Crane operators control mobile or stationary cranes to lift, move and place objects at locations such as building and construction sites, wharves and shipyards.
To become a crane operator you usually have to obtain a licence to Perform High Risk Work. To gain a licence, you will need to register with an approved Registered Training Organisation and work under the supervision of a licensed operator. You will also need to keep an approved logbook to record competencies achieved during training. Assessment by an independent assessor will then be required. The Perform High Risk Work Licence is issued under the National Standard for Licensing Persons Performing High Risk Work. You can also become a crane operator through a traineeship in Building and Construction (Specialist Trades), Construction Crane Operations or Mobile Crane Operations. Entry requirements may vary, but employers generally require Year 10. For more details, see Section 2. Ask your career adviser about the possibility of starting some of this training in school.
Crane operators may perform the following tasks:
Crane operators work on building and construction sites, in all weather conditions. They may operate a variety of cranes: overhead and gantry cranes used in factories and workshops, portal cranes used to move shipping containers, tower cranes used on large building projects, and mobile cranes that may be truck mounted.
Crane operators are employed by building, civil contracting and construction companies; steel companies; crane contractors; manufacturing and engineering firms; iron and steel foundries; timber yards; and the minerals industry. They work on building sites, in factories and on wharves. Employment opportunities largely depend upon the level of activity within the construction industry, which in turn depends upon the conditions of growth in the economy and the level of private and government investment in construction projects.