Overview
Learn to service and operate the hoist and swing equipment used to move machinery, materials and other large objects.
If you like to work independently and are a capable decision-maker, you'll enjoy a career as a mobile crane operator. You'll set up, service and operate hydraulic booms mounted on turrets that are affixed to trucks and are capable of moving heavy loads.
Certification is required when operating:
- Booms (including telescoping booms and articulating booms possessing live lines) capable of swinging, hoisting and booming up and down with a lifting capacity of greater than 5 tons (4.5 tonnes) and equal to or less than 65 tons (59 tonnes)
- Articulating booms WITHOUT live lines with a lifting capacity of greater than 8 tons (7.3 tonnes) and equal to or less than 65 tons (59 tonnes).
Operators manipulate a number of pedals and levers to rotate the crane and raise and lower loads. They often perform all or some of these operations simultaneously.
To work in this trade, certification is required. This means that you must either be a registered apprentice who is working under the guidance of a certified journeyperson, or you must be a certified journeyperson yourself.
Is this the right fit for me?
Students who have the following characteristics see greater success in the boom truck trade:
- coordination and manual dexterity
- the ability to work at heights
- the strength, stamina, and ability to use proper lifting techniques to lift items weighing in excess of 25 kilograms
- good vision
- the ability to work as part of a team and communicate with ground crews, usually using hand signals and voice communication
Credentials
Upon successfully completing the required working hours and apprenticeship education periods, graduates will be awarded journeyperson status by Alberta's Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
Career opportunities
Boom Truck Operators are employed by general contractors and subcontractors in the forestry, mining, construction and oil industries, and by crane rental companies. Employment prospects change with seasonal and economic climates. Many crane operators are members of unions.
After becoming a journeyperson, you may also advance to supervisory positions. Some journeypersons go on to run their own business – we can help you build your business with our Blue Seal business certificate
Tuition and fees 2023/24
- Period 1: $1,093
Requirements
Entrance requirements for all apprenticeship programs are set by Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
Government investment creates 134 new apprenticeship seats at SAIT
SAIT is set to receive a more than $900,000 investment from the Government of Alberta to support apprenticeship education through the creation of 134 new seats across eight programs for the skilled trades.
Admission requirements
To enter an apprenticeship, you must have the educational qualifications required or recommended education for the trade to which you apply.
Entrance requirements are monitored and set by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
Minimum requirements
Successful completion of the following courses:
- English 10-2
- Math 10-3
OR
A pass mark in all five Canadian General Educational Development (GED) tests
OR
Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Entrance Exam
Recommended path
Apprentices with an Alberta High School Diploma that includes the following courses:
- English 30-2
- Math 30-3
- Physics 20 OR Chemistry 20 OR Science 20
- Related career and technology studies (CTS) courses
When do classes start?
Registration for the 2023/24 academic year opens May 10, 2023.
| Period | Start date | End date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 8, 2023 | June 16, 2023 |
| 1 | Sept. 11, 2023 | Oct. 20, 2023 |
| 1 | May 6, 2024 | June 14, 2024 |
How to register
Registration for apprenticeship education is run through Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training. Learn how you can register for your next intake.
Apprenticeship and Industry Training Client Services
1.800.248.4823
tradesecrets.alberta.ca
Suite 200 Willow Park Centre
10325 Bonaventure DR. SE
Calgary, AB
After you register
Email is the primary source of communication after you have registered for your intake. Please ensure your personal email account is managed appropriately to receive our emails, files and communications. We recommend you add the sait.ca domain to your safe senders' list or you risk missing critical email messages.
Training
The term of apprenticeship for a boom truck operator is one year (one 12-month period), including a minimum of 1200 hours of on-the-job training and six weeks of apprenticeship education subject to the training institutes.
You will start by learning workplace safety, materials and tools. You will then learn an introduction to boom trucks and cranes, codes and documentation, rigging equipment and procedures, load chart reading and interpretation, equipment operations as well as specialty lifts and workplace coaching.
Apprenticeship education performance
To be successful in apprenticeship education, an apprentice must pass each section of the course and pass the AIT exam. The passing grade for each section in the course is a 65%. A passing mark on each provincial exam and the interprovincial qualification (or Red Seal Exam) is 70%.
Costs 2023/24
Tuition and fees*
The following costs are effective as of July 1, 2023.
| Period | Number of weeks | Tuition fees | SAIT fees | Saitsa fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | $792 | $247 | $54 | $1,093 |
Fees breakdown
| SAIT fees | Cost per period |
|---|---|
| Lab and materials fee | $90 |
| Student support fee | $52.75 |
| Student technology fee | $52.75 |
| Campus recreation fee | $51.50 |
| Total | $247 |
Saitsa fee per week: $9
Learn more about what your fees are for
Books and supplies*
- Books or modules along with other items for class average out to $900 per period.
- It is recommended that you do not purchase books or modules ahead of time as they might be outdated by the time you attend classes and they cannot be returned. Books and modules are provided at Point Trotter for purchase.
- Personal protective equipment will be required for the program, which may be an additional cost to apprentices.
*Tuition, fees, books and supply costs are subject to change.
