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He was picking up concrete panels for a bridge deck, working for a new company. It was his first time lifting on the jobsite. Nerve-wracked, with people working all over, Matt did not want to hurt anyone. He watched as an operator with more experience lifted the panels from the shipping container and brought them to the work zone. Then, it was his turn.
“You’ll always find your own way of doing things, eventually,” Matt Chambers says, recounting this first-ever job working with ED Swett, an employee-owned bridge construction company and bonded general contractor based in Concord, NH. “But the best people to lean on are those with real world experience. Books might give you knowledge…but every crane is different, every jobsite different,” he emphasizes. “Only those with real world experience can filter out the things that won’t work on a job site.”
Since joining ED Swett and receiving his rough terrain and lattice boom operator certification in 2019, Matt has had plenty of experience in the field and beyond, referring to himself as a Jack of All Trades.
Before joining the company, Matt worked in the oil and gas industry out west, where he had some experience with smaller cranes. Making his way to New England, Matt had to adjust to a new field of experience, where oil and gas are not prevalent. Instead, he found himself called to the construction industry, where ED Swett invested in his training and certification process to become a crane operator, and ultimately, his role as equipment supervisor for the company. Crane and lifting power is ED Swett’s biggest asset.
“Bridges are very satisfying work,” Matt says fondly. “Two dry ends over a river, working to make them come together and giving folks a way across the river that wasn’t there before.” ED Swett often posts project milestones on their Facebook page, giving the world a glimpse of the scale of each project and sharing the sense of achievement at each stage.
And it’s not just the heavy lifting involved which keeps them on their toes; they’re working with spring thaws and heavy currents. “It’s work in real-time,” Matt explains, illustrating the value of staying aware of one’s surroundings and continually accessing the tools he’s developed over the years. His words highlight the value of a hands-on approach, of shadowing your mentors and developing varied skills on the job.
“It’s about real-world experience…learn from older operators and find what works for you in each situation,” Matt says. Shadowing his mentor that first time lifting on the job might have been nerve-wracking, but he was not alone.
“They are always looking for new operators to train and join the team…and willing to cultivate the right operator for the job. In fact, those ambitious operators with less experience can even be an advantage to a company that is looking to create good habits instead of trying to replace bad habits.”
But it’s not just a blank slate the companies are looking for, according to Nick Estes of South Portland-based Keeley Crane, the largest crane, trucking, and rigging provider in New England. Before joining Keeley, Nick grew up familiar with the construction industry and started out doing a little bit of everything when he joined the company. The diversity in his toolbelt helped him succeed in a company with such a diverse fleet and the ever-evolving demands of construction, maintenance and communication.
Nick started early in life. His father and uncle owned tower companies and he was able to gain experience in the field, climbing towers and doing what he could to help out. While he may not have been in the operator’s seat as a young man, this early exposure laid an essential foundation for much of the work he would find himself doing with Keeley. Despite not being a traditional apprenticeship, this early life and family influence is often a key element in inspiring and laying the groundwork for those essential skills needed on the job.
According to DATA USA, “operation and control, operation monitoring and critical thinking” are the top skills found among crane operators (see infographic for more top traits below). These key ingredients cannot be found in or developed from a textbook or course. Though we might need instructors to refine and adapt those skills toward essential protocols in the field, it’s the hands-on experience coupled with attention to one’s surroundings and the ability to integrate this information in real-time that adds up to staying safe, and ultimately, finding success in any project, big or small.
Often, one might start out in a company as a rigger, as Nick did with Keeley Crane, watching and learning from varied situations. Like Matt, Nick has learned a little bit of everything on his journey to becoming a certified operator.
“Listen to your older operators and take bits and pieces from everyone you can, then use your own judgement,” Nick encourages those new to the journey. He also says, “It’s not a great business for trial and error.” Nick explains that it’s important to develop those skills before climbing into the operator’s seat, giving yourself the right set of tools to reach for when needed.
“If you want it, don’t be shy, employers will pay for you to learn the basics and get certified,” he says. Keeley’s investment in Nick gave him at once the opportunity and a place to succeed as he has demonstrated his own willingness to learn and grow with the industry, an industry that is itself growing with the needs of its community and the upkeep of an ever-expanding, ever-changing world.
Matt’s and Nick’s success highlights the mutual gain arising from this type of partnership. For employers and potential operators alike, the investment in and cultivation of the right candidates for the job is an essential contribution to an industry that supports the places and people that surround us, now and for generations to come.
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