Heavy Equipment Operator TechnicianCertificate of Achievement

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Community of interest
Industrial Technologies & Agriculture
Award
Certificate of Achievement
Program code
07260.00CA
Department
Heavy Equip Operator
CIP code
49.0202: Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation.
TOP code
0947.30 - Heavy Equipment Operation*
The Heavy Equipment Operator Technician program can be obtained in one year. It is an exciting, hands-on approach is used to introduce students to a wide range of skills for classroom laboratory work to closely reflect field experiences. Construction equipment operation requires good hand-eye coordination and demands attention to details like timelines, precision driving, coordination of multiple operations, and following plan directions. Development of problem solving skills and safe and cooperative work habits is emphasized. Students who successfully complete the program requirements will have the operation, repair and diagnostic skills necessary to obtain entry-level employment. Each year, the demand for qualified operators and maintenance technicians increases. Our partners include Operating Engineers Local 3, Caltrans, CDF, local and statewide contractors, and agricultural companies. Most jobs are obtained with smaller contractors. Jobs are also available in production, agriculture, land leveling, orchard removal, and with other agricultural employers.
Program detailsAward, code, department, CIP/TOP

Program Snapshot

Community of interest
ITAG Industrial Technologies & Agriculture
Award
Certificate of Achievement
Program code
07260.00CA
Department
Heavy Equip Operator
CIP code
49.0202: Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation.
TOP code
0947.30 - Heavy Equipment Operation*

Next Steps

Map Class Schedule

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

Program Schedule ReportMeet with a counselor
Heavy Equipment Operator Technician
Certificate of Achievement — expand to learn about this award

A career-aligned credential built around a specific field of study or area of emphasis. Faster to complete than a degree, and the coursework typically stacks into a related AS or AA later if you choose to continue.

See the 2026-27 Catalog for official program details

Semester-by-Semester Map

Term 1

Class Schedules

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

15 units
AB 20
Careers in Agriculture, Environmental Science and Natural Resources
1 units
course details

This course is a study of the agriculture, environmental science and natural resources industries with a focus on career opportunities, self evaluation, and skills necessary for successful job procurement. Topics include job trends, resumes and cover letters, interviewing skills, and the types of careers available in agriculture, environmental science, and natural resources.

View full course outline for AB 20

AET 26
Basic Surveying
3 units
course details

This is a basic surveying course. Topics will include selection, care and use of tapes and levels; field observations, note taking and office computations; use of surveying instruments and equipment for land measurement and mapping; practice in differential, profile, and contour leveling; building foundation layout; horizontal angles; cut and fill measurements and calculations for land grading. Laser and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology will be introduced at the basic level.

View full course outline for AET 26

AET 30
Tractors and Crawlers
3 units
course details

This course covers design principles, selection, maintenance, adjustment, and safe operation of wheel and crawler type tractors used in agriculture and in the construction industry. (C-ID AG-MA 108L).

View full course outline for AET 30

AET 38
Diesel Engines and Machine Systems
4 units
course details

This course presents the theory, operating principles, application, component parts, support systems, maintenance, adjustment, and repair of Diesel engines and related systems used on modern trucks and heavy equipment used in the construction and agricultural industries. The related systems include electrical, power train, hydraulic, and Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.

View full course outline for AET 38

WLD 20
Beginning Welding
4 units
course details

This course includes oxyacetylene welding (OAW), oxyacetylene cutting (OFC-A) and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) processes, in the flat and horizontal positions on various joint details. It will also include safety procedures, electrode identification, joint fit-up and alignment, base metal preparation, weld quality, beads and fillet welds, with focus on theory and practice. All welds will meet the American Welding Society (AWS) qualification standards.

View full course outline for WLD 20

Term 2

Class Schedules

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

16 units
AET 34
Farm Machinery
3 units
course details

This course involves the design principles, uses, maintenance, adjustment, calibration, and repair of machinery used in California agriculture. Emphasis is placed on primary and secondary tillage, planting, chemical application, and harvesting equipment. Selection and operation of both machinery and tractors will be practiced. Safety will be stressed throughout.

View full course outline for AET 34

AET 35
Heavy Equipment Methods
3 units

Corequisite: AET 36

course details

This course will examine construction regulations, erosion control, drainage, environmental mitigations, soils and aggregates, technical report writing, interpreting blueprints and site plans, applied mathematical calculations, management skills, fleet management practices, project organization, and entrepreneurship.

Corequisite: AET 36

View full course outline for AET 35

AET 36
Heavy Equipment Operation
6 units

Corequisite: AET 35

course details

This course covers selection, operation, service, and adjustment of heavy equipment used in agriculture and construction industries. Also covered are measurement and techniques used in preparing roads, building sites, and other projects as may be required in the field using heavy equipment.

Corequisite: AET 35

View full course outline for AET 36

AET 43
Hydraulic and Pneumatic Systems
2 units
course details

This course is an introduction to the theory, operating principles, application, graphical symbols, component parts, systems, maintenance, adjustment, and repair of hydraulic and pneumatic systems used on modern trucks and heavy equipment used in the construction and agricultural industries.

View full course outline for AET 43

AET 44
Grade Setting
2 units
course details

This course will cover reading site plans, interpreting grade stakes, and setting grades to ensure that earth-moving work meets specifications, using both manual and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) methods.

View full course outline for AET 44

Career Connections

2-Year Degree Paths

Entry points students may pursue after associate-level study, technical preparation, or licensure pathways.

Example roles: 8

  • Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
  • Pile Driver Operators
  • Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

4-Year Degree Paths

Roles that more often open up after transfer and a bachelor's degree.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset are grouped into the 4-year pathway for this program.

Graduate School Paths

Advanced roles commonly associated with graduate, professional, or post-baccalaureate study.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset are grouped into the graduate-school pathway for this program.

Local Job Market

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment OperatorsSOC 47-40612 nearby openings

Search keyword used: maintenance equipment operator · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $86,132/yr

Top employers in sample

  • City of Chico 1
  • Pacific Coast Producers 1

Where the postings are

  • Butte Creek, Butte County 1
  • Thermalito, Butte County 1

Sample current postings

  1. FirefighterCity of Chico · Butte Creek, Butte County · 7 days ago
  2. Boiler MechanicPacific Coast Producers · Thermalito, Butte County · 7 days ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Pile Driver OperatorsSOC 47-2072no nearby openings indexed

No nearby openings matched any of: pile driver operator. Browse this occupation on Adzuna for postings outside the mapped keyword set.

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsSOC 47-2071no nearby openings indexed

No nearby openings matched any of: paving surfacing and tamping equipment operator, tamping equipment operator. Browse this occupation on Adzuna for postings outside the mapped keyword set.

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsSOC 47-20739 nearby openings

Search keyword used: operating engineer · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $75,000/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Lumen 2
  • Maximus 2
  • Amain.com 1
  • MilliporeSigma 1
  • NVIDIA 1

Where the postings are

  • Chico, Butte County 5
  • Chapmantown, Butte County 1
  • Durham, Butte County 1
  • Nelson, Butte County 1
  • Oregon, Butte County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Gas Compliance RepresentativePacific Gas And Electric Company · Chico, Butte County · today
  2. Maintenance Technician 2- Weekend ShiftMilliporeSigma · Nelson, Butte County · 1 day ago
  3. Director, Product Management – AI Networking Spectrum XNVIDIA · Durham, Butte County · 1 day ago
  4. Senior Operations EngineerLumen · Chico, Butte County · 3 days ago
  5. SR INFORMATION SECURITY ENGINEER-PUB SECLumen · Chico, Butte County · 11 days ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Highway Maintenance WorkersSOC 47-405123 nearby openings

Search keyword used: highway maintenance worker · Search window: last 90 days, 100-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $67,004/yr

Top employers in sample

  • State of Nevada 17
  • County of Sacramento 3

Where the postings are

  • Mound House, Carson City 17
  • Sacramento, Sacramento County 3

Sample current postings

  1. Highway Maintenance WorkerCounty of Sacramento · Sacramento, Sacramento County · 7 days ago
  2. Highway Maintenance Worker 4State of Nevada · Mound House, Carson City · 8 days ago
  3. Highway Maintenance Worker 4State of Nevada · Mound House, Carson City · 2 weeks ago
  4. Highway Maintenance Worker 2State of Nevada · Mound House, Carson City · 4 weeks ago
  5. Highway Maintenance Worker 4State of Nevada · Mound House, Carson City · 4 weeks ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and BlastersSOC 47-5032no nearby openings indexed

No nearby openings matched any of: explosives workers ordnance handling experts and blaster, explosives worker, ordnance handling expert. Browse this occupation on Adzuna for postings outside the mapped keyword set.

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface MiningSOC 47-50221 nearby opening

Search keyword used: loading machine · Search window: last 60 days, 50-mile radius

Top employers in sample

  • Vision Staffing Solutions 1

Where the postings are

  • Marysville, Yuba County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Production Associate (Plastic Manufacturing)Vision Staffing Solutions · Marysville, Yuba County · 10 days ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasSOC 47-5023no nearby openings indexed

No nearby openings matched any of: earth drillers except oil and gas, earth driller, except oil. Browse this occupation on Adzuna for postings outside the mapped keyword set.

Posting counts come from Adzuna's index of US job boards, covering the last up to 90 days within up to 100 miles of ZIP 95965. Coverage and salary visibility vary by employer. Empty searches expand the radius and posting window before the section gives up.

Source Notes

Course sequencing is generated from the Acadia Program Mapper cache. Career groupings use local CIP-to-SOC mappings and BLS occupation data when available. Confirm education plans with Counseling and Advising.

Career Connections shows 8 of 16 occupations mapped by the NCES/IPEDS crosswalk.

Live wage data was not available from the BLS helper for the mapped occupations, so some pay fields may be blank.

Last generated 2026-07-05T17:00+00:00