Tower Crane Operator

You sit in a cab the size of a closet, hundreds of feet above the city, moving multi-ton loads with precision measured in inches. You climb a ladder taller than most buildings just to get to work. The view is incredible, the solitude is real, and the responsibility is enormous — one wrong move and it makes the evening news. Not everyone can handle the heights, the isolation, or the bladder control required. Those who can get paid very well for it.

Learn the skills

Courses and certifications to get you job-ready

What you'll actually do

• 01Climb a ladder that would make most people quit before they reach the top
• 02Operate a tower crane in conditions where wind, rain, and visibility are constant concerns
• 03Move steel beams, concrete forms, and equipment with inch-level precision from 300 feet up
• 04Communicate with signal persons via radio and trust them with your load placement
• 05Read load charts specific to your crane's configuration and never exceed capacity
• 06Sit alone in a cab all day with nothing but a radio, a thermos, and the best view in the city