The Western Pennsylvania Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship & Training Program Training Site is situated on 231 acres in New Alexandria, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania.
Various types of heavy construction equipment ranging from skidsteers and forklifts to cranes and bulldozers are available for training by both journeyworker and apprentice Operating Engineers. Numerous designated equipment training areas, a large maintenance shop, multiple classrooms and offices, are all part of the complex.
During field training, Operator Apprentices are assigned to a specific machine and are under the supervision of a skilled and experienced instructor. Over the course of the program, field training includes instruction on at least 5 major types of heavy equipment that would commonly be found on construction projects. During classroom instruction, you will receive training in hazardous material handling, equipment maintenance, mechanical systems and reading grade stakes, as well as techniques used in the operation of various machines. The term of apprenticeship is a minimum of four years and 4,000 hours of on-the-job-training. Classroom and field training consists of five to seven weeks each year.
Mechanic Technician Apprentices develop the skills necessary to maintain, troubleshoot and perform repairs of various mechanical systems on a wide range of equipment. This includes everything from engines and transmissions on backhoes and bulldozers to hydraulic and electrical systems on cranes and graders. While attending classes at the Training Site, Mechanic Technician Apprentices receive both classroom and hands-on instruction in the latest methods of equipment maintenance and repair. The term of apprenticeship in the Mechanic Technician program is 4 years and 6,000 hours of on-the-job training and from five to seven weeks of instruction per year at the Training Site.
