Who this course is for
- Operators who run a skid-steer loader on construction, plant hire or mining sites
- Landscaping, municipal and civils crews who clear, load and level in tight spaces
- Yard staff who move material and change between buckets, forks and brooms
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent skid-steer operators
What you will be able to do after this course
- Carry out daily and pre-use inspections on a skid-steer loader
- Control the machine confidently, including turning and travelling on slopes
- Load, stockpile, level and backfill material to the required standard
- Change attachments safely and park and shut the machine down correctly
What the course covers
The course works through the safety regulations that apply to earthmoving plant, then through the machine and the way it behaves.
Learners cover machine components and controls, daily and pre-use inspections, starting, travelling and skid-steering, stability on slopes and uneven ground, loading, stockpiling, levelling and backfilling, changing attachments, working safely around people, services and other plant, and correct shutdown and parking. The operating work is assessed practically on the machine.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical on the machine, where the learner inspects the loader and then loads, travels, places and levels material under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 262712, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Earthmoving plant operators have to be competent in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and the employer has to be able to show it. This certificate is what a site induction or client auditor asks for before an operator is allowed on a machine. Learners can download the certificate from the Fundza portal whenever proof is needed.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 5 Days | R5,630 | First-time certification |
| Refresher | 1 Day | R2,460 | Already certified, renewing |
On-site delivery at your own operation is available and is usually the better option for a crew, because the practical work is done on the machine and attachments your teams actually use. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own operation. On-site delivery is generally better for a crew, since the practical work happens in the conditions and on the ground they work on every day. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
Skid steer and front-end loader: how they differ
| Bobcat / skid steer (this course) | Front-end loader | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Compact skid-steer loader | Wheeled front-end loader |
| Unit standard | SAQA 262712 | SAQA 262747 |
| Where it is used | Tight sites, landscaping, municipal work | Mines, quarries and bulk earthworks |
| Key skill | Skid-steering and attachment changes | Bucket loading and truck loading at volume |
Both load and move material, but the machines are different sizes and steer differently. Operators who move between the two need both certificates.
Where this course can take you
Skid-steer operation sits inside the earthmoving stack at Fundza. Operators commonly add Front-end Loader, Operate Backhoe or Loader and Operate a Tractor to widen the range of machines they can be put on. Browse the full range of earthmoving machinery training.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.