Mark McFarland: Heavy Equipment Operator
We spoke with Mark, a previous Transition to Life participant, about his latest training and the process of gaining his certificate as a Heavy Equipment Operator! Read our interview with him below.
Oct. 17, 2024
Hi Mark, thanks for taking the time to meet with me today!
- What have you been up to since completing the Transition to Life course?
“For the most part I’ve been just working so not really much outside of that.”
- Can you tell me about your work with Purolator?
“I work as an AM dock hand so my job is basically I am responsible for an organization of the Parry Sound area. I take the stuff off the line that goes into that area so the trucks can be prepared and organized to make their deliveries when they arrive.”
- Why did you decide to become a heavy equipment operator?
“Heavy equipment has always been somewhat of an interest for me. I used to have an aunt that lived in North Bay so when we were traveling up in the past, they were doing the construction on the highway there so there were a lot of heavy equipment operations up there. That piqued my interest in possibly pursuing that interest at the time so now I have that license.”
- What kind of machinery are you able to operate with that license?
“The license is a general purpose so I am licensed for operating backhoes, bulldozers, excavators, front-end loaders, and dump trucks. I was really intrigued with the backhoes operation.”
- What kind of workplaces can you apply to for these jobs and what type of positions are you interested in?
“Some of the more obvious ones are road construction, working in pits or gravel pits, I can work for general landscaping, snow removal and I could even work for a town or a township.
I wouldn’t mind working for a township which is a little more working in my interest but I wouldn’t mind working for a quarry to gain experience.”
- How long does this certification take?
“The college course takes 3 months to get the certificate. After that if I would like to continue it takes 3 years to get the national certificate.”
- What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of your line of work?
“Outside of work I do reading, I’m pretty much not a picky person when it comes to genres, a little bit of history here and there and a little bit of plastic model work on the side and playing video games.”
- What’s next for you and what are you looking forward to in 2025?
“Next year I’m hoping to go from working at Purolator to working in my chosen school field.”
- What advice would you give to someone who is looking to get into specialized work like yours?
“Show interest, do your best and ultimately just have fun (make sure you’re safe) but mostly have fun!”
Thank you to Mark for speaking with us and providing IAC with an update on your latest experiences and future plans for working as a heavy equipment operator. We wish you the best in your next steps to finding the perfect role!