How To Become A Heavy Duty Mechanic: What It Is and Career Path

What is a heavy duty mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A Heavy Duty Mechanic, also known as a heavy equipment mechanic, is tasked with the examination, maintenance, and repair of heavy duty machines and vehicles, used for a number of purposes and in numerous industries.

The Mechanic may work on equipment such as bulldozers, buses, cranes, railway transportation, and other farming and construction vehicles and tools. They must have an ability to travel, as the things they fix are often too large to be safely or quickly brought to designated workshops.

The inspection of these is often done with the aid of different computer equipment, and the repairs may involve just replacing some damaged or otherwise faulty parts, by lubrication and cleansing of pieces and systems, or, occasionally, it might involve major repairs. Due to the latter being a possibility, the Heavy Duty Mechanic rarely works alone.

A possible candidate for this position generally needs to have only a high school diploma or a GED, but also a special certification to work as Heavy Duty Mechanic. Past experience is a bonus, though a person may begin working under a mentor and learn from there. However, due to the increasing complexity of this industry, formal education is more and more requested.

ScoreHeavy Duty MechanicUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $49,563

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.06%

Asian 2.35%

Black or African American 7.70%

Hispanic or Latino 19.23%

Unknown 4.97%

White 64.69%

Gender

female 4.20%

male 95.80%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a heavy duty mechanic

Explore heavy duty mechanic education requirements

Most common heavy duty mechanic degrees

High School Diploma

38.6 %

Associate

29.3 %

Diploma

15.1 %

Start to develop specific heavy duty mechanic skills

Skills	Percentages
CDL	13.11%
Hand Tools	10.14%
Preventive Maintenance	8.14%
Construction Equipment	5.33%
OSHA	5.22%

Complete relevant heavy duty mechanic training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New heavy duty mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a heavy duty mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real heavy duty mechanic resumes.

Research heavy duty mechanic duties and responsibilities

Accomplish several other kenworth basic training modules.Skills UsedProblem solving, mechanical aptitude, and efficient workmanship.
Set up hydraulic and electrical systems and complete diagnosis and repair.
Dismantle devices, remove defective parts, used hoists, cranes, hand and power tools.
Perform preventative maintenance; FHWA / D.O.T.

Prepare your heavy duty mechanic resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your heavy duty mechanic resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a heavy duty mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable heavy duty mechanic resume templates

Build a professional heavy duty mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your heavy duty mechanic resume.