Occupation
Heavy-duty equipment technician
Heavy-duty equipment technicians maintain and repair the diesel-powered machines used in construction, mining, forestry, and agriculture: excavators, loaders, dozers, haul trucks, and similar equipment. The systems are large and high-energy, spanning diesel engines, hydraulics, powertrains, and electronic controls. A lot of the work happens in the field, at the machine, in whatever weather the site has.
Also known as: Heavy equipment mechanic · Diesel mechanic · Plant fitter
Occupation content
Part of Skilled trades, maintenance and repair
What the work involves
- Diagnose engine, hydraulic, transmission, and electrical faults using diagnostic software and test equipment.
- Repair or replace pumps, cylinders, valves, final drives, and undercarriage components.
- Carry out scheduled servicing: fluids, filters, sampling, adjustments, and inspections.
- Weld and fabricate repairs to buckets, frames, and attachments where appropriate.
- Respond to breakdowns on site and decide whether to repair in the field or recover the machine.
- Record faults, parts, and service history and follow lockout and stored-energy procedures.
How people commonly enter
- A registered heavy-duty equipment technician apprenticeship with a dealer, contractor, or mine.
- A college heavy equipment or diesel technology diploma used to enter an apprenticeship.
- Progression from an equipment operator, service truck, or shop helper role into the trade.
- Military or agricultural mechanical training carried into heavy equipment maintenance.
Typical training: Apprenticeship
Licensing: Certification common, not usually required
Pathways: Apprenticeship route
Typical work context
Lab or workshop · Outdoors · Physically active · Client sites · Shift work · Team based
Related interests
Realistic (hands-on) · Investigative (analytical)
Related aptitude preparation
These are preparation links only. They do not measure eligibility for this occupation and no score here qualifies or disqualifies anyone.
Skills to practise
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Skilled trades, maintenance and repair.
Official sources
Labour-market facts such as pay and employment projections are not reproduced here. Open an official source below for figures, with its own geography and reference period.
- US BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians · United States
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- Red Seal Program — Designated Red Seal trades · Canada
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- O*NET OnLine — occupation search: mobile heavy equipment mechanic · United States
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Skilled trades, maintenance and repair in Canada, not a figure for Heavy-duty equipment technician. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Skilled trades, maintenance and repair family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Skilled trades, maintenance and repair: education pathways
Some roles in Skilled trades, maintenance and repair may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Skilled trades, maintenance and repair: licensing
Find jobs
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- Search Canada Job Bank · Canada
- Search USAJOBS · United States federal
- Search EURES · European Union / EEA
- Search Indeed · International (choose location on Indeed)