On behalf of the 15,000 members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 18, we welcome you to the Apprenticeship and Training Program.
Our training program boasts of the four most advanced training sites in the United States. All four have facilities to train on heavy equipment regardless of the weather due to the indoor, all-weather buildings. Along with the state-of-the-art facilities, we have a versatile and well-trained staff available to instruct our membership. The dedicated staff of the training program are constantly retraining themselves and acquiring upgraded credentials to stay in front of the ever changing industry standards. Our staff is prepared to take the classroom to other locations and provide training on a 24 hour, 7 days a week schedule, if needed, to keep our membership employed and current with changing regulations.
As the schedule reflects, the skills required today in this industry are changing faster than ever before. We must adopt an attitude of life long learning if we are going to compete successfully in this industry. New technologies are devloping to make our industry more productive so we must keep our skills up to date.
The past three years have been challenging, to say the least, with recessionary conditions making it difficult to obtain work. The downturn in our economy has affected all of us, requiring our program to "do more with less." As more regulations are placed on our industry, we have to work harder and smarter to keep pace with those changes.
We are constantly urging long-standing members, as well as new members, to continue to train and upgrade their skills in order to remain competitive in this industry. Please refer to the training schedule throughout the year and refer to the Buckeye Engineer for training opportunites.
With the growing demand for highly skilled Operating Engineers, training will help you achieve a better quality of life and pave the way to steady employment.
Remember our motto, "Together we train, together we gain!"