When I was a kid my father was in the equipment rental business and I think I always knew I would join the family business. In fact, my uncle used to tell me a story about asking me at 5 years old what I wanted to be when I grew up. My answer was I wanted to be in the equipment business like my dad.

I realize that going into the equipment rental business is not a career path that most people think about when they are planning their future. It is just not something that comes up as an option with parents, friends, and high school guidance counsellors.

This needs to change.

Our industry is a $5 Billion industry in Canada and it is growing every year. It employs roughly 17,000 people in positions from Yard Coordinator to Senior Management. Equipment Rentals is an exciting, ever evolving, always changing business. It is critical to the growth of Canada’s economy and touches many sectors from housing construction and renovation, construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges, building and maintenance of critical utility infrastructure, mining, oil and gas development and distribution, commercial construction, and the building of schools and hospitals.

There are many paths to great careers in our business. On the operations side you can start from the ground up as a yard coordinator, a hands-on position that teaches you all about the different types of equipment and applications. Many of our most successful rental coordinators, branch managers, regional managers, and senior leaders like me started as a yard coordinator.

But operations is not the only path to a successful and rewarding career in Equipment Rentals. Our industry deploys innovative cutting-edge Information Technology including Advanced Reporting and Analytics, Telematics, Technology Infrastructure, and Data Management.

Our Sales and Marketing departments offer careers in Sales and Sales Management, Customer Care, Strategy, Branding, Positioning, Social Media Strategy and Implementation, Digital Media, Graphic Design, and Special Events and Promotions.

Health and Safety is the number one priority in our business and we employ Advisors and Leaders on Health and Safety throughout our organizations who work tirelessly on strategies and tools to keep our employees and customers safe.

Our industry offers careers in Finance and Human Resources. We offer Skills Training and Leadership Development programs to people who want to work hard and develop the skills and experience that will take them where they want to go, whether that be in Equipment Rentals, some other business, or in their personal lives.

Canada is a welcoming country and our population is very diverse. The Equipment Rental Industry strives to reflect the communities we serve in our workforce. Traditionally a male dominated field, the landscape is changing as we move aggressively towards providing a broad range of opportunities for women and minorities in our business. We believe companies will perform better financially, have stronger, healthier, more diverse cultures, and better serve our customers needs as we create more diversity in leadership positions and corporate governance.

I have enjoyed a wonderful and rewarding career in this exciting business. I have worked hard, taken care of my family, made lifelong friends, and learned many new things that have given my life purpose and meaning. I would not trade my experience for anything. It is my sincere wish that you consider a career in Rentals that can do the same for you.

Yours in Rentals,

Doug Dougherty
CEO

Want to Grow Your Career at Cooper Equipment Rentals? Check our latest job postings here.