training needed

[coopwe1]

hi my names chris i live in bury st edmunds in suffolk im 31 ive just been made redundant, ive got a blue card 360 up to 10 tons ive had a lot of experience on mini diggers the biggest machine ive drove is a 5 ton!, ive decided id like to take this time off to get in to digger driving full time id really like to have some training on the bigger machines and get a job driving them, but i dont feel confident applying for jobs through agenceys etc driving 5 ton and above ( only up to 10 as thats all my ticket will cover! ) as ive never drove them and also ive never used one to lift anything, could anybody give me advice as to what i should do? or is there anybody that would take me on and train me up? cheers chris

[Muz]

Hi Chris welcome to the forum ... you'll be fine mate the bigger ones are easier to operate than the wee ones, the same rules apply, plus you should have a slinger who rigs a load for you, you just need to know the weight and the lifting radii of your machine (well thats what ive been used to unless new tickets are different ?) Get those job apps out the door. You will need to do an extension on your ticket for the next size of machine up, because the most common sizes above your ticket are 13 tonners & 20 tonners after 8 tonners, theres not much kit between them and 13's .. Good luck fella, keep us posted

[coopwe1]

ok thanks m8 , i did see a job advertised last week for an 8 ton operator not far from me but i was a bit unsure wheather to go for it or not as i havent been on one before!! what are they like to drive? would i have to do a lot of lifting with one@? cheers