About the trade

A Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator) operates an excavator, its attachments and ground engaging equipment in various types of projects across multiple industries, such as road construction and maintenance, mining, quarrying, land clearing, forestry, logging, as well as gas and oil. They inspect, maintain, transport and operate this equipment and its attachments. Specifically, a Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator):

  • performs pre-operational inspections, safety and operational checks, preventative maintenance
  • monitors equipment performance
  • loads and unloads, transports, cleans, oils and refills equipment
  • reads and interprets government legislation, site plans and manufacturers’ manuals (for example, survey indicators)
  • installs, operates and removes attachments (for example, quick attach, buckets, rakes, levels, tillers, cutters, blades, grapples, pushers, vibrators and breakers)
  • performs operations, such as excavating, grading, ramp building, stockpiling, backfilling and towing, ensuring maximum productivity
  • checks grades, performs cut and fill operations, backfills trenches and excavations, creates slopes, creates mass excavations, clears land, strips surface materials, stockpiles and places materials, lifts materials, performs logging and surface mining operations, performs demolitions, bales snow
  • communicates through various techniques including hand signals

In Ontario this trade is voluntary, which means completion of an apprenticeship program is optional and certification is not legally required to practice the trade.

Apprenticeship program

The Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator) (636B) apprenticeship program consists of on-the-job and in-school training. The program typically takes five years to complete and consists of:

  • 2,260 hours of on-the-job training/work experience
  • 240 hours of in-school training

A minimum of Grade 12 high school education or its equivalent is required to qualify for the Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator) apprenticeship program. 

On-the-job training

A Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator) apprenticeship involves practical training provided on-the-job by a skilled worker or trainer. The skills or competencies to be developed through this training include:

  • wearing, maintaining and adjusting personal protective equipment
  • demonstrating appropriate workplace actions
  • mounting and dismounting equipment
  • demonstrating safe operating practices
  • demonstrating appropriate worksite communications skills

See all skills and competencies in the Schedule of Training (PDF) and Competency Analysis Profile (CAP Chart) (PDF).

In-school training

A Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator) apprenticeship includes one level of theoretical training delivered in a classroom, which includes subjects such as:

  • safety
  • pre-operation inspection
  • general preventive maintenance
  • operating excavator
  • transporting equipment

See all in-school training subjects in the Schedule of Training (PDF) and Competency Analysis Profile (CAP Chart) (PDF).

Red Seal Program

The Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program is the nationally recognized standard for skilled trades workers in Canada. In Ontario, this trade is part of the Red Seal Program under the title Heavy Equipment Operator (Excavator).

If you are a tradesperson who holds a Red Seal-endorsed trade certificate, learn how you can apply to obtain an Ontario Certificate of Qualification in that trade without further training or examination.

Trade certification for experienced workers

If you have work experience and/or training in a skilled trade, from another province or territory in Canada, or from another country, you may be eligible for certification through a Trade Equivalency Assessment.