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Crane drivers operate lifting machinery at construction sites, quarries, mines, ports and warehouses.
You could work: evenings / weekends; away from home
As a crane operator, you could:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work on a construction site, at a port or at a quarry.
Your working environment may be at height and noisy.
You can get into this job through:
You could do a college course like construction plant operations.
This would teach you how to operate different types of plant machinery. You could then apply to construction companies for a trainee crane driver position.
You could apply to do a Lifting Technician Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship to become a crane driver.
You may do a Port Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship, if you're going to work in a port. This would train you on how to operate gantry cranes and lifting machinery in a cargo terminal.
These can take between 1 and 2 years to complete. They combine on-the-job training with off-site study.
You'll usually need:
You could start as a construction groundworker, labourer or plant operator.
Once you've got experience of using heavy plant machinery like excavators, you could do crane driver training.
You could also work as a slinger-signaller, the person who guides lifting operations from the ground, then move into crane driving after completing extra training.
You'll need to:
Safety on site is extremely important. Being able to communicate clearly with your slinger-signaller team on the ground is essential.
It's also important to have the confidence to ask questions if any instructions are unclear, especially when starting out.
You can find more details about how to become a crane driver from Go Construct.
With experience and further training you could:become a crane supervisor, directing lifting operations from the ground; move into crane engineering and repair; become a construction manager, with responsibility for all site operations; specialise in working on cranes used in offshore construction or salvage