Heavy Now Entry-Level Heavy Equipment Operator Training
National Training, Inc.’s Heavy Now program is a 208-clock-hour program normally completed in four weeks of full-time training. The program combines 72 hours of classroom instruction with 136 hours of hands-on equipment projects and exercises.
Training is designed to help students build practical, entry-level skills in equipment safety, machine inspection, start-up and shutdown procedures, basic controls, grading, land clearing, excavation support, site preparation, and related Heavy Equipment operations.
Students may train with bulldozers, excavators, tractor loader backhoes, articulated wheel loaders, and related jobsite technology, depending on the approved curriculum, class schedule, and equipment availability.
Program completion does not make a student a licensed or certified heavy equipment operator and does not guarantee employment, wages, credential attainment, or any specific job placement outcome.
Construction is one of the largest industries in the United States, and heavy equipment operators play a central role in it. Operators help build highways, bridges, dams, housing, flood control systems, and utility infrastructure for telephone, electric, gas, and water companies.
Moreover, operators contribute significantly to tasks like mining, land clearing, conservation, landscaping, reclamation, land filling, logging, and pipelines. Our hands-on training program is designed to introduce you to the skills used across these industries.
The heavy equipment operator field offers opportunities across a range of industries for individuals with proper training. Compensation, benefits, and employment terms vary by employer, location, and experience. Our program is designed to provide hands-on training and, where applicable, NCCER credentials to help prepare you for entry into this field.
Enroll in National Training’s Heavy Now heavy equipment operator training program to begin your hands-on training.
HEAVY EQUIPMENT CLASS SCHEDULE
208 Hour, 4 week Training Course
Upcoming Starting and Ending dates for Heavy NOW training are shown below
2026–2027
heavy now course tuition
Additional Fees
Administration Fee (Non Refundable) $100
- (Note: This administration fee is used to offset investigative costs associated with application review, criminal background check, driving record analysis, credit report, etc.)
Course Breakdown and Curriculum Hours
4 weeks (208 Hours)
“L” indicates lesson. Lessons are numbered sequentially.
RTE = Resident Training Exercises
RTL = Resident Training Classroom Lessons
Classroom Lessons
U.S. Department of Education defines a classroom hour as 1 clock hour which equals 50 minutes of instructor led training plus 10 minute break.
Hands On Equipment
Projects & Exercises
Equipment Projects will utilize bulldozers, loaders, backhoes, and excavators
Complete details of this course are contained in our Heavy Equipment Courses Catalog. You can download a PDF version of it by clicking here.
INDIVIDUAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT COURSES
At National Training, we understand that each student is unique, which is why we now offer specialized 2 week courses for four different heavy equipment options: bulldozer, articulated loader, excavator, and tractor loader backhoe. Our comprehensive training programs include classroom instruction, simulator practice, and hands-on lab training, providing valuable experience specific to your chosen machinery. Join us at National Training to embark on your journey towards becoming a skilled heavy equipment operator. Select one of the courses below to learn more.
bulldozer
articulated loader
tractor loader backhoe
excavator
FAQs
What credentials do I receive after completing Heavy Now?
Graduates who satisfy all NTI requirements receive an NTI Certificate of Completion and academic transcript. Where applicable, students may earn NCCER Registry credentials after successfully completing required NCCER modules and assessments.
Do I receive an official heavy equipment operator certification after completing the Heavy Now course?
Students who successfully complete National Training’s Heavy Now program may receive a National Training Certificate of Completion.
Where applicable, students may also receive NCCER Registry credentials for successfully completed modules, based on course requirements, attendance, testing, module completion, and successful completion of program requirements.
National Training does not represent that completion of the Heavy Now course makes a student a licensed or certified heavy equipment operator. There is no state-issued heavy equipment operator license required for this course.
The Heavy Now program is designed to provide hands-on, entry-level training in heavy equipment operation, safety procedures, machine inspection, grading, land clearing, excavation support, laser survey and grading concepts, and GPS-guided grading technology where applicable.
Employment, wages, licensing, certification, or specific job placement outcomes are not guaranteed. Eligible graduates may receive job placement assistance.
What makes this heavy equipment operator training program unique?
National Training’s Heavy Now program is unique because it combines classroom instruction, simulator resources, and hands-on heavy equipment training at our 350-acre training complex in Green Cove Springs, Florida.
The program is a 208-clock-hour heavy equipment operator training course designed to help students develop practical, entry-level skills using multiple types of equipment, including:
- Bulldozers
- Excavators
- Tractor Loader Backhoes
- Articulated Wheel Loaders
Students may receive instruction in equipment safety, machine inspections, start-up and shutdown procedures, basic controls, land clearing, grading, road building support, trenching support, pipe-laying support, site preparation, laser survey and grading concepts, and GPS-guided grading technology where applicable.
National Training is also an NCCER Accredited Training Sponsor and an NCCER Approved Assessment Center. Where applicable, students who successfully complete required modules may receive NCCER Registry credentials for successfully completed modules, along with a National Training Certificate of Completion.
The program is designed for students who want a broader heavy equipment training experience instead of training on only one machine. Eligible graduates may also receive job placement assistance, including resume support, employer referrals, and guidance on pursuing entry-level opportunities.
National Training does not guarantee employment, wages, licensing, certification as a heavy equipment operator, or specific job placement outcomes.
How does the Heavy Now course prepare me for long-term career opportunities?
National Training’s Heavy Now program is designed to help students build practical, entry-level heavy equipment operation skills that may support long-term opportunities in construction, site development, road work, utilities, land clearing, grading, excavation support, and related industries.
The 208-clock-hour program provides hands-on training with multiple types of heavy equipment, including bulldozers, excavators, tractor loader backhoes, and articulated wheel loaders. Students may receive instruction in equipment safety, machine inspections, start-up and shutdown procedures, basic controls, land clearing, grading, road building support, trenching support, pipe-laying support, site preparation, laser survey and grading concepts, and GPS-guided grading technology where applicable.
Because students train on multiple machines, the Heavy Now program may help graduates pursue a wider range of entry-level equipment-related opportunities than training on a single machine alone.
Adding a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) may make a graduate even more employable in certain industries because some employers need workers who can both operate equipment and legally drive commercial vehicles to transport equipment, materials, or jobsite support vehicles. A CDL can broaden the types of positions a graduate may qualify for, depending on employer requirements and the graduate’s driving record, background, and qualifications.
Students who successfully complete the Heavy Now program may receive a National Training Certificate of Completion. Where applicable, students may also receive NCCER Registry credentials for successfully completed modules.
National Training does not guarantee employment, wages, licensing, certification as a heavy equipment operator, CDL issuance, or specific job placement outcomes. Eligible graduates may receive job placement assistance, including resume support, employer referrals, and guidance on pursuing entry-level opportunities.
Does completing Heavy Now make me a certified Heavy Equipment Operator?
No. NTI does not represent that completing Heavy Now makes a graduate a licensed or certified Heavy Equipment Operator. There is no general Florida state-issued Heavy Equipment Operator license awarded by completing this program. Employment and credential attainment are not guaranteed.