International Union of Operating Engineers Local Union 450
- Heavy Equipment Operator
Most heavy equipment operator training in Texas approved for the GI Bill® is on the job: 13 of the 15 locations are employers or sponsors offering apprenticeship or OJT, so you can earn wages while you train.
VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 15 heavy equipment operator training locations in Texas with 15 approved programs: 2 with school programs and 13 with apprenticeship or on-the-job training.
Before you enroll, open the VA profile to confirm the exact program, and ask the School Certifying Official to confirm your start date. [VA: Choosing a GI Bill approved school]
GI Bill students (all programs): 19Not accredited (accreditation is not required for VA approval of many trade programs)
GI Bill students (all programs): 143Accredited (regional)Student complaints in VA data: 1
Source: VA GI Bill Comparison Tool program data, retrieved October 24, 2026. School details come from VA's data file dated October 8, 2026. The list is sorted by city, then name. It isn't a ranking.
VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool lists 15 approved programs at 15 locations in Texas as of October 24, 2026. That's about 7% of the 227 heavy equipment operator locations in VA's data nationally. By type: 13 employers and apprenticeship sponsors, 1 for-profit school, 1 public college or technical school.
By number of locations: Houston (6), Dayton (1), El Paso (1), Fort Worth (1), Laredo (1), Lewisville (1) and 4 more cities.
Yes. 13 locations offer VA-approved on-the-job training in Texas (13 programs); 12 of them are registered apprenticeships. With the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you're paid wages plus a monthly housing payment that steps down every six months.
[VA: GI Bill Comparison Tool] [VA: On-the-job training and apprenticeships]
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GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.