About the job
Heavy-duty equipment technicians repair, troubleshoot, adjust, overhaul and maintain mobile heavy-duty equipment used in construction, transportation, forestry, mining, oil and gas, material handling, landscaping, land clearing, farming and similar activities. Agricultural equipment technicians repair and service machines typically used in the farming industry. Heavy duty equipment technicians repair and maintain heavy-duty equipment such as bulldozers, cranes, and graders. They are employed by companies which own and operate heavy equipment, and by heavy equipment dealers, rental and service establishments, and railway transport companies and urban transit systems.
- Check bulldozers, cranes, graders and other heavy construction, agricultural, logging and mining equipment for proper performance and inspect equipment to detect faults and malfunctions.
- Diagnose faults or malfunctions using computerized and other testing equipment to determine extent of repair required.
- Adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components or systems, using hand and power tools.
- Test repaired equipment for proper performance and to ensure that work meets manufacturers' specifications.
- Clean, lubricate and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment.
- Service attachments and working tools such as harvesting and tillage equipment, blades, ploughs, winches, and side booms.
- May perform repair work on heavy trucks.
- May attach components and adjust new farm equipment.
Heavy-duty mechanics may specialize in specific types of machinery such as combines or tracked vehicles, or in engine overhaul, power shift transmissions, fuel injection, hydraulics or electronics.
- agricultural equipment technician
- construction equipment mechanic
- crane service technician
- farm equipment mechanic
- farm machinery mechanic
- heavy diesel engine mechanic
- heavy equipment inspector-repairer
- heavy-duty equipment mechanic
- heavy-duty equipment technician
To work in this occupation, you should have an interest in electronics and mechanical operations. A strong background in mathematics and the sciences is important. You must be able to cooperate with others and perform routine tasks. Agility, physical strength, and hand-eye coordination are needed. You must also have good vision and hearing, and an inclination to work with tools.
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to five-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in heavy equipment repair is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Heavy-duty equipment technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia.
- Agricultural equipment technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia.
- Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) is also available to qualified heavy duty equipment technicians and agricultural equipment technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
The wage rate for apprentices is usually a percentage of the journeyperson rate, increasing upon completion of each stage of the apprenticeship program. The skills learned in this trade are transferable to other motive power trades. Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Labour Market Information
The employment outlook over the next few years for this occupational group is “good”, which indicates the chances of a qualified individual finding work is better than average when compared to other occupations in Nova Scotia. This is a moderate sized occupation in Nova Scotia so some job opportunities may occur through turnover. The number employed in this occupation is expected to grow slightly over the next few years, which should provide some additional opportunities for employment. With a large percent of workers being 55 years of age and older, retirements are expected to be a key contributor to employment opportunities over the coming years. Heavy-duty Equipment Mechanics most commonly work full-time hours. Furthermore, the jobs are typically permanent positions.
The median employment income for 70% of Heavy-duty Equipment Mechanics who worked full-time, year-round in 2015 was $59,172. Across all occupations in Nova Scotia, 59% of those who worked full-time year round had a median employment income of $43,600.
(Source: 2016 Census)
| Occupation | Estimated employment in 2018 | Estimated change in employment between 2017 and 2019 | Estimated openings due to growth and retirements, 2017-2019 | Estimated rate of unemployment in 2018 | Estimated hourly earnings in 2015 (learn more) | Estimated annual earnings in 2015 |
| Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | 815 | Weak growth | 120 | Moderate | Minimum: $17.00 Median: $23.00 Maximum: $36.00 | Minimum: $18,034 Median: $58,259 Maximum: $114,867 |
| Occupations in Trades and Transportation | 57,925 | Decline slightly | 3,400 | High | Minimum: $13.00 Median: $20.35 Maximum: $34.00 | Minimum: $7,580 Median: $37,269 Maximum: $79,787 |
| Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | Compared to: Occupations in Trades and Transportation | |
| Percent employed full-time | 94% | 89% |
| Percent self-employed | 12% | 13% |
| Area of Employment | Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | Compared to: All NS Occupations | ||
| % Employed | Median Annual Income | % Employed | Median Annual Income | |
| Southern | 12% | $49,558 | 12% | $30,581 |
| Northern | 32% | $52,207 | 16% | $33,660 |
| Cape Breton | 13% | $49,105 | 13% | $32,974 |
| Halifax | 24% | $58,583 | 47% | $41,209 |
| Annapolis Valley | 20% | $49,536 | 13% | $32,958 |
| Age | Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | Compared to: All Trades and Transportation |
| % Employed | % Employed | |
| 15-24 | 4% | x |
| 25-34 | 26% | 13% |
| 35-44 | 24% | 33% |
| 45-54 | 23% | 34% |
| 55-64 | 20% | 19% |
| 65+ | 3% | x |
| Median Age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender | Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | Compared to: Occupations in Trades and Transportation |
| % Employed | % Employed | |
| Female | 1% | 5% |
| Male | 99% | 95% |
| Education | Heavy-Duty Equipment Mechanics | Compared to: All Trades and Transportation | ||
| % Employed | Median Annual Income | % Employed | Median Annual Income | |
| Less than high school | 5.1% | $39,000 | 18.2% | $25,753 |
| High school | 11.3% | $54,970 | 25.5% | $28,089 |
| Trades certificate | 46.3% | $64,986 | 29.4% | $40,890 |
| College certificate or diploma | 33.9% | $68,809 | 22.6% | $39,023 |
| University certificate or diploma | 1.1% | $32,978 | 1.0% | $35,969 |
| Bachelor's degree | 1.1% | $68,599 | 2.7% | $36,972 |
| University advanced certificate or diploma | x | x | 0.2% | $41,705 |
| Master's degree | x | x | 0.3% | x |
| Doctorate | x | x | 0.0% | $36,029 |
| Medicine, dentistry, veterinary, optometry | x | x | 0.0% | $3,714 |
| Total | 100% | 100% | ||
Hourly earnings data are from the Labour Force Survey by Statistics Canada. Data are not available for all occupations. Hourly earnings are calculated based on usual hours worked per week. This is how an annual salary, for instance, gets converted to an hourly rate. The data include full and part-time workers along with new and experienced workers. Self-employed workers are excluded.
Annual employment income data reported in the Work Prospects section, are from the 2011 National Household Survey by Statistics Canada. Much of the data (around 70%) came directly from tax records. The data relates to the year 2010 and includes total wages and salaries and net income from self-employment.
Employment Requirements & Contacts
Training Paths & Education
This instructional program class comprises any program that defines the prescribed requirements, specified by the appropriate jurisdiction, for the completion of and graduation from a secondary school program of academic subject matter offered for adult learners outside of the regular secondary school program. This does not include adult compensatory education programs resulting in completion of a high school equivalency certificate or diploma.
This instructional program class comprises any program that prepares individuals to maintain and repair specialized farm, ranch, and agribusiness power equipment and vehicles. These programs include courses in the principles of diesel, combustion, electrical, steam, hydraulic, and mechanical systems and their application to the maintenance of terrestrial and airborne crop spraying equipment; tractors and hauling equipment; planting and harvesting equipment; cutting equipment; power sources and systems for silos; irrigation and pumping equipment; dairy, feeding and shearing operations; and processing systems.
This instructional program class comprises any program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to operate and maintain a variety of heavy equipment, such as crawler tractors, motor graders and scrapers, shovels, rigging devices, hoists, and jacks. These programs include courses in digging, ditching, sloping, stripping, grading, and backfilling, clearing and excavating.
This instructional program class comprises any program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to repair, service, and maintain diesel engines in vehicles such as automobiles, buses, ships, trucks, railroad locomotives, and construction equipment; as well as stationary diesel engines in electrical generators and related equipment.
This instructional program class comprises any program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills in the field maintenance and repair of heavy equipment, and in the general maintenance and overhaul of such equipment. These programs include courses in inspection, maintenance, and repair of tracks, wheels, brakes, operating controls, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, electrical circuitry, engines and in techniques of welding and brazing.
This instructional program class comprises any program that prepares individuals to apply technical knowledge and skills to the specialized maintenance and repair of trucks, buses, and other commercial and industrial vehicles. These programs include courses in diesel engine mechanics, suspension and steering, brake systems, electrical and electronic systems, preventive maintenance inspections, drive trains, gasoline engine mechanics, HVAC systems, and auxiliary equipment installation and repair.