I’ll give a proper answer in a bit. I’ve got a couple ideas. Just floaters… for you to consider! Humor me.
Do you have a vocational high school nearby? If so, see if they have an adult education program in the evenings. Ask if they have a heavy equipment training program. These have everything from forklift operator license classes & test, to multifaceted training in this area, etc. The reason why I am asking is -if you go to a school that calls itself a heavy equipment training school and only that area, it may cost more. Check their financial aid situation first.
If I may, have you thought about approaching it from an adult degree angle?
See if any there are any universities or colleges around where you live, that offer these courses that might be located off-campus, or at satellite campuses. More and more colleges and the like need to bring in money. So they may have off-campus school opportunities, and they may also be affiliated with schools who give credit -so that you were able to get needed licensure for what you might like to do -while in a heavy equipment work capacity. Remember state universities not only get State financial aid but they also have a larger amount of Federal aid grants for education also. Colleges tend to be more loan and grant lenders with less aid available from a state/federal program vantage point. The difference between the two is that at a college you will have more personalized one on one help getting financial aid. At a larger university you will have to pursue them. You are one of a large group, usually. If you have the drive and persistence needed, give them both a try. It might be worth your while. As I said, there is a lot of money for adult education for individuals changing their working field, retraining for new jobs, or updating their skills for an evolving work placement and job certification.
A community college is also a good idea to check into. At community colleges there are certain industries who are sometimes working in conjunction with the school, in order to get specific training for heavy equipment operators for the brand/type that particular industry uses. It’s a more product-specific type of schooling. There’s always excellent opportunities for financial aid from state community colleges.
Please remember, you’re not going there to get a degree. You are going into get certification, classwork credits, or any other type of training that may be needed to be able to do the jobs in heavy equipment.
Another idea might be to check with the state employment bureau, located either at the next large city you’re close to, or at the state capital. They have skeleton crews during sometimes of the year, but they always hire for construction work road crews who may work year-round. If you were to check now on what would be required to have these jobs -as far as licenses, training, etc., they might be able to point you in the right direction for licensure/ certification also.
Check any manufacturers in your state who might make heavy equipment products, farm equipment products, or some-such in the same field. You might be surprised and end up with a position as a field rep or trainer to use their equipment! It has happened!
Again, wherever you go for training or to take classes, always ask if they have financial aid offices. There’s often money sitting waiting for individuals that would qualify. Also, check into the reputation of the training program you may be interested in. Ask about graduate employment percentages, and exactly what kind of help they give towards finding a job after graduation. Ask about the specific area you wish to possibly register for, and ask what type of placement is usually available. Where do they draw their bank of jobs or job leads from. Business, manufacturing, etc. And also, for how long after graduation would you still qualify for their placement services. Some do very well by their graduates.
I’m sorry to bombard you with all this information. But this is what I used to do for a living. It’s a great field to get into. Graduates always seem to find work available. Plus the salaries are above the average going rates in most states.
Have you ever considered welding? This is also an educational plus for skilled/trained work. Mig, tig welding, etc. Just a thought.
If you have any questions or such, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. As I said, vocational training is one of my incarnations this time around!
Go find out. It would be worth it to just look into, whether you jump in or not!
Good luck.