The Heavy Equipment Operators Course (HEO) offers three levels of training which allows continued progression for the worker based on the number of hours completed between courses. This ensures that the worker will receive instruction that is not only challenging but progressive as they start their careers as heavy equipment operators.
Each 8-10 week program offers a balanced approach beginning with a week of safety training offering a selection of courses like First Aid, WHMIS, Fire Extinguisher Training, Ground Disturbance, and Spill Response. Not only are these safety courses for the HEO students but will also be made available to other members of the community up to the maximum student levels for the course. The next week and a half consist of systems theory classes where the students will learn about the integral systems on the heavy equipment and how to maintain them in a safe manner. Maintenance theory classes and a maintenance blitz will then be completed to not only ensure the equipment is maintained to the WSCC standards but also to ensure the machines are kept up to standard after the completion of the course by training the students how to complete.
The remaining 5.5 weeks will consist of round robin training on the equipment completing a selection of tasks which will not only gradually improve their skills and confidence as new equipment operators but also give experience in the different sectors of work like mining, road building, and small-scale horizontal construction tasks.