Course catalog · Operators, riggers, signal persons

Pick a prep course by the work you actually do

The list below covers five operator programs, two rigger levels, a signal person course and mobile crane recertification. All of them are online and self-paced, and each one targets a specific nationally accredited certification rather than general crane knowledge.

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Crane Courses

  • Mobile Crane Operator

    Self-paced study for the NCCCO mobile crane Core and your LAT, TLL or TSS specialty, aimed at Arkansas operators on hydros, all-terrains and crawlers.

  • Tower Crane Operator

    Study for the single NCCCO tower crane written exam online, then test hands-on on a hammerhead, luffer or self-erector, as Bentonville and Little Rock projects keep adding cranes.

  • Articulating Crane Operator

    Written exam prep for the three NCCCO articulating crane designations, for Arkansas drivers dropping building materials, running log loaders or handling scrap with a grapple.

  • Rigger Level I

    Self-paced study for the NCCCO Rigger Level I written test, covering slings, hitches, hardware checks and signals for crew members who rig everyday picks with a known load weight.

  • Signalperson

    Study for the NCCCO Signalperson written test on any device, covering standard hand signals, voice and radio communication, crane behavior and the federal OSHA rules for directing a lift.

  • Service Truck Crane Operator

    Written exam prep for the restricted NCCCO Service Truck Crane credential, aimed at Arkansas mechanics who lift components with the crane on their service body.

  • Digger Derrick Operator

    Written exam prep for the NCCCO Digger Derrick Operator credential, for Arkansas line crews who set poles, rebuild after tornadoes and storms, and take on non-pole lifts.

  • Rigger Level II

    Online preparation for the NCCCO Rigger Level II written test, focused on the weight, balance-point and tension math a lead rigger needs when the load's numbers are not handed to them.

  • Crane Recertification

    A focused refresher for Arkansas operators renewing an NCCCO mobile crane certification, covering the core and specialty written tests, the renewal timeline and the 1,000-hour practical waiver.

Start from the machine, not the course title

The fastest way to choose is to look at the crane you run most weeks. A hydraulic truck crane or all-terrain on a Little Rock commercial job sits in the mobile crane program. A knuckle boom unloading block and trusses for a Northwest Arkansas subdivision is an articulating crane. Tower cranes show up on mid-rise and campus work. Line crews setting poles use digger derricks, and the cranes mounted on mechanics' trucks at plants and quarries are service truck cranes.

If your card is already in your wallet and the expiration date is getting close, skip straight to Mobile Crane Recertification.

Operator, rigger or signal person: three different jobs

The operator runs the controls and is responsible for knowing the load chart. The rigger decides how the load gets attached: sling type, hitch, angle, hardware and the weight and center of gravity of what is being picked. The signal person is the operator's eyes when the load or the travel path is out of view, using standard hand signals or voice.

Federal OSHA treats them separately. Operators need certification under 1926.1427, signal persons must be qualified under 1926.1428, and riggers who hook, unhook or guide loads during assembly and other covered work must be qualified under 1926.1425 and 1926.1404. Many Arkansas crews hold two of these, since a rigger is often the one giving signals too. Rigger Level 1 and Signal Person pair well for that reason, and Rigger Level 2 builds on Level 1 for people planning more involved lifts.

What the exams look like

Certification generally comes in two parts. The written exam tests knowledge and can be taken by online proctored testing, at a test center or at a scheduled event. The practical exam is done on a real crane, with an examiner watching, at an accredited practical test site.

Our courses focus on the written portion and explain what the examiner will look for on the practical so you are not walking in blind. NCCCO mobile crane candidates also choose specialties such as telescopic boom (TLL or TSS) or lattice boom (LAT), and the course pages point out which ones fit which machines.

How lessons are delivered

Everything runs in a web browser. Start a lesson on your phone in the truck at lunch and finish it on a laptop at home; your place is saved. Practice questions are written in the style of the certification exams so the format feels familiar on test day. An enrollment advisor confirms you have the right course before you start.

Not sure where to begin? Start with how to become a crane operator in Arkansas or browse all career guides.

Start your Arkansas crane certification prep

Name the card you need (operator, rigger or signal person) and the part of Arkansas you work in. An enrollment advisor writes back with the matching course and what the exam steps look like from there.

  • Self-paced lessons that open on any device, day or night
  • Practice questions written in the style of NCCCO written tests
  • Crew enrollment for Arkansas contractors and plants

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