Crane Institute of America hosted the final regional qualifier event for the 2014-15 Crane Operator & Rigger Skills Competition in Louisville, Kentucky at the Papa John’s Cardinal Center, Green Lot C. The event was held Monday, September 28 where two lucky operators advanced to the Championship and a chance to win $10,000.
Although the spirit of competition was in the air with a chance at $10,000, the skills required to be successful are just as important to operators working in the industry. The regional event consisted of barrel dunk, slalom, pipe and rigging challenges.
One contestant, Mitchell Cornelius from Birmingham, Alabama, started as a crane operator about 15 years ago. Cornelius doesn’t operate cranes on a daily basis working for Crane U, but you wouldn’t know it as he walked away with the top score and $300! When asked how crane operation today differs from ten to twenty years ago, Cornelius replied, “Obviously the technology has changed, but safety is the big one. It’s a major departure from the lax approach safety has since in the past.” He added, “I mean, safety was pretty much looked down upon back in the day. They’d call you a wimp if they saw you wearing gloves while tag lining or doing something by the books. It’s just how it was.”
Also displaying a strong performance, winning $200 and advancing to the Championship was Randy Warner from Building Crafts, Inc. Warner started his career on the Florida coast at 19 years old and now resides near Cincinnati, Ohio. He responded to the question, ‘What is the most rewarding part of your job’ with, “What I find to be rewarding is going home at the end of every day knowing that is was a safe day for everyone on the...
Five new Authorized Training Partners are now licensed to train using Crane Institute of America’s (CIA) training materials and resources, further expanding Crane Institute training programs to customers globally.
Welcome New Partners!
Tommie Burgess
Industrial Kiln & Dryer Group
12711 Townepark Way
Louisville, KY 40243
502-244-4031
www.industrialkiln.com
Industrial Kiln & Dryer Group, a company dedicated to supporting customers, is the industry leading provider of solutions for rotary processing equipment. Tommie Burgess, a certified Crane Institute of America, LLC rigger/signalperson trainer since March 2014, specializes in project management in the industrial field with a focus on strengthening pre-job planning systems and creating an environment focused on safety.
Adam Dunstan
Mountain Shadows Crane Consultants, LLC
14 Selleck Rd
Los Lunas, NM 87031
505-453-5941
adunstan256@aol.com
Adam Dunstan has been a Certified Mobile Crane and Rigger/Signalperson Trainer with Crane Institute of America, LLC since November 2014. He also does lift planning and crane inspections.
Luke Hough
Gerald Moore
Alaska Crane
11900 South Gambell Street
Anchorage, AK 99515
907-522-9004
Catering to the construction, mechanical, telecommunications, and oil and gas industries, Alaska Crane owns and operates professionally certified cranes ranging from a 28 ton boom truck to a 600 ton lattice crawler crane. Whether it’s training your operators and riggers, renovating a dam, or building a bridge on Alaska’s North Slope, Alaska Crane is right for the job!
Luke Hough has been a Certified Mobile Crane and Rigger/Signalperson Trainer with Crane Institute of America, LLC since March 2014 while Gerald Moore has been a Certified Rigger/Signalperson Trainer with Crane Institute of America, LLC since March 2014.
Elizabeth Okerson
Safety Works, LLC
18 1st Street
If you ever call our office and need to register for a program or learn more about certification testing, you have probably spoken to Barbara. Last week the students of the Mobile Crane Operator Training Program got to see another side of her, a student!
Barbara’s attendance of the program is an effort to better serve our customers. Our headquarters near Orlando, Florida serves as both a training facility and written/practical exam site for CIC nationally accredited certifications. We strive to make the Crane Institute experience as pleasant as possible to keep our students at ease when testing. Now, when you speak with Barbara, she knows first-hand how it feels to be in the shoes of the student.
Not only has the training reinforced her knowledge of mobile cranes, but to the stress and anxiety some may feel when testing. It is with these types of experiences Barbara and other office personnel have that make Crane Institute customer service unparalleled.
Last week Crane Institute of America conducted a 4-day Mobile Crane Operator training program which included hands-on instruction. The class was a full one with 19 students. That is why we encourage students to register as soon as possible to reserve their spot. It is truly a wonderful sight to see so many companies making safety a priority and we are honored to be a part of it.
Our Mobile Crane Operator training programs are an excellent preparation for those planning to take the CIC Nationally Accredited Mobile Crane Operator Written and Practical Certification Exams. We are pleased to say that most of the students in attendance last week made the plan to stay the extra day and take the certification exams. We would like to wish those students good luck on their practical and written exams!
Don’t Let this Happen to You!
Get your Mobile Crane Operators trained today with Crane Institute of America.
Mobile Crane Operator Training program from the perspective of a Crane Institute employee, Eduardo Carcache.
I’ve been working at Crane Institute for over a year and felt well equipped to provide customers with the information and service they deserved but at this point there was still very little I knew about cranes, actually, I knew practically nothing, I’m a marketing major not a crane operator! Upon the insistence of our director and president, Jim Headley, I attended the three-day Mobile Crane Operator course offered at Crane Institute to further my knowledge about our business and to emulate the experience of our students. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous before class but those nerves were put to rest rather quickly due to the extremely comfortable atmosphere in class. Although it was obvious I was the new guy who knew nothing about cranes, the other students helped out whenever they could. Our class got to know each other a bit and before long we were talking like old pals. It was a good introduction into the “World of cranes.” In just the first day, I had learned more about cranes then I had ever known and I attribute that to our terrific instructors. Seeing one of our instructors in action and how effective they were in communicating the information was impressive. In addition, the instructor /student interaction was a welcome change from the usual co-worker interactions of the past. By the third and final day of class, I was thinking, “Hey, I can probably do this!” and after some review, we prepared to take our exams. In just three days I went from having very little crane knowledge to being a qualified mobile crane operator trainee. I consider this a testament to the training provided by...
This week is a perfect example of what Crane Institute can provide for you. Attend our 7-day Mobile Crane Operator Train-the-Trainer program followed by the 3-day CIC Practical Examiner Training program. Students that successfully complete these programs can receive a CIA Trainer Certification, CIC Authorized Practical Examiner Card, and an Accredited Mobile Crane Operator Certification. Since we do all the testing here, both written and practicals, your dollar goes further.
Speaking of testing, meet our CIC Proctor Anne Davison. Prior to being a proctor for CIC, Ann worked for AT&T and AAA. She has a B.S. in Professional Management and a Masters in Human Resource Development. We are pleased to have her as our proctor. However, don’t ask her anything about cranes, because she wont be able to help you, that’s not her area of expertise! This makes her a great candidate for proctoring the written exams.
CIC procedures require that a non-bias 3rd party proctor the nationally accredited written exams. Crane Institute adheres to these strict guidelines, and we do this for the best price around!
Want to learn more about how you can become a CIA Trainer, CIC Authorized Practical Examiner and a Certified Crane Operator? Contact our office at 800-832-2726 or visit: https://craneinstitute.com/the-complete-package/
This month’s interview is with Johnathan Camp of Crane Rental Corporation in Orlando, Fla. Camp was the winner of the 2012 Florida Crane Owner’s Council (FCOC) Scholarship. He won a free Mobile Crane Operator 4-day training program from Crane Institute of America (CIA) and free Mobile Crane Operator written and practical certification exams from Crane Institute Certification (CIC) valuing over $1,800.
CIA: What was your reaction to receiving the Florida Crane Owner’s Council Scholarship?
Camp: I was very honored for being considered and really enjoyed my time here at Crane Institute. When I need more certifications, I will be back. Thanks for everything!
CIA: What was your overall impression of the Mobile Crane Operator Training Program?
Camp: Very informative and at a pace where if you have questions, they take the time to answer and do not carry on with class until everyone understands.
CIA: Do you feel the instructor was knowledgeable?
Camp: I believe Tom R. was very knowledgeable and extremely professional.
CIA: Do you feel like you were prepared to take the CIC Nationally Accredited Exams?
Camp: Yes, I believe so. More nervous about the hands-on, but I believe I did pretty good!
CIA: How do you think you would have done had you taken the exams “cold-turkey?”
Camp: 50/50. There was stuff on the exams that I didn’t know and stuff that I did.
CIA: Did you find yourself studying back home to prepare?
Camp: No hardcore studying, just brushing up on the material.
CIA: Do you have any advice to those in the industry that might be considering taking...
2012 was a big year for Crane Institute of America.
This year we celebrated our 25th Anniversary.
Our first event was in July when we offered special discounted prices on products for the whole month. We also raffled off a free Mobile Crane Operator and Rigger/Signalperson Training Program to 2 lucky winners! Congratulations to Terry Thibodeaux for winning the Rigger/Signalperson Training and Brent Pinkerton for winning the Mobile Crane Operator Training!
In the fall, we hosted the Southeast Regional Crane Operator Rodeo Event where James Anderson took home first place. If you missed it, you can watch the fun here! Also, look out for the 2013 Crane Supplemental Guide in the January Issue of the Crane & Rigging Hotline Magazine!
In December, we awarded one free Mobile Crane Operator Training program scholarship to an employee of a Florida Crane Owner’s Council (FCOC) Member. Johnathan Camp was the lucky winner! Also in December, we held our second and final anniversary promotion; since you only turn 25 once! Crane Institute gave away 3 Cranky and Flynn Fisher Price Toys to winners of our online contest: James Cox, Jessie Smith and Don Thompson! These toys were just in time for Christmas!
We hope everyone had as much fun this year as we did! Here’s to a wonderful 2012 and an even better 2013!
This year Crane Institute of America (CIA) and Crane Institute Certification (CIC) provided a scholarship for a Florida Crane Owner’s Council (FCOC) Member’s employee. The scholarship was for a free Mobile Crane Operator, 4-Day training from CIA and free Mobile Crane Operator written and practical certification exams from CIC.
At the Dec. 7 FCOC’s Panel Discussion on OSHA’s 2014 Crane Operator Law, the winner was announced. Congratulations to Jonathan Camp of Crane Rental Corporation, Orlando, Fla. Camp uses cranes to set-up and assemble lattice boom cranes for his company. He is a qualified rigger and signalperson and hopes to move from mobile crane operator trainee to a certified crane operator using the scholarship. Way to go Johnathan!
