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Civil Construction Plant · RIIMPO318F & RIIMPO320F

Skid Steer & Excavator Courses Brisbane

Two separate tickets, two days each, on real machines at our Mansfield depot. The usual first step into earthmoving and civil construction work.

  • Training since 2014
  • RTO 45132
  • Mansfield depot
  • On-site training available

Skid steer and excavator are the two machines most people get ticketed on first, and for good reason. Between them they cover most of what happens on a small civil site: digging footings and trenches, stripping and levelling, moving material, loading trucks and cleaning up behind everyone else. They are separate units of competency and separate tickets, so you can do one, the other, or both.

Compliance Record

Course information

Course Data

Skid Steer & Excavator: Spec Plate

Units RIIMPO318F Skid steer loader
RIIMPO320F Excavator
Outcome Statement of Attainment — not a licence
RTO number 45132
Duration 2 days per machine
Cost $599 per machine
Minimum age 17 years
Requirements LLN check, photo ID, PPE for practical
Delivery Mansfield depot, 359 Wecker Road, Mansfield QLD 4122. On-site training available where you can provide the machinery
See course cost
Afterpay Zip
The Decision

Skid steer or excavator first?

If budget means picking one to start with, it is worth thinking about the work you actually want rather than the machine you like the look of.

Start with skid steer if

You are heading into landscaping, demolition clean-up, concreting or any work on tight residential blocks. Skid steers get into places nothing else will, and the attachment range means one machine does a lot of different jobs.

Start with excavator if

You want the broadest demand. Excavator tickets are asked for on almost every civil, plumbing, drainage and utilities job in south-east Queensland, and it is the machine most likely to keep you in steady work on its own.

Doing both is the common choice for anyone heading into civil construction proper, because crews expect an operator to move between machines through the day. There is no package discount on the two units, they are simply $599 each.

Course Content

What each course covers

Before you start the machine

Pre-start inspections, fluid and track or tyre checks, fault reporting, and reading the site for underground services, overhead lines, traffic and ground stability.

Operating the skid steer

Controls and hydraulics, loading and carrying, working on slopes and uneven ground, attachment selection and safe changeover, and working safely around people on foot.

Operating the excavator

Trenching and batter, bulk dig and stockpiling, slew and reach control, working to marks and levels, and truck loading without spilling half of it on the ground.

Shutting down and handing over

Safe park-up and isolation, operator maintenance and housekeeping, refuelling, and the records you are expected to keep on a commercial site.

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

Skid steer and excavator course cost

$599 each

Skid steer or excavator: two 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. Doing both machines is $1,198. On-site training requires your employer to supply the plant and a suitable work area.

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.

Charlie Newton

Operators often come back for a second or third ticket once they are working. If you already hold one of these units, our front-end loader and backhoe course is the usual next step.

FAQ

Skid steer and excavator FAQs

No, and it is important to be clear about it. You receive a Statement of Attainment for RIIMPO318F, RIIMPO320F or both. Civil construction plant units are not high risk work licences, so there is nothing to apply to WHSQ for and nothing that expires. Forklift is the exception, and that runs through a separate licensing process.

No. The course is built for people starting from nothing, and a good share of each group has never been in the seat before. If you do have experience, tell us at booking so the trainer can pitch the day to you rather than to a beginner.

Yes. They run as separate two-day units at $599 each, so both machines is four days and $1,198. Call us and we will schedule them back to back where dates allow.

Photo ID, and PPE for the practical sessions: steel-capped or safety boots, long sleeves and long pants, and sun protection. Bring water. Most of the day is outside.

It proves you have been trained and assessed to a national standard, which is what an employer needs to see. Most sites will then run their own verification of competency on their specific machines and conditions before you operate. That is standard practice and not a sign anything is missing from your training.

Tell us early. We can arrange extra practical sessions, extended learning time, one-on-one time with a trainer, or a different way of working through the theory. Nobody is pushed through an assessment before they are ready.

Yes, provided you can supply the machines and a suitable area to work in. On-site training suits crews because everyone trains on the plant they will actually be using. Contact us for group pricing.

Related Tickets
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 skid steer or excavator course

Two days per machine, 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

Upcoming Skid Steer, Excavator Courses

Call (07) 3067 5556 to Book Now




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