How NCCER's Model Is Different
The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) is a not-for-profit education foundation best known for its craft curricula. Rather than running test centers itself, NCCER works through Accredited Training Sponsors and assessment centers — contractors, associations, schools and training providers approved to deliver its programs.
A candidate typically completes a written assessment and a performance verification (PV), a hands-on evaluation conducted by an NCCER-qualified evaluator. Results are recorded in the NCCER Registry, which lets employers verify credentials and training history.
Many utility contractors and union or merit-shop training programs already run NCCER curriculum, which makes this pathway convenient when your employer is a sponsor. Before relying on any NCCER digger derrick credential for OSHA crane certification, confirm on nccer.org that it is currently offered as an accredited operator certification for your equipment.
Whichever certifier you use, the knowledge is the same: a digger derrick that tips, contacts a line or drops a pole does so for the same physical reasons. That is why it pays to learn the material thoroughly rather than studying narrowly for one test format, and why employers often accept strong preparation as the foundation for their own in-house evaluation.
NCCER vs. NCCCO for Digger Derrick Operators
| Factor | NCCER pathway | NCCCO pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Who delivers testing | Accredited Training Sponsors and assessment centers | NCCCO test centers, online proctoring and practical sites |
| Hands-on component | Performance verification by a qualified evaluator | Practical exam scored by an NCCCO examiner |
| Records | NCCER Registry transcript | CCO card and online verification |
| Typical fit | Employers already running NCCER training | Employers and owners that specify CCO |
What Our Course Does — and Doesn’t — Provide
The online digger derrick course teaches the knowledge that any accredited assessment draws on and ends with a certificate of completion for your records. It isn’t an NCCER module and doesn’t enter anything into the NCCER Registry. Use it to prepare, then complete NCCER’s own written assessment and performance verification through a sponsor.
See the digger derrick curriculum →Knowledge Areas the Assessment Draws On
Our digger derrick training course covers each topic regardless of which certifier you choose.
Boom, auger, winch and pole guide systems
Derrick capacity charts and configuration effects
Setup on uneven or soft ground and outrigger loading
Augering, pole setting and controlling the pole
Working near energized lines and minimum approach distances
When the Subpart CC utility exemption applies and when it doesn't
Working Through the NCCER Route
Find a sponsor
Ask whether your employer is an NCCER sponsor, or locate one through NCCER.
Close knowledge gaps online
Use our self-paced course to prepare for the written assessment.
Complete the PV
Demonstrate safe operation for a qualified evaluator on a digger derrick.
Get evaluated by your employer
OSHA still expects employer evaluation on the equipment you run, even with a credential on file.