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legendboy
09-04-2013, 09:40 AM
http://www.plctechnician.com/

Just wondering if anybody has any feedback on this class or has any recommendations for plc training.

The GB program is focused on Rockwell, which is probably a good thing in Alberta?

Perfect Dark
09-04-2013, 10:26 AM
We've had guys go through the program and it's pretty good, if you're a self study type of learner then I would recommend it.

legendboy
09-05-2013, 11:18 AM
Thanks

Nufy
09-05-2013, 01:18 PM
Are you gonna do both programs or can you skip to level II ?

Perfect Dark
09-05-2013, 01:57 PM
You can just skip to level II which is what I would recommend...once you've learned Controllogix 5000 it's pretty easy to learn 500 (you also learn just how shitty it is compared to 5000 haha).

Nufy
09-05-2013, 02:09 PM
Why not do the SAIT courses ?

Cos
09-05-2013, 02:39 PM
.

HiTempguy1
09-05-2013, 05:49 PM
My question is what are you that requires the training?

If you aren't doing constant work with PLC'S, then it'd be useless. Plus, if you went through NAIT inst or electrical programs, you already learned that stuff. SAIT is Schneider afaik.

What I mean by this is unless you are an engineer who is programming, nobody is going to hire you for plc work without at minimum a diploma of some sort.

Cos
09-05-2013, 06:40 PM
.

Unknown303
09-05-2013, 07:56 PM
Originally posted by legendboy
http://www.plctechnician.com/

Just wondering if anybody has any feedback on this class or has any recommendations for plc training.

The GB program is focused on Rockwell, which is probably a good thing in Alberta?

Alberta is largely Rockwell. Most places that I saw anything different we were phasing it out and putting in Rockwell/AB stuff.

AndyL
09-05-2013, 08:03 PM
I think i saw a few plc courses on the MITx course list...registration just started this week - might not be full up - and who can argue with free ;)

Perfect Dark
09-05-2013, 08:20 PM
Originally posted by HiTempguy1
My question is what are you that requires the training?

If you aren't doing constant work with PLC'S, then it'd be useless. Plus, if you went through NAIT inst or electrical programs, you already learned that stuff. SAIT is Schneider afaik.

What I mean by this is unless you are an engineer who is programming, nobody is going to hire you for plc work without at minimum a diploma of some sort.

Our techs are not programmers, but we deal with PLC's on a daily basis and use the code to help us troubleshoot and make Engineering approved edits. Having PLC experience is huge for a lot of oil and gas field technicians.

Unless something changed very recently SAIT always was and still is training on Rockwell PLC's.

HiTempguy1
09-05-2013, 08:28 PM
Originally posted by Perfect Dark


Our techs are not programmers, but we deal with PLC's on a daily basis and use the code to help us troubleshoot and make Engineering approved edits. Having PLC experience is huge for a lot of oil and gas field technicians.


Exactly. And unless he is a tech or engineer, I don't see the point in this. I feel from his initial post that "maybe" he might be looking to get into industry, which would require something beyond "I took this PLC course". If not, there are more recognizable programs he can take that Alberta employers will care more about :dunno:

Perfect Dark
09-05-2013, 08:45 PM
Originally posted by HiTempguy1


Exactly. And unless he is a tech or engineer, I don't see the point in this. I feel from his initial post that "maybe" he might be looking to get into industry, which would require something beyond "I took this PLC course". If not, there are more recognizable programs he can take that Alberta employers will care more about :dunno:

Well by tech I mean Journeyman Electrician, we don't hire technologists as they aren't very useful to be honest. So any Electrician that comes to us with PLC training that's almost an instant hire.

Nufy
09-05-2013, 11:37 PM
SAIT has labs dedicated to a few of the major PLC/DCS products being used in AB.

If interested in PLC / Automation programming as a career, definitely go the SAIT route to start.

If you wanna learn a bit about them and not really apply it, do the online route.

My opinion obviously but I have been in the industry for the last 15 years.

I've worked on PLC 2,3,5 SLC-500 and Control logix 5000 & Guard Logix.

The old Modicon shoebox PLC's all the way to the new Unity platform.

Plus a variety of small RTU's and flow computers.




Any course will only be a start.

Development and commissioning experience is a must.

HiTempguy1
09-06-2013, 07:03 AM
Originally posted by Perfect Dark


Well by tech I mean Journeyman Electrician, we don't hire technologists as they aren't very useful to be honest. So any Electrician that comes to us with PLC training that's almost an instant hire.

I have no idea what industry/line of work your company is in, so in your specific case, that might be so. Of course, that's like stating an engineer would be useless in place of an electricial (duh). I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt in that you are referring to your own hiring situation and not just technologists in general. If you are, at risk of derailing this thread, you can go (insert your own statement here).

Edit-
By "electricial", I meant electrician. Way too early in the morning at KEARL...

I also echo Cos statement. If you are hiring Technologists straight out of school expecting them to be able to do field work like someone with 4 years of field experience, well hookay!

Cos
09-06-2013, 08:56 AM
.

legendboy
09-07-2013, 11:45 PM
I am thinking of building a tool changer for the cnc mill I just finished a control retrofit. I have an slc-500 on my desk at home and have played around with it. Seems like something I would like to take a course on