Not Your Grandpa’s Trade School: How DEC is Redefining Career Education for the Next Generation
June 5, 2025
HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND CDL WITH SAFETY PROGRAM
DIPLOMA PROGRAM
This program is designed to train students to operate various types of heavy equipment. Students will also be trained to sit for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania CDL Class “A” and tanker endorsement permit and then be given hands on experience in preparation for taking the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania CDL Class “A” and tanker endorsement examination. Students will understand the importance of safe practices in all aspects of commercial truck driving, as well as heavy equipment operation and usage.
Graduates will effectively use their skills from this program to obtain entrylevel employment in such areas as heavy equipment operation and commercial truck driving.
We are an approved ELDT Training Center, and our highly experienced Instructors are ready to provide you with an amazing educational experience. We are accepting students from Westmoreland, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Allegheny Counties.
Changing Lives EVERY DAY!
CDL TRAINING
Many industries are in need of skilled workers who hold a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). This Program fulfills not only classroom requirements, but also off road practice, needed to sit for the Class A CDL with Tanker Endorsement exam. Learning by doing… students also practice defensive driving techniques.
Students learn:
- High Traffic Training
- Executing Backing Maneuvers
- Daily Log Books
- Drive Planned Routes
- Pre-Trip Truck
- Map & Plan Routes
- Perform Highway, Rural & Intercity Driving Techniques
The program offers Truck Driving Simulators (SafeSim CDL Simulators) to assist students in becoming more familiar with driving techniques prior to getting on the roadway.
HEAVY EQUIPMENT
Providing high quality experience on machines that are most commonly used in the natural gas and oilfield industries is a key skill set to have, especially in various types of terrain. Instruction on the importance of safety both while operating and being in the vicinity of heavy equipment, reading and understanding blueprints and site layouts, and performing basic maintenance on heavy equipment will be taught.
In compliance with OSHA regulations, students also have the opportunity to obtain certifications of completion in the following areas:
Students learn to operate:
- Forklift
- Bulldozer
- Mini Excavator
- Backhoe
Students will begin to learn the basic foundation for excavating and trenching techniques, as well as prepare locations for well pads and pipeline routes. Students learn:
- Site Clearing
- Stacking
- Loading / Unloading
FACULTY
CLICK TO EXPAND
+ FRED GIBBONS, Lead Instructor Commercial Driver’s License
Commercial Driver’s License
+ LARRY BLACKSON, Instructor
Commercial Driver’s License
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Career opportunities are expanding tremendously due to the Marcellus Shale development, and are both abundant and long lasting. Don’t be surprised to find that you can apply what you are learning immediately to your job. The Natural Gas, CDL and Heavy Equipment skills learned within this program can be applied to many industries within and beyond natural gas and oil, including construction and manufacturing to name a few.
Career Opportunities Include:
- Roustabout
- Floor Hand
- Frac Equipment Operator
- Well Tender
- Shop Tech
- Reverse Unit Operator
- Wireline Operator
- Sand & Water Hauler
- CDL Driver
- Cement Operator
- Over-the-Road (OTR) Driver
- Regional Truck Driver
- Local Truck Driver
- Heavy Equipment Operator
