NECS Summer 2026 Newsletter

802-557-0583

NEW ENGLAND CRANE SCHOOL

summer 2026

What’s the difference between a certification and a license?

We often get calls from customers trying to understand the difference between a nationally accredited certification and a state license, and wanting to know which requirements apply to their specific situation. Generally speaking, a license is a mandatory, government-issued legal requirement to practice a regulated profession to ensure public safety. A certification is a voluntary, industry-issued credential that verifies a certain skill level or specialization in a specific field. In the world of crane operation, however, a nationally accredited certification is required by OSHA for those who fall under the Cranes and Derricks in Construction Standard.

Certification: Any operator of a piece of equipment that can lift, lower and horizontally move a suspended load weighing more than 2000 pounds, who is engaged in construction-related activity, must have a nationally accredited certification, per OSHA. This requirement is independent of any state license requirements you might be subject to. New England Crane School offers two nationally accredited certifications: NCCER and NCCCO, both of which are accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Both certifications require you to pass both a written and a practical exam.
License: Here in the Northeast, CT, RI, MA and NY all have their own license requirements (and NH, VT and ME have no state license requirements). You cannot satisfy the OSHA requirement for a certification by getting a state license, nor can you satisfy a state license requirement with your NCCER or CCO certification. Each state license differs in its requirements; all of them require a written test, but only some also require a practical test. New England Crane School does not offer prep classes specifically for any of these license tests, but we do think our prep courses for NCCER and NCCCO certification go a long way toward covering the basics you need for these tests. If you need to do both a certification and a license, it makes sense to start with one of our prep classes for certification and then look into whether you might need any additional resources for your licensing test.

For more information about certification and licensing, including exemptions to the certification requirement and links to state licensing websites, check out the FAQ page on our website.

The quality of the learning environment matters

Our instructor Mark is a pretty even-keeled guy, but there is one thing that never fails to get him worked up, and that’s a classroom that doesn’t set participants up for success. “The learning environment really matters,” Mark says. “When someone is physically uncomfortable, it’s very difficult for them to focus mentally. If they’re too cold, too hot, jostling elbows with their neighbor or trying to work from materials in their laps, that will negatively impact how they learn.”


	New England Crane School 2026 Summer/FAll season schedule

July 22, 2026
Qualified signal person and basic rigging, Portland, ME

July 23 – 24, 2026
NCCER recert/short operator cert class, Portland, ME
This class is meant for re-certifying operators, or operators who are looking for a fast-track option and are willing to study on their own.

August 5 – 7, 2026
NCCCO recertification class, Dover, NH
Candidates for this class must hold a current NCCCO certification and have 1000 hours of seat time in the previous five years. No practical exams will be given in this class.

August 10, 2026
Qualified signal person and basic rigging, Concord, NH

August 10 - 14, 2026
NCCER rookie/long operator class, Concord, NH
This class is meant for rookies or people who need more classroom prep time. We can also modify it for experienced operators who still need to get certified.

September 23, 2026
Qualified signal person and basic rigging, Dover, NH

September 24 - 25, 2026
NCCER recert/short operator cert class, Dover, NH
This class is meant for re-certifying operators, or operators who are looking for a fast-track option and are willing to study on their own.

October 5 – 9, 2026
NCCCO certification class, South Easton, MA, hosted by Shawmut Equipment.
This class is for experienced operators only. We have practical exams available only for TSS (fixed cab hydraulic) and TLL (swing cab hydraulic)

October 19 - 23, 2026
NCCER rookie/long operator cert class, South Easton, MA, hosted by Shawmut Equipment
This class is meant for rookies or people who need more classroom prep time. We can also modify it for experienced operators who still need to get certified.

November 2, 2026
Qualified signal person and basic rigging, Winooski, VT hosted by Vermont Construction Academy

November 2 - 6, 2026
NCCER rookie/long operator cert class, Burlington area, hosted by Vermont Construction Academy and Woods CRW Corp.
This class is meant for rookies or people who need more classroom prep time. We can also modify it for experienced operators who still need to get certified.

November 18, 2026
Qualified signal person and basic rigging, Concord, NH

November 19 - 20, 2026
NCCER recert/short operator cert class, Concord, NH
This class is meant for re-certifying operators, or operators who are looking for a fast-track option and are willing to study on their own.

December 7, 2026
Qualified signal person and basic rigging, Portland, ME

December 7 - 11, 2026
NCCER rookie/long operator cert class, Portland, ME
This class is meant for rookies or people who need more classroom prep time. We can also modify it for experienced operators who still need to get certified.

For more information or to register:
email desiree@newenglandcraneschool.com
or visit www.newenglandcraneschool.com

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