills with you.
Job prospects
Construction careers across Canada are booming! To learn about the forecast for heavy-duty equipment mechanics, check out Job prospects. There you’ll find information on their expected demand by province for the next nine years.
The Construction Sector Council accepts no responsibility or liability connected with the use or reproduction of the information contained on this website. It is provided “as is” and is intended for informational use only without warranty, express or implied.
