How to become a heavy-duty equipment mechanic
Official title: Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
Also called: Diesel mechanic, Dredge mechanic, Backhoe mechanic, Tractor mechanic, Repairer mechanic, Sideboom mechanic, Locomotive mechanic, Farm tractor mechanic, Power shovel mechanic, Diesel engine mechanic, Farm equipment mechanic, Farm machinery mechanic
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 tasks
- 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
How to become one
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.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Red Seal trade. 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. Red Seal endorsement is available. Apprenticeships are run by each province and territory.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $72,384 a year The middle half earn $56,550 to $90,344.
- About 70,600 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 80,600 are projected by 2033. (+14.2%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: strong risk of shortage.
Related jobs
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
- Heating, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics
- Railway carmen/women
- Aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
- Machine fitters
- Elevator constructors and mechanics
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Questions people ask
How do I become a heavy-duty equipment mechanic?
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.
How much does a heavy-duty equipment mechanic earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $72,384 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $56,550 to $90,344.
Is a heavy-duty equipment mechanic a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 14% by 2033, from about 70,600 to about 80,600 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a heavy-duty equipment mechanic?
Usually not. Only 2% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Red Seal trade.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03