Using GI Bill® benefits for crane training
Miller Crane Works is approved for Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) and Veteran Readiness and Employment (Chapter 31). The order of operations matters:
- Request your Certificate of Eligibility from the VA, or talk with your VR&E counselor if you're using Chapter 31.
- Choose your course and send us the certificate.
- We certify your enrollment with the VA.
What your benefit pays for, including whether you receive a housing allowance while training, is set by the VA. Ask them directly. Our VA compliance policy explains how we handle students using VA benefits.
Why premium courses make sense from this far out
Driving home to Atascocita each night isn't possible, so you need somewhere to live for the length of the course. Our premium courses handle that: each keeps the hours of a standard course and adds the option of room and board in Seagoville, plus premium extras.
For a veteran with no ties to North Texas, the Premium Plus fixed/swing cab course is a common pick. It covers 120 hours, about three weeks, which is enough time for a beginner to learn setup, load charts and smooth control before the practical exam. Experienced operators can go with the one-week premium fixed/swing cab course instead.
Driving or flying from the northeast side
Bush Intercontinental is close to Atascocita, so flying to Dallas is an easy option; plan on a rental car when you land, since our yard is about 20 miles from Love Field. Drivers usually take FM 1960 west, or Beltway 8, over to I-45, then head north toward Dallas. Count on about four hours.
Arrive the day before class starts. A rested first morning goes a lot better than one that follows a long drive.
How a day at the school runs
Class starts in the morning, Monday through Friday. Mornings early in the course are mostly classroom: rules, inspections and load chart math. Afternoons shift to the simulator and the yard, where you practice setup and lifts on real cranes. As the course goes on, more of each day is spent on the same practical exam course NCCCO uses for testing in our yard. Questions are welcome at every stage, and instructors will slow down on any skill you find difficult.
If you're driving, a car also makes evenings easier: groceries, laundry and getting to a quiet place to study are simpler when you aren't relying on rides. Flyers should budget for a rental for the whole stay rather than just the first day.
What to pack for one to three weeks
- Government photo ID and your funding paperwork (Certificate of Eligibility, workforce voucher or employer letter).
- Broken-in work boots and clothes for a full day outdoors in North Texas weather, hot or cold.
- A notebook and calculator for load chart work.
- Reading glasses if you use them: charts are small print.
- Anything you'd want for evenings away from home.
The what to expect page has the rest of the details.
Coming back to work in east Harris County
The northeast side of the Houston area is close to a lot of industry. Refineries and chemical plants in Baytown and along the Ship Channel, warehouses near the airport and along I-69, and ongoing road work all use cranes and rigging crews. Telescopic cranes are the most common entry point, while plant work often calls for crawler cranes and qualified riggers too.
If you aren't using VA benefits, Workforce Solutions in the Gulf Coast region decides WIOA funding for Harris County residents. Details on every payment route are on the funding page.