Heavy Equipment Operator jobs, only seasonal? Appleton, Milwaukee area (construction, living in)

[CO3]

We are making a move up to Wisconsin this spring. I am an experienced underground equipment operator. I have been living in a climate where there is not much winter, so a little nervous about job opportunities. Are the dirt work jobs usually seasonal or can I find a year around job? What is the pay like for someone with 20+ years experience?

[ranger17]

Hi OP; considering the frost depth can be up to 2' on a hard winter and the frost line for building can be several feet deep there can be limitations on outdoor construction in winter up here.
Can crews and projects be year round? Yes. But I'll make the assumption (based on nieces that do roadwork in IL) that the hours in the warmer months are long, to make up for not working much over winter.

Moving anywhere without a job set can be tough, let alone one that may or may not be seasonal in nature. Not sure your specialty, but even road work up here is tied to approved projects and the current financial climate has some of the bigger projects on hold.

So depending on the area(s) you are looking to move to, perhaps contact the local cable companies, construction companies, etc so get a feel for what the business outlook for your skills is in that location. Hopefully someone with more direct experience on this can offer more assistance.