On October 21 and 22, Nicole Sangster, Finance Coordinator at the Lifelong Learning Centre, organized a Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) Simulated Training session.
The opportunity for Heavy Equipment Operator Screening, conducted by Origin, a company based out of Thunder Bay and 100% Indigenous-owned, was organized and conducted onsite at the LLC, in a mobile trailer just outside the building.
Randy Moore, Origin HEO Screener, has been coming to Sagamok for a couple days annually for the past three years. This year’s program has 10 individuals confirmed for the screening over the two-day session, with a few more potentially registering last minute. The screening is by appointment only because the simulator trailer only has room to accommodate one to two registrants at a time, plus the instructor. Registrants switch between different simulators during the designated time slot. There are three simulators in the mobile trailer: excavator, loader, and rock truck (dump truck). Each ‘HEO Screening’ tests the applicants for aptitude, interest level, skill/ability. Randy assesses whether the applicant is a good fit based on these criteria.
Applicants are tested on the three simulators for 45 minutes each. Randy observes how they handle the various machines, who is interested or has natural talent, and he addresses any questions the applicants may have. Based on a positive assessment during the training period, he recommends that the applicant move forward and receive additional education / full training in the area where they have demonstrated the best fit. Origin has programs in place for government grants called ‘Operation Innovation’, whereby they partner with Employment and Training centres, for example, Sagamok’s Lifelong Learning Centre, and together they will fund the individual to go and get their training and full certification.
Full-time training/certification is between 6 and 8 weeks! Students train on four machines for two weeks. Some classroom/book work is required to cover safety, familiarity with the equipment, and proper terminology (shop talk), but primarily the training consists of practical, hands-on training. Randy indicated specialized certification and training has taken place right here in Sagamok and ‘depending on where the eligible students are located, this determines the location chosen for the certification sessions -- possibly Manitoulin or Sagamok -- and what training facilities are available at the time to allow them to host.’ When asked about the statistics on the number of successful candidates who move forward towards certification, Randy offered that ‘approximately 100 individuals sign up for the Screening days, and 25 of those perform strongly enough to move forward. Those 25 individuals are made an offer to receive the training opportunity/have it funded, of which 12-13 typically accept the placement/training. Usually, about 7 or 8 individuals complete the training. So, every year, about 7-8% of applicants successfully achieve full certification and can be gainfully employed in the role of Heavy Equipment Operator!
