“My students learned that everyone can succeed without putting themselves in debt for a 4 year degree, and that people will be needed in different trades.”
— Haydee Ruiz, Engineering Design Instructor
Wharton County Junior College
Careers
American Cranes & Transport, published by KHL, Lift & Move USA’s media partner, annually tracks the biggest companies in crane, rigging, specialized lifting, and transportation markets. These companies own some of the most sophisticated equipment working on amazing projects around the world.
By the Numbers
Top 100 Crane Companies
Fleet Size
Mobile Cranes: 16,347
Crawler Cranes: 3,188
Number of Employees: 8,192
- American Cranes & Transport, June 2019
Top 50 Tower Crane Companies
Tower Cranes: 2,026
Number of Employees: 8,192
- American Cranes & Transport, August 2019
Top 50 Specialized Lifting Companies
Equipment
Gantries: 542, Strand Jack Units: 900
Other Types: 5,053
Number of Employees: 14,584
- American Cranes & Transport, March 2020
Top 50 Transport Companies
Fleet Size: 53,064
Number of Employees: 28,545
- American Cranes & Transport, December 2019
This is an exciting, fast-paced, high-tech sector serving many markets. Career opportunities for people with many skill levels.
- Dispatcher
- Sales/Estimator
- Project Manager
- Rigger/Signalperson
- Equipment Operator
- Truck Driver
- Fabricator
- Welder
- Mechanic
- Lift Planner/CAD Designer
- Safety Manager
NCCER 2018 Construction Craft Salary Data
Survey data was provided by 132 voluntary organizations representing 353,503 employees from the industrial and commercial construction industries across the United States. Source: www.nccer.org
Industries
Aerospace
Bridge/Highway
Commercial Construction
Energy & Power
Government and Military
Heavy Industry
Manufacturing
Mining & Minerals
Plants and Processing
Petro-Chemical
Power Gen
Types of Work
Specialized Transportation
Machinery Moving
Manufacturing
Millwrighting
Industrial Maintenance
Equipment Rental
Crane & Rigging Operations
Career Paths
Depending on the path you choose, you will need additional training. There are several options for getting the training you need, including:
- Formal apprenticeships through trade unions
- Internships or apprenticeships through employers
- Degrees or Certificates through colleges or technical schools
- Industry-specific training through independent training organizations
There are many career paths into crane, rigging, and specialized transportation. A typical starting point is to work as a Yard Hand. Minimum requirements are to have a driver’s license.
