Instruction provides new and experienced operators HDD fundamentals, strategies to maximize productivity
No one walks onto a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) jobsite and knows exactly what to do immediately without training. Even those who have operated an HDD in the past may have habits that don’t necessarily contribute to an efficient, productive job.
In any case, every worker on the jobsite should have a combination of experience and education to allow he or she to contribute to a successful HDD operation. And the Vermeer HDD Circuit© training program provides owners and operators — whether veteran or brand new to the work — the right mix of the two.
Building fundamental knowledge
Before the operator even takes the controls of an HDD, the training process starts by honestly assessing existing skills and operational knowledge regardless of industry experience. Though some crew members participate in circuit training after years of HDD work, it is important to begin the process on a foundation of fundamental knowledge.
“Knowing what the right training is starts with an honest assessment of existing industry knowledge and experience,” said Vermeer Industrial Equipment and Crew Skills Training Manager Dan Vroom, who manages the HDD Circuit program. “Someone might have years of experience in the industry, but it may not be years of good experience. A big part of the process is asking a lot of questions and focusing on the fundamentals.”
The HDD Circuit program began in 2016 as the first accredited certification (from Des Moines Area Community College) program of its kind in the U.S. It’s geared toward an array of company sizes and student skillsets and covers skills like drill operation, locating, bore planning, mud mixing, vacuum excavation, and machinery maintenance and safety. The instruction comprises a light amount of classroom instruction on topics like drilling fluid additives, calculations used during operation, jobsite safety and tooling.
Around three-quarters of the time is spent in the field, actively instructing on drilling, locating and other tasks essential to the everyday operation of an HDD jobsite. Students have the opportunity for individual, 1:1 instruction based on how their skillsets and experience will be applied to subsequent HDD work. Formerly just a two-week program, Vermeer now offers a comparable one-week course at its corporate headquarters in Pella, Iowa, in recognition of the busy schedules and time constraints of students, and the value of their work on the jobsite.
“Once we can target a specific action that’s being done incorrectly, we talk about how it’s going to affect them in the short term, as well as maybe a year down the road,” Vroom said. “We also place a big emphasis on cross-training. It’s important for productivity to have crew members who can quickly jump into another role when needed.”
Student observations
Though no stranger to excavation, Jonathon Fields of Fields Construction & Excavating Inc. in Canandaigua, New York, was a relative newbie to HDD work. Given the growth potential it represented for the business he operates with father Jeremy, he knew adding it to the company’s service list meant gaining the knowledge and training necessary to do the job right.
“There’s a lot of competition among contractors, and I wanted to make sure we provide our customers with the best service, and that we do our jobs right. I think being able to show potential customers that we are certified is another way we can differentiate ourselves,” Fields said. “I learned a lot about planning a bore on the front end and how that will help a project go more smoothly.”
Jason Gable entered the HDD Circuit program from the other end of the industry experience spectrum. Though he hadn’t done it in years, Gable saw a need to sharpen his skills after taking on a new role at Jackson Energy Authority in Jackson, Tennessee, that required more HDD work.
“It had been years since I was on a drill, and there can sometimes be little room for on-the-job training mistakes when you’re operating that drill,” Gable said, adding he had prior HDD experience but knew he’d need updated, recent training to stay proficient and competitive in the field.
Learn more about Vermeer HDD training
Fields and Gable are two of thousands of contractors who have successfully completed the Vermeer course, and Vroom said the hands-on nature of the instruction has been a major value proposition for participating companies.
“Our training helps companies expand their operations and crews work more efficiently,” Vroom said. “That’s our goal, and we continue to evolve our training to make sure we’re doing the best job we can for our students, HDD operators around the world.”
Two HDD Circuit training courses are just parts of a gamut of Vermeer educational opportunities designed to deliver high-value expertise and experience to each jobsite HDD training options are designed to maximize the productivity of operators. During HDD factory training, pupils earn certification via instruction with a 2:1 student-to-trainer ratio, enabling a lot of hands-on experience.
If firsthand experience is more important than personal attention during the educational process, Vermeer has you covered with the HDD Simulator. The virtual experience and accompanying online resources, like safety videos, offer students a highly detailed, realistic virtual reality experience via which they can expand working knowledge. Interested in HDD Simulator training? Contact your local dealer to learn about simulator schedules and availability.
For more general information on Vermeer equipment and the HDD Circuit program visit, vermeer.com or contact your local dealer to learn about local training opportunities at a dealership location by a trained staff member.
This article contains third-party observations, advice or experiences that do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vermeer Corporation, its affiliates or its dealers. Testimonials and/or endorsements by customers in specific circumstances may not be representative of normal circumstances experienced by all customers.
Vermeer Corporation reserves the right to make changes in product engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing or distribution at any time without notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region.
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