Experience first, then this course
The 20-hour format only makes sense if you already operate tower cranes. It does not try to teach the machine from scratch. It assumes you can climb up, run hoist, trolley and slew, and work with a signal person, and it spends its time on the gap between doing the job every day and passing the NCCCO exams on test day.
Typical students:
- Tower operators who need the NCCCO card and want structured prep first
- Operators who want practice on the exact tasks the practical exam scores
- People whose chart work has slipped and who want it fast and accurate again for the written exam
If you have little or no tower time, the 40-hour tower course is the right choice. Its extra hours cover fundamentals and give you more time in the cab.
What gets drilled
Instructors put their attention where it matters most for a tower operator: how you answer signals, how cleanly hoist, trolley and slewing motions blend together, and how carefully you shut down.
- Load chart review. Tower capacity at each radius, worked until you can find the right number quickly and get it right.
- Control. Hoist, trolley and slewing practice from the cab, with feedback on timing and load swing.
- Inspection checklist. A complete pre-operational inspection you can describe item by item.
- Signal and radio drills. Quick, correct responses to hand signals and radio calls.
- Practical task runs. Exam-style tasks on our tower crane, repeated with coaching.
- Out-of-service and shutdown. Leaving the crane secure and free to weathervane when work stops.
The tower written and practical exams
NCCCO's Tower Crane Operator certification (TWR) has one written exam and one practical exam. Both have to be passed within a 12-month window, and NCCCO, not the school, issues the certification. This course prepares you for each.
The written exam leans on load chart use and safe operating rules. The practical has five tasks scored by an examiner from the seat of our yard tower crane:
- Explaining a pre-operational inspection of five crane items and the deficiencies you would look for
- Touching the hook and chain down inside a stop circle (timed)
- Carrying the test weight to a load circle and returning it (timed)
- Taking the load through a zigzag corridor forward and back without touching barriers or the ground (timed)
- Describing how you would secure the crane at the end of the day
Two-blocking, contact between the test weight and the crane, or failing to stop on signal will disqualify you. Before scoring starts you get a 15-minute familiarization with the controls and a short period with the load. See the tower practical exam guide for the rest.
Before you show up
Experienced hands sometimes lose points on paperwork and preparation rather than skill. Go through our chart practice before class, look over the operator's manual and load chart for the test crane as NCCCO asks, and watch the NCCCO candidate video within 24 hours of your practical. Bring a photo ID with your date of birth on it, and wear PPE that meets federal OSHA requirements for the yard.
Think about what you want from the 20 hours, too. If your weak spot is the chart, say so on day one; if it is the corridor in reverse, tell the instructor that too, so the coaching during your cab time can target it. Twenty hours goes quickly, and the students who get the most from it are the ones who arrive knowing which tasks give them trouble.
Tuition and enrollment
The course costs $2,950. Ask us about GI Bill® benefits if you are an eligible veteran; other students use workforce funding, employer sponsorship or self-pay. The funding page covers each option.
Call or send the form and tell us about your tower experience. Admissions will confirm the 20-hour course fits, review the school's admission requirements and NCCCO's candidate rules (minimum age 18, its physical requirements and its substance abuse policy), and help you choose dates. Then you travel to Seagoville and begin. See how admission works and review our grievance policy.
If you need lodging, ask about the Premium tower course, a longer tower program with premium extras and optional room and board.