Heavy Equipment Technician
Heavy Equipment Technician
Contact Us
Katelyn Vallee
Trades Enrolment Specialist
780 871 5451
780 808 5766
Ask me your questions
Add your interest in mechanics to a working knowledge of electronics and you have the ingredients for a heavy equipment technician.
Heavy equipment technicians have a 4-year apprenticeship. Every year you’ll have:
- 8 weeks of classroom instruction
- a minimum of 1,500 hours of on-the-job training
You’ll work on large vehicles and equipment including trucks and trailers, tractors and earth moving equipment; anything with a diesel engine, hydraulics and a power train. You’ll learn how to:
- diagnose problems
- repair or replace parts, components or systems
- test repaired equipment
- perform preventative maintenance
- write service reports
At Lakeland your main classroom is our diesel lab.
You’ll find work at dealerships and repair shops as well as at construction and industrial sites.
Requirements
More program details
Our tuition and fees page has details about academic, application and mandatory fees and their cost breakdown per term.
The following drop downs summarize the topics/skills for each 240-hour technical training period.
For complete details, check the heavy equipment technician course outline, or check on Tradesecrets, the Alberta government's Apprentice & Industry Training branch website.
Second year technical training for heavy equipment technician is the same as 2nd year agricultural equipment technician.
| Subject |
Hours |
|
Standard workplace safety, materials and tools |
40 |
| Suspensions, wheels and systems | 53 |
|
Hydraulics 1 and hydraulic brake systems |
49 |
| Electrical 1 and Electronics 1 | 53 |
| Air Brakes | 45 |
| Subject |
Hours |
|
Engine fundamentals, service and repair |
75 |
| Engine systems | 28 |
| Diesel fuel injection systems | 33 |
| Electronics fuel management | 54 |
|
Heavy duty charging and cranking systems |
50 |
| Subject |
Hours |
| Hydraulics II | 114 |
|
Steering, suspension systems and accessories (specific to off road) |
33 |
| Power train (specific to off road) | 93 |
| Subject |
Hours |
|
Power train (specific to truck and transport) |
122 |
| Steering and antilock brake systems | 48 |
| Air conditioning | 36 |
|
Vehicle electrical diagnosis and fuel failure analysis |
34 |
To see what day registration opens in May, check the 2025-2026 schedule on MyTradeSecrets.
See intake schedules for all apprenticeship intakes at Lakeland College.
To see other important dates such as when the college is closed, visit the academic year and term date page.
| Training Period | Start and End Dates |
|---|---|
| 1st period |
|
| 2nd period |
|
| 3rd period |
|
| 4th period |
|
Refund/withdrawal policy
Full refund of fees less $100 if you withdraw up to 5 business days prior to the first day of class. No exceptions.
Enhance your journeyperson status with 2 other standards.
- The Red Seal is a national designation. You earn it by passing an interprovincial exam. That means you can work anywhere in Canada with your Red Seal Endorsement (RSE). Currently not all trades have a red seal standard.
- The Blue Seal is an Alberta program. It’s earned by taking approved business studies. Now a separate certificate, the program also has a new name: Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal).
This means you will be able to work anywhere in Canada without having to write another province’s trade exam.
The Red Seal Program was created in 1952. It encourages the standardization of apprenticeship training and certification programs across Canada. A national occupational analysis of each of the 56 Red Seal trade is used as a base document for inter provincial exams and is encouraged for use in curriculum development. The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) administers the program.
Check the Red Seal trades in Alberta.
For more information, check the Red Seal Website. Exams, samples questions, and individual trade standards are included.
Lakeland also offers prep courses for red seal exams for anyone who hasn’t achieved their red seal status. Check trades continuing education for those courses.
If you have a valid Alberta Journeyperson Certificate, you are eligible to receive a Blue Seal after completing 150 hours of study in an approved business program. You can choose courses at Lakeland College.
The Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board established the Achievement
in Business Competencies Program. It both encourages and recognizes business studies
by anyone who is already certified in an Alberta designated trade or occupation.
Complete details are available on the Blue Seal website.
Lakeland offers you the ability to take both online and face-to-face business courses in Lloydminster.
You can earn while you learn as you can fit the courses into your work schedule.
Take courses in our 1-year general business certificate. You'll need at least 4 courses to reach the minimum 150 hours to earn a blue seal.
If you have the academic requirements, you could earn the certificate.
Please contact our business enrolment specialist for more information about how to apply for courses and how to reach your goal.
Classes start immediately after orientation, so be prepared to start your studies on orientation day. Bring binders, pens and pencils with you, or purchase them on registration day at the Bookstore.
Required supplies
- two 3-ring binders (3 - 4"; letter size)
- highlighters, pens, pencils, loose leaf paper
- Casio fx 260 Solar Fraction calculator
- two pairs of clean coveralls or smocks (covered buttons)
- safety boots (CSA approved)
- safety glasses (CSA approved)
If you have any questions, please contact:
- apprenticeship@lakelandcollege.ca
- 780 853 8500
New credential
Alberta's new Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act is adding another credential for successful journeypersons. Certificates through advanced diplomas will be granted based on the number of credits in the particular trade. One apprenticeship credit is equal to 300 on-the-jobs hours or 15 classroom hours.
Your credential helps employers recognize your level of education as well as help you if you pursue further education.
The credential for heavy equipment technician depends on your specific path.
- heavy equipment technician - advanced diploma
- heavy equipment technician - heavy duty equipment mechanic off road - diploma
- heavy equipment technician - truck and transport mechanic - diploma
- heavy equipment technician - transport trailer mechanic - certificate of achievement
Continue your learning
Add a 2nd journeyman certificate to your resume by taking agricultural equipment technician. Heavy equipment and agricultural equipment have two training periods that are the same and their second training periods are equivalent. 3rd year agricultural equipment is the same as 3rd year heavy equipment.
You also have the option of earning Red and Blue Seals. The heavy duty equipment technician Red Seal has been around since 1963.
Red Seal
Your Red Seal indicates you’ve passed an interprovincial exam and can work in any part of Canada.
Blue Seal
This Alberta certification encourages journeypersons to study business. Earning your seal requires 150 hours of study at an approved institution (Lakeland qualifies). See the Blue and Red Seal page (link above) for more information.
