Prepare for a career in the in-demand heavy equipment industry with the Heavy Equipment Technician Apprenticeship program. Work with both on and off road equipment, from heavy transport haulers to excavators — Heavy Equipment Technicians repair and overhaul engines, mechanical and power shift transmissions, hydraulics and basic electrical systems on the largest and most powerful equipment.
This four year program consists of eight weeks each year of technical training, and a minimum of 1,500 hours of on-the-job training. Learn about engine and electrical fundamentals and systems for trucks and trailers and more from licensed Journeyperson faculty and industry experts. In this program you can choose to specialize in Off-Road or On-Road Heavy Equipment.
This is a compulsory certification trade.
There are equivalencies between the Agricultural Equipment Technician (AET) and Heavy Equipment Technician (HET) trades. AET Period 2 is equivalent to HET Period 2 and AET Period 4 is equipment to HET Period 3. Apprentices may choose to pursue their dual trade certification.
Off-Road Topics include: advanced hydraulics; off-road steering and suspension systems and accessories; and off-road powertrains.
On-Road Topics include: on-road powertrains; steering and antilock brake systems; air conditioning; and vehicle electrical diagnosis and failure analysis.
Accreditation: This is a Red Seal trade. Apprentices who have obtained Journeyperson certification are encouraged to write the national standard exam. The Red Seal, when affixed to a provincial or territorial trade certificate, indicates that a tradesperson has demonstrated the knowledge required for the national standard in that trade. The Red Seal endorsement promotes excellence to employers, instills pride in skilled workers, and facilitates labour mobility.
Method of Delivery: On-Campus
Length of Program: Eight weeks of technical training for each period
Technical Training Intakes:
- Period 1: August 29, 2022 and February 27, 2023
- Period 2: October 24, 2022 and January 3, 2023
- Period 3: October 24, 2022 and January 3, 2023
- Period 4: October 24, 2022 and January 3, 2023
Technical Training Enrolment:
- 2022-23 Technical Training Registration Dates: Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. for AET, HET, and Landscape Horticulturist.
Credentials: Apprenticeship (Journeyperson Certification through AIT)
Admission Requirements
Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training - ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Find a suitable employer who is willing to hire and train an apprentice (*please refer to MyTradesecrets for more details)
Application Procedure: Create/Access your MyTradesecrets (MTS) account and follow the Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training Application Procedure.
You are now able to register online for your next training period through your MyTradesecrets account.
OR Complete an Enrolment Form for Apprenticeship Technical Training.
Submit your online registration or your Enrolment Form and full payment of $1,224.67 to Olds College.
Tuition & Fees
- Tuition & Fees: $1,244 / Books & Supplies: $300
Please refer to the current Fee Schedule for complete details.
Course Details
Alberta Apprenticeship & Industry Training – Heavy Equipment Technician:
First Period Training Topics include: standard workplace safety, materials, and tools; oxy-acetylene heating and cutting; suspensions, wheel, and systems for trucks and trailers; hydraulics and hydraulic brake systems; electrical systems and electronics; and air brakes.
Second Period Training Topics include: engine fundamentals, service, and repair; engine systems; diesel fuel injection systems; electronics fuel management; and heavy duty charging and cranking systems.
Third Period Off-road Training Topics include: advanced hydraulics; off-road steering and suspension systems and accessories; and off-road powertrains.
Fourth Period On-road Training Topics include: on-road powertrains; steering and antilock brake systems; air conditioning; and vehicle electrical diagnosis and failure analysis.
Career Opportunities
Heavy equipment technicians maintain, repair and overhaul heavy vehicles and industrial heavy equipment, and commercial transport devices connected to or moved by a power unit. Heavy equipment technicians are employed by specialized repair shops and organizations that own or lease heavy equipment used in the construction, mining, forestry, material handling, landscaping, land clearing, and agriculture and transportation industries.
Visit ALIS to find Occupational Profiles with current wages, industry trends and more!
Admitted Student Information
Program Dates
Find out when your term start and end dates are, so that you know when you are expected to be in attendance. For more information, please review the Program Dates & Fee Schedule.
Class Registration
You will be registered into your classes automatically. This will happen approximately 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. You will be notified once you have been timetabled into your courses. You will be able to see your class schedule in your My Olds College account. If you need to make any changes to your class registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Technology Recommendation
It is strongly recommended that you come to Olds College with the following technology:
- A device capable of running Microsoft Office, preferably a laptop
As part of your student accounts, all students have access to Office 365 for the duration of their time with Olds College. To access this you just need to follow these steps:
- Go to portal.office.com
- Enter your Olds College email address and password
- Once logged in there is a button on the right that says "Install Office Apps"
This will give you access to the full Office suite on your computer, for both Windows and Mac based platforms.
Materials & Supplies:
The following items are required:
- Safety glasses/goggles (preferably not tinted)
- Two pair of coveralls (minimum)
- CSA approved boots (steel toe)
You will be required to purchase "tool chips" at a cost of $50. These tool chips allow you to use specialized tools out of the tool room and also include the cost of shop towels, locker rentals and supplies that will be used in the lab classes. At the end of the year, $20 will be refunded if you return all of your tool chips.
Other Important Information:
Safety Regulations: Wearing safety equipment and abiding by industry safety standards is mandatory within our program.
Apprenticeship ILM: We use the Apprenticeship ILMs (Individual Learning Modules) as our reference material. These modules take the place of textbooks and are available at the Olds College Campus Store at 1.800.661.6537 or 403.556.4630. They are packaged by technical training period.
Employment Insurance: Information on applying for Employment Insurance benefits is provided in your MyTradesecrets account
For More Information
Our Admissions office can help navigate you through the admissions process and answer any questions you have about your program of study.
