The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is the credentialing body for the NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1 certification. The Heavy Equipment Operator program was developed to meet the growing employment demands for equipment operators. This class serves as the first level of training in the Heavy Equipment Operator program. Students will learn the following content: core craft skills, orientation to the trade, heavy equipment safety, identification of heavy equipment, basic operational techniques, utility tractors, introduction to earthmoving, interpreting civil drawings, and using simulator exercises for equipment basic controls, loading and unloading, excavating, and trenching. Students receive hands-on training with using simulators, which replicates real-life operating scenarios through rotation-motion platforms and high-resolution 3D displays for excavator and wheel loader equipment. Hands-on lab schedule on simulators is included. Prerequisite: NCCER Core Craft Skills (typically included with the Heavy Equipment Level 1 certification).