MATERIAL HANDLING
Bucket Control & Material Movement
Develop smooth bucket control while loading, carrying, dumping and spreading material with both the front-end loader and skid steer.
Loader & Skid Steer Operator Training
Train on both a front-end loader and skid steer while building practical skills in material handling, truck loading, stockpile management, bucket control, grading and safe operation. Students train on real equipment—not simulators.
2 Weeks
Program Length
80 Hours
Total Training
60+ Hours
Hands-On Training
$5,200
Course Investment
MATERIAL HANDLING & MACHINE CONTROL
LOADER & SKID STEER
TRAINING PROGRAM
Build practical operating skills on both a front-end loader and skid steer through hands-on training with real equipment. Students develop machine control, material handling, truck loading, stockpile management, grading and safe jobsite operating skills.
REAL EQUIPMENT. REAL TASKS.
MOVE MATERIAL.
MOVE WITH PURPOSE.
MOVE WITH PURPOSE.
Students train on both a front-end loader and skid steer, building practical operating skills on real equipment—not simulators.
60+
HOURS
HANDS-ON
HANDS-ON
BUILT FOR THE JOBSITE
WHAT YOU'LL
LEARN TO DO.
A skilled operator does more than move material. Training develops the control, judgment and jobsite awareness needed to load trucks, manage stockpiles, handle material, use attachments and operate safely and efficiently on both a front-end loader and skid steer.
TRUCK LOADING
Loading Trucks Efficiently
Learn proper machine positioning, bucket placement and loading techniques while developing the control needed to load trucks safely and efficiently.
STOCKPILE MANAGEMENT
Build, Maintain & Reclaim Stockpiles
Practice building, maintaining and reclaiming material stockpiles while learning efficient approaches, bucket positioning and work-area organization.
ATTACHMENT OPERATION
Attachments & Machine Versatility
Learn safe attachment changes and gain experience using common loader and skid steer attachments for different jobsite tasks.
MACHINE CONTROL
Safe Travel & Load Stability
Learn proper travel height, visibility, machine positioning, center of gravity and safe operating practices while carrying material and working on uneven ground.
FINISH WORK
Grading, Spreading & Cleanup
Use the loader and skid steer to spread material, smooth working surfaces, perform basic grading and leave work areas clean and organized.
MATERIAL HANDLING & SAFE OPERATION
CONTROL THE LOAD.
CONTROL THE LOAD.
CONTROL THE MACHINE.
Moving material safely takes more than filling the bucket. Students learn how load position, travel height, machine balance and terrain affect stability, visibility, and control while carrying and placing material
ALSO INCLUDED
JOBSITE KNOWLEDGE
BEHIND THE CONTROLS.
BEHIND THE CONTROLS.
OSHA 10
Jobsite Safety
Load & Stability Awareness
Attachment Safety
Work-Area Planning
Resume & Job Placement Assistance
MORE THAN A BUCKET.
Train With Multiple Attachments
Different attachments turn loaders and skid steers into completely different tools. Students gain experience changing and operating attachments while learning how attachment choice affects machine control, material handling and the work that can be performed.
MATERIAL HANDLING
Buckets & Grapple Bucket
Train with standard buckets for loading, carrying and spreading material, then use the grapple bucket to control brush, debris and irregular materials.
LIFTING & CARRYING
Fork Attachments
Learn to use forks for logs, bulky materials and loads that are better lifted and carried than handled with a bucket.
GRADING & LAND WORK
Dozer Blade & Tree Puller
Use specialized skid steer attachments for grading, clearing and land work while learning how different attachments affect machine positioning, control and application.
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
Bush Hog
Gain experience using the skid steer as a powered attachment platform for cutting and clearing vegetation in appropriate work areas.
Attachment versatility:
Students gain experience with buckets, forks, grapple bucket, dozer blade, tree puller and bush hog attachments while learning to choose the right tool for the work.
LOAD AWARENESS & MACHINE STABILITY
UNDERSTAND THE
WEIGHT YOU'RE MOVING.
Operating safely with a load requires understanding more than bucket position. Students learn how added weight changes a machine's center of gravity, stability, steering and stopping characteristics.
Training covers the principles behind rated operating capacity, load charts and the stability triangle so students understand why load position, attachment choice, terrain and travel height matter.
Students apply these concepts while operating both the front-end loader and skid steer, learning to recognize when a load or machine position can reduce stability.
Certification Earned in the Dirt
Performance-Based Loader & Skid Steer Certification
Students earn certification by demonstrating safe, accurate and productive operation on real equipment—not simply by passing a written test. Evaluation begins on day one and continues as students build control, judgment and efficiency on both the front-end loader and skid steer.
Inspection & Safety
Pre-operation inspections, start-up and shutdown, seatbelt use, safe travel and backing, surroundings, attachment checks and proper machine positioning.
Machine Control & Material Handling
Smooth bucket and attachment control, loading, carrying, dumping, spreading, material placement and maintaining stability and control with a loaded machine.
Production Skills
Truck loading, stockpile work, grading, material movement, attachment operation, clearing, work-area planning and improving cycle efficiency.
Performance Standard
We train for production—not merely basic operation.
The goal is to help students work toward approximately 80% of an experienced professional operator’s production level while maintaining safety and acceptable work quality. Students receive repeated opportunities to improve speed, accuracy and decision-making.
~80%
Production Goal
TWO MACHINES. TWO CERTIFICATIONS.
Train on Loaders & Skid Steers
Students train on both front-end loaders and skid steers, developing the control, material-handling skills and jobsite awareness required to operate each machine safely and productively.
FRONT-END LOADER
Front-End Loader Certification
Build skill operating a full-size loader for production material handling, stockpile work, truck loading and site operations.
- Bucket control & material handling
- Loading and carrying material
- Truck loading
- Stockpile management
- Grading and spreading
- Safe travel with loaded buckets
SKID STEER
Skid Steer Certification
Develop precise machine control while learning to use a skid steer as a versatile platform for loading, grading, clearing and attachment work.
- Bucket control & grading
- Loading and material movement
- Tight-area maneuvering
- Attachment changes & operation
- Land and brush clearing
- Forks, grapple & specialty attachments
Think Like an Operator
Daily Inspections
& Field Maintenance
Professional operators are responsible for more than the controls. Students inspect assigned machines before operation and learn to identify conditions that could affect safety, production or equipment reliability.
Students are not being trained as diesel mechanics. They are taught practical inspection, troubleshooting and basic maintenance skills a responsible operator should understand.
Training may include identifying leaks, cleaning engine and cab
filters, inspecting tires, tracks and undercarriage components,
replacing damaged hydraulic lines and recognizing wear or damage
that could affect safe machine operation.
01
Fluid Levels &
Fluid Levels &
Engine Compartment
- Engine oil
- Coolant / antifreeze
- Hydraulic fluid
- Drivetrain & final drive fluids
- Belts and hoses
02
Structural &
Structural &
Mechanical Integrity
- Frame and chassis
- Loader arms, lift linkage, bucket and attachments
- Pins and bushings
- Cutting edges and wear points
- Attachment mounting hardware
03
Tires, Tracks &
Tires, Tracks &
Ground Contact
- Tires and wheel condition
- Lug nuts and wheel hardware
- Skid steer tracks and undercarriage
- Track tension and visible wear
- Ground-contact components
04
Safety Systems &
Safety Systems &
Operator Controls
- ROPS and cab condition
- Seatbelt
- Horn and backup alarms
- Emergency controls
- Windows and mirrors
05
Hydraulics &
Hydraulics &
Cylinders
- Lift and tilt cylinders
- Hydraulic hoses and fittings
- Auxiliary hydraulic connections
- Leaks and damaged lines
- Couplers and attachment connections
06
Electrical, Lights &
Electrical, Lights &
Indicators
- Battery and terminals
- Work and travel lights
- Dashboard gauges
- Warning lights and indicators
- Electrical connections
Opportunity Meets Effort
Support Doesn't Stop at Graduation.
HEO Academy provides the equipment, instruction and opportunity. Students train on both front-end loaders and skid steers, building experience across two machines with different controls, capabilities and applications.
Your Training Ends. Your Growth Doesn't.
Additional Practice Time
More Seat Time. More Repetition.
When equipment and the academy schedule permit, students may arrive early, stay late or practice during approved off-hours. That additional time gives students another opportunity to build confidence and repetition on loaders and skid steers. For safety, at least two students must be present—no student may operate alone.
Employer-Focused Preparation
Build a Reputation Contractors Can Trust.
Employers need operators who can do more than move a machine. Attendance, work ethic, safety habits, initiative, equipment care and performance all contribute to the reputation a student builds. We encourage students to give us strong reasons to recommend them to contractors.
Graduate Skill Refreshers
The Door Stays Open.
Graduates may contact the academy when they need to refresh a skill, prepare for a new equipment assignment, ask technical questions or reconnect with available employment resources. That includes graduates moving between loaders, skid steers and different attachments as their responsibilities grow.
The Training Ends. The Support Doesn't.
Graduation isn't the end of the relationship. HEO Academy graduates can reconnect with the school for technical questions, skill refreshers and available employment resources as they take on new equipment, attachments and responsibilities throughout their careers.
Loader & Skid Steer Training FAQ
You Have Questions. We Have Answers.
From training hours and certification to attachments, material handling, equipment and what to expect in the seat, here are answers to the questions students ask most about our Loader & Skid Steer Operator Training Program.
No. This program is designed for students with little or no previous operating experience, as well as current operators who want to improve their machine control, material-handling and production skills.
Students begin with equipment inspections, controls, machine positioning and safe operating practices before progressing into loading, carrying, grading, attachment work and other practical assignments.
The Loader & Skid Steer Operator Training Program is approximately 80 hours completed over two weeks.
About 20 hours are dedicated to classroom instruction covering safety, equipment fundamentals and subjects directly related to loader and skid steer operation. The remaining approximately 60 hours are focused on hands-on training with real equipment.
Training is performance based, so students continue developing their skills throughout the course rather than simply completing a set of classroom requirements.
Students are evaluated separately on the front-end loader and skid steer and can earn certification on both machines by successfully demonstrating the required operating skills.
Certification is performance based. Students must demonstrate safe, accurate and productive operation rather than simply completing the scheduled class.
Students train on a John Deere 344 front-end loader and John Deere 331 skid steer, giving them experience with two machines that have very different operating characteristics and jobsite applications.
The front-end loader emphasizes loading, carrying, stockpile work and production material handling, while the skid steer adds tight-area maneuvering, grading, clearing and attachment work.
Training may include standard buckets, forks, a grapple bucket, dozer blade, tree puller and bush hog attachments.
Students learn how attachment choice changes machine handling, visibility, weight distribution and the type of work the machine can perform. Training also includes changing and connecting attachments when applicable.
Yes. Students learn how added weight and load position affect a machine's center of gravity, stability, steering and stopping characteristics.
Training covers rated operating capacity, load charts, stability principles, travel height, attachment weight, uneven terrain and proper load positioning so students understand how to keep the machine stable while carrying and handling material.
Classroom instruction focuses on the knowledge students need to safely and effectively operate front-end loaders and skid steers.
Topics include jobsite and equipment safety, pre-operation inspections, machine controls, load capacity and stability, center of gravity, safe material handling, attachment selection and use, basic equipment maintenance and operating practices for different ground and jobsite conditions.
The classroom portion is designed to support the hands-on training students receive in the field, so instruction stays focused on subjects directly applicable to loader and skid steer operation.
Yes. HEO Academy trains students from Arkansas and throughout the United States.
Affordable furnished student housing is available near the academy, subject to availability. Students should speak with admissions early if housing will be needed.
No school can guarantee employment. HEO Academy provides resume assistance, job leads, employer connections and continued career support, but hiring decisions are made by individual employers.
Attendance, safety habits, work ethic, initiative and demonstrated operating ability all affect the recommendation a student earns.
Simulators may introduce basic controls, but they cannot reproduce the weight, resistance, traction, visibility and changing ground conditions an operator experiences on real equipment.
Loader and skid steer operators must learn how a machine responds with material in the bucket, how added weight affects stability, how attachments change machine behavior and how to work safely around people, utilities and other equipment.
Employers need operators with real seat time, so HEO Academy trains students on actual equipment rather than relying on simulation.
Still Have Questions?
We're here to help. Give us a call or send us a message.
Ready to Start Training?
Your Next Move Starts Here.
Train on real equipment. Talk with admissions about your next class, tuition, funding, and student housing.
2 weeks
80 training hours
10:1 student ratio