At iseekplant - we’re pretty dialled into the construction industry, so people tell us things (even when we don’t want them to). Below are the training centres in each state that have the best reputation according to the word-on-the-street (which is actually more like the word on Facebook because about 200,000 operators follow our company page).
So below is our opinion, from what we’ve heard and researched, about training companies that you can put your trust in. It’s your career, after all.
Queensland’s Top 3 Best RTOs for Operator Training
Diggerman Training: https://www.diggermantraining.com.au/
These guys are also a bona-fide plant hire company and have plenty of machines to practise on and great training facilities.
Major Training: https://major.com.au/
They would easily have the biggest training facilities with multiple locations across South East Queensland. They also have a great reputation from ‘graduates’ and are really good trainers.
Site Skills: http://www.siteskillstraining.com.au/
A very legit and tidy outfit with lots of course options, a very good reputation and plenty of payment options (including funding through university partnership with CSQ).
Need more work? Register your plant hire company on iseekplant for free.
New South Wales Top 3 Best RTOs for Excavator Operator Training
Edway Training: https://edway.edu.au
You can’t really look past a company that has so many positive online reviews. 485 people have provided 5 star reviews, that is a hell of a lot. They’ve also tailored some of their training to offer to Chinese speakers.
HPOTs: http://www.hpots.com.au/
The Hunter Plant Operator Training School received an award from Earthmover and Civil Contractor magazine as the training program of the year in 2016 - and I know those awards for training, in particular, are hotly contested.
Mick Humphries Training Group: https://www.mhtg.com.au/excavator
There is something about a training organisation built up from a guy like Mick Humphries, a father of earthmoving - and someone willing to share his incredible expertise with young-uns and bring up the next generation of operators. Based in Wagga Wagga, and with an impressive online presence (for a local outfit in regional Australia) - he’s also got 63 five star reviews on Facebook. That’s not easy to get.
Victoria’s Top 3 Best RTOs for Operator Training
Start Training: https://www.starttraining.com.au/
These guys don’t have a massive course list, but do have a massive number of reviews and boast an impressive 30,000 graduates from their courses in 3 locations across Melbourne. You can also book online - which is really handy.
Construction Training International: https://constructiontraining.com.au/
With a massive training facility based in North Melbourne, Construction Training International are a very professional outfit that takes training seriously. They also have five star reviews online. They play it by the book and ensure graduates leave with the skills and confidence they need.
Cove Training: https://covetraining.edu.au
Cove Training would easily have the biggest range of courses for the construction industry that I have seen. They are based in Dandenong (the unofficial epicentre for earthmoving in Melbourne) and have heaps of 5-star reviews.
Need more work? Register your plant hire company on iseekplant for free.
Western Australia’s Top 3 Best RTOs for Operator Training
Australian Training Management: https://australiantraining.com.au/
Based in Perth, these guys are a very professional outfit with a very solid online review score, and lots of information available online for students, and prospective students. They also have a very large course menu to choose from.
IFAP: https://www.ifap.asn.au/training/
With an absolutely mammoth course list, and some speciality areas in mining (which you would expect from an RTO in WA), IFAP is a very reputable and highly regarded institution in on-the-job training. Their rates are competitive and you can book online.
Site Skills: http://www.siteskillstraining.com.au
We recommend these guys in Queensland as well, but in Perth they boast a massive 8,500 square meter training and assessment facility that can’t really be matched. It also just seems that the students who graduate from this RTO are really happy with it.
SA, NT & TAS Best RTOs for Operator Training
Civitrain South Australia: https://civiltrainsa.com.au/
I think in terms of recognition & reputation you can’t really go past the CCF (Civil Contractors Federation), they are the prolific trainer in South Australia for our construction industry. You can expect the best trainers and the most careful, practical methods.
Site Skills Northern Territory: http://www.siteskillstraining.com.au/training-facility/darwin/
I know I’ve mentioned these guys three times in this article, but they really are some of the best in the business in terms of consistency, reliability and well-recognised training, and absolutely no one competes in terms of breadth of offering. They have great training facilities and lots of positive online reviews.
Onroad Offroad Training Tasmania: http://new.onroadoffroad.edu.au/
There isn’t a heap of trainers in Tasmania, but these guys are the pick - they are a professional outfit with a comprehensive course offering and a 4.5 star review on Google.
If you are seriously considering undertaking training to be an operator or obtaining a verification of your existing competency, then we strongly recommend you choose an RTO (registered training organisation) and you research your options before committing. Looking at online reviews is one thing (remembering, that it is possible to fake these), but seeking personal recommendations from people in the industry is also important. Once you’ve done your training, you need a construction manager or plant hire company to give you a start, and then you are off and on your way to a very fulfilling career in the construction industry.
Good luck!