The purpose of this program is to provide students with practical skills for enhanced employment opportunities in heavy equipment operations, such as mining, construction, oil fields, etc. Areas of study include safety, orientation to the trade, earth moving, finishing and grading, and excavators. A paid field internship is required during the summer semester to complete the program.

The program utilizes the nationally recognized curriculum from the National Center for Construction Education and Research. This is a not-for-profit education foundation created to develop industry-driven standardized craft training programs with portable credentials that help address the critical workforce shortage facing the construction industry. Built upon industry standards, this competency-based curriculum is taught nationwide and a nationally recognized certification is available at the conclusion of the program.

Students who complete all required classes of the program during the fall and spring semesters with a C or better are eligible for a paid summer internship. Students must apply and interview to be accepted into potential internships that have been approved by the college. Only those industry partners who have an internship agreement on file with Miles Community College will be considered as viable learning sites for the students. The instructor of the program will work with MCC industry partners and students to monitor the internships, and serve as a liaison for all parties.

Students who did not complete all coursework with a C or better prior to the summer term must repeat the missing courses before they can complete their internship and the certificate program.

The program course requirements are presented in sequence. Part-time students and others who cannot follow this sequence should check course descriptions in the Catalog to determine prerequisites and, in addition, should consult their academic advisor regarding the order in which they take classes.