Operating Engineer at SO CA Operating Engineers JAC

The SO CA Operating Engineers JAC sponsors this union Operating Engineer apprenticeship program in Whittier, CA. As a JATC-affiliated program, it operates under joint labor-management oversight, ensuring apprentices benefit from structured training, union wages, and connections to signatory contractors throughout Southern California. Apprentices are paid throughout the apprenticeship.

This four-year program encompasses 6,000 hours of on-the-job training and 432 hours of related technical instruction. Apprentices are trained to operate a wide range of heavy equipment — including cranes, excavators, graders, scrapers, and paving machines — on active construction sites across the region. Classroom training covers equipment safety and maintenance, grade reading, operational theory, and compliance with California-specific construction regulations.

Graduates achieve journey-level operating engineer status recognized by union contractors across Southern California. The region's ongoing infrastructure projects, commercial construction, and public works programs create sustained demand for skilled heavy equipment operators, making this union apprenticeship an excellent entry point to a high-demand trade.