Heavy Equipment Technician Apprenticeship at Olds College

What can you expect from our program?

This program allows you to work with both on and off road equipment, from heavy transport haulers to excavators. Heavy Equipment Technicians repair and overhaul engines, mechanical & power shift transmissions, hydraulics, and basic electrical systems on the largest and most powerful equipment.

What will you learn?

The four year program consists of eight weeks each year. Subject areas are listed below for each in-school technical training period which consists of four eight week training periods, coinciding with years of work related experience.

First period training topics include: safety, tools, material and equipment, Oxy-Fuel cutting, truck and trailer suspension and steering, hydraulic and air brake systems, basic electrical, basic electronics, hydraulics, truck trailer systems and introduction to vehicle inspection.

Second period training topics include: Engine fundamentals, service and repair, diesel fuel injection, electronic diesel engine fuel management, and heavy duty charging and cranking systems.

Third period off-road training topics include: Off road machinery, diagnostics, advanced hydraulics, steering and suspension specific to off-road, power trains specific to off-road, off road accessories and attachments, and electrical & electronic diagnostics.

Fourth period on-road training topics include: On-road, power steering systems, truck and transport power train, air conditioning, antilock braking systems, and a vehicle electrical and electronic diagnostics and failure analysis.