Civil Construction Plant · RIIMPO321F & RIIMPO319E
Front-End Loader & Backhoe Courses Brisbane
Two separate tickets, 2–3 days each, on real machines at our
Mansfield depot. The materials handling and small-crew all-rounder tickets for quarries,
civil and utilities work.
- Training since 2014
- RTO 45132
- Mansfield depot
- On-site training available
Front-end loader and backhoe are the materials handling tickets. A loader shifts volume, which is why
you see them on quarries, recycling yards, feedlots and any site with stockpiles to move. A backhoe
does two jobs with one machine, digging at one end and loading at the other, which is exactly why
small civil, plumbing and utilities crews keep buying them. They are separate units, so you can take
one or both.
Compliance Record
Course information
Course Data
Front-End Loader & Backhoe: Spec Plate
Outcome
Statement of Attainment — not a licence
RTO number
45132
Duration
2–3 days per machine, depending on experience
Cost
$599 per machine
Minimum age
18 years
Requirements
Photo ID, basic English LLN, PPE for practical
Delivery
Mansfield depot, 359 Wecker Road, Mansfield QLD 4122, or
on-site with your own plant
The Decision
Loader or backhoe?
These two get lumped together but they are bought by quite different employers.
Front-end loader
Volume work. Stockpiles, quarries, recycling and waste, bulk material into trucks and hoppers.
The skill is in the cycle: how fast and cleanly you can fill, turn, load and return without
spilling material or wearing out the machine.
Backhoe
The all-rounder for small crews. Dig a trench, load the spoil, backfill, and move the machine
to the next job without a float. Common in plumbing, drainage, utilities and small-scale
civil where a dedicated excavator and loader would be overkill.
If you are already ticketed on an excavator, the loader is usually the better addition, because it
fills the gap in your skill set rather than overlapping it. If you have nothing yet and want one
ticket that makes you useful on a small crew, the backhoe is hard to beat.
Course Content
What each course covers
Planning the work
Reading the job, checking for underground services and overhead lines, assessing ground
conditions, and working out where material is going before you start moving it.
Loader operations
Bucket technique, stockpile management, loading trucks and hoppers evenly, working on grade,
and estimating loads so you are not over or under-filling.
Backhoe operations
Working both ends of the machine, trenching to depth and line, stabiliser setup, spoil
placement, backfill and compaction basics, and safe road travel between jobs.
Maintenance and shutdown
Pre-start and post-operation checks, greasing and operator-level upkeep, fault reporting, safe
park-up and isolation, and site housekeeping.
How It Works
From booking to certification
Four stages, and the last one catches people out.
-
1
Book and confirm eligibility
Check the age and ID requirements above, then book online or call us. You will complete a
short
language, literacy and numeracy check before training so we can put the right support in
place.
-
2
Train and be assessed
Structured theory followed by seat time on the machine at our Mansfield depot, or at your
own
workplace if you can provide the plant. Assessment happens at the end of the course.
-
3
Receive your Statement of Attainment
On successful completion Great Heavy issues a nationally recognised Statement of
Attainment for
each unit you complete. A plastic industry wallet card can be issued on request.
-
4
Expect a site verification of competency
Your Statement of Attainment proves you have been trained and assessed. Most sites will
still run
their own verification of competency on their machines and conditions before you start.
That is
normal and it is not a second course.
This is the point most people get wrong, so it is worth being blunt about it. Civil construction plant
units are not high risk work licences. There is no class to apply for, no application
to
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, and no card with an expiry date on it. What you receive is a
Statement of Attainment against a national unit of competency, which is recognised in every state and
territory and does not expire.
Forklifts are the exception. If you want to run a counterbalance forklift you need an LF class high risk
work licence, which is a different pathway with a WHSQ application at the end of it. That is covered on
our
forklift licence course page.
Cost
Front-end loader and backhoe course cost
$599 each
Loader or backhoe: two to three days per machine, training and
assessment.
On-site training
At your workplace, on your own machines.
$599 covers training, assessment and issue of your Statement of Attainment for that unit. Course
length varies between two and three days depending on how much seat time you have had before.
On-site training requires your employer to supply the plant.
Feedback
What operators say
I can’t recommend Great Heavy Driving School enough. From day one Nav made me feel welcome
and
confident in my training. She was incredibly knowledgeable, patient and enthusiastic. Under her
guidance
I was able to pass my practical test on the first go and would be more than happy to return to
complete
other qualifications.
Operators often come back for a second or third ticket once they are working. If you already hold one of
these units, our skid steer and
excavator course is the usual next step.
FAQ
Loader and backhoe FAQs
No. You receive a Statement of Attainment for RIIMPO321F, RIIMPO319E or both. These are
civil construction units, not high risk work licences, so there is no WHSQ application
and no expiry date. Forklift is the one machine on our list that does require a
licence.
Because it depends on you. Someone who has spent time in the seat may be
assessment-ready in two days. Someone starting from scratch usually needs the third.
You are not charged more for the extra day.
Not to complete the course. If your work will involve travelling on public roads in a
backhoe, that is a separate road licensing question and worth checking with your
employer.
Yes, at $599 each. Call us and we will line the dates up so you are not making two
separate trips.
Steel-capped or safety boots, long sleeves and long pants, plus a hat and sunscreen.
Bring photo ID and plenty of water.
A Statement of Attainment against a national unit is what employers ask for. Most will
still run a verification of competency on their own machines before you start, which
is normal and is not a reflection on your training.
Yes, where you can supply machines and a safe area to work. Get in touch for group
pricing.
Location
Where training runs
All practical training and assessment runs at our Mansfield depot, 359 Wecker Road, Mansfield QLD 4122,
about 20 minutes from the Brisbane CBD with on-site parking. On-site training at your own workplace is
available where you can provide the machinery.
Get Started
Book your loader or backhoe course
Real machines, real seat time, and a nationally recognised ticket at the end
of it.
Mansfield depot · 359 Wecker Road, Mansfield QLD 4122 · Open
Mon–Sun 7:00am–5:00pm