Heavy-duty equipment mechanics

Heavy-duty equipment mechanics

NOC
72401

repair and maintain mobile heavy-duty equipment used in construction, transportation, forestry, mining, oil and gas, material handling, land clearing, farming and similar activities.

Quick facts

3-Year Outlook

Moderate
Moderate

3-Year Job Openings

130
 

Median Hourly Wage

$28.62
$18.00
Low
$40.00
High

Average Salary

$70,000
 

Typically Required

College or apprenticeship

Employed

881
 
Job details

Full NOC Description

Heavy-duty equipment mechanics repair, troubleshoot, adjust, overhaul and maintain mobile heavy-duty equipment used in construction, transportation, forestry, mining, oil and gas, material handling, landscaping, land clearing, farming and similar activities. They are employed by companies which own and operate heavy equipment, and by heavy equipment dealers, rental and service establishments, railway transport companies and urban transit systems. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Main Duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:
  • Check bulldozers, cranes, graders and other heavy construction, agricultural, logging and mining equipment for proper performance and inspect equipment to detect faults and malfunctions
  • Diagnose faults or malfunctions using computerized and other testing equipment to determine extent of repair required
  • Adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components or systems, using hand and power tools
  • Test repaired equipment for proper performance and to ensure that work meets manufacturers' specifications
  • Clean, lubricate and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment
  • Service attachments and working tools such as harvesting and tillage equipment, blades, ploughs, winches and side booms
  • May perform repair work on heavy trucks
  • May attach components and adjust new farm equipment.
  • Heavy-duty mechanics may specialize in specific types of machinery such as combines or tracked vehicles, or in engine overhaul, power shift transmissions, fuel injection, hydraulics or electronics.
  • Also Known As

    • agricultural equipment technician
    • construction equipment mechanic
    • diesel mechanic - heavy equipment
    • farm equipment mechanic
    • heavy equipment mechanic
    • heavy mobile logging equipment mechanic
    • heavy mobile mining equipment mechanic
    • heavy-duty equipment mechanic apprentice
    • heavy-duty equipment technician
    • locomotive mechanic
    • tractor mechanic
    Requirements

    Employment Requirements

    Completion of secondary school and training courses or a vocational program is usually required.
  • Completion of a three- to five-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience and industry courses in heavy equipment repair is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
  • Heavy-duty equipment technician trade certification is compulsory in Quebec (only in the construction industry) and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
  • Agricultural equipment technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
  • Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified heavy duty equipment technicians and agricultural equipment technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
  • Provincial Regulation

    • Provincially Regulated: Yes
    • Compulsory: No
    • Red Seal: Yes

    Regulation Body

    Employment by Sex

    The following graph shows the percentage of men and women working in this occupation in New Brunswick.

    Data legend

    0.0%
    Female
    100.0%
    Male
    Employment by age

    The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by age group.

    Data legend

    12.6%
    15-24
    17.6%
    25-34
    19.5%
    35-44
    23.9%
    45-54
    21.4%
    55-64
    5.0%
    65+
    Employment by highest level of education

    The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick by highest level of education achieved.

    Data legend

    10.1%
    No Certificate, Diploma or Degree
    12.0%
    High School, Diploma or Equivalent
    37.3%
    Apprenticeship or Trades Certificate or Diploma
    40.5%
    College or University Below Bachelor Level
    0.0%
    University - Bachelor Level or Above
    Employment by Industry

    The following graph shows the industry groups in which the largest shares of persons working in this occupation in New Brunswick are employed. Small percentages for all top three industry groups may suggest employment for this occupation is widely distributed amongst many industry groups.

    Data legend

    22.0%
    Construction
    16.4%
    Wholesale trade
    12.6%
    Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
    49.1%
    All Other Industries
    Employment by Economic Regions

    The following graph shows the breakdown of all persons employed in this occupation in New Brunswick by which economic region they reside in.

    Data legend

    28.10%
    Northeast
    21.90%
    Southeast
    17.50%
    Southwest
    16.30%
    Central
    16.30%
    Northwest
    Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

    Economic Regions

    The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

    Annual Average Salary by Economic Regions

    The following graph shows the average salary of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

    Data legend

    $71,000
    Northeast
    $72,000
    Southeast
    $68,000
    Southwest
    $73,000
    Central
    $65,000
    Northwest
    Province of New Brunswick Economic Regions

    Economic Regions

    The following map displays New Brunswick’s five economic regions. An economic region (ER) is a grouping of counties, created as a standard unit for analysis of regional economic activity across Canada.

    Hourly Median Wages by Economic Regions

    The following represents the median hourly wage of all persons employed in this occupation in each of New Brunswick’s five economic regions.

    No Data Available

    Southeast

    $28.62
    $18.00
    Low
    $40.00
    High

    Southwest

    $27.00
    $25.00
    Low
    $37.00
    High
    No Data Available

    Northwest

    $20.00
    $16.00
    Low
    $29.00
    High
    Salary

    The following shows the average salary of everyone who worked full-time and year-round in this occupation across each of the Atlantic Provinces and nationally.

    New Brunswick

    $70,000

    Newfoundland

    $87,600

    Prince Edward Island

    $60,000

    Nova Scotia

    $70,800

    Canada

    $85,200
    Employment Outlook

    The following represents the number of job openings that are expected to occur in this occupation over the next three and ten years respectively, broken down by openings expected to result from growth (“new jobs”) and openings expected to result from attrition (death and retirements).

    Three Year Outlook

    Total Openings: 3-Year

    130
     

    New Jobs: 3-Year

    51
     

    Retirements/Deaths: 3-Year

    80
     

    Ten Year Outlook

    Total Openings: 10-Year

    317
     

    New Jobs: 10-Year

    67
     

    Retirements/Deaths: 10-Year

    250