Power Engineer/Plant Operator

[stealth]

Disregard.

[stealth]

:dunno:

No one looking? I will relocate to anywhere!!

[Commanderwiggin]

Ur gonna have to do the looking around...lots of companies hiring right now so it shouldn't be hard to get a job.

I have half my 3rd class already working on the 2nd half. When you write your B1 paper make sure you study a shitload. I never studied for a single paper until B1 and they grenaded my entire class on the test...plus ABSA has new management and new people marking...and they're so damn slow its not even funny:thumbsdow

I would call SAIT and ask for a guy named Harry Maekelburger, he'll hook u up with the right people, most of the guys here at sait have jobs already so i guess you get the shitty picks:devil: jk, gl with the job.

[stealth]

Thanks alot for the info man.

Im taking it at Nait right now.

Yea, I have a feeling B1 is going to be hard!

Good luck with your studies.

[Aleks]

So what happened to that debate about whether you guys can use the term Engineer in your title? I read somewhere Apegga was against it? Whatever happened to that?

Good luck with your search.

[msommers]

Not sure if they are looking but we are doing major construction, like 4 or 5 phases on a SAG-D project. Company is in Encana and located in Foster Creek, inside the Cold Lake weapons ranges (its cool to see the jets all the time!). They already have an operational plant as well.

[USED]

Something is obviously wrong if you can't find work right now as an operator. Every company that I deal with is looking, why don't you take a look at the oil and gas companies websites and look at their careers sections.


Encana (http://www.encana.com)
CNRL (http://www.cnrl.com)
Husky Energy (http://www.huskyenergy.ca)

These are just a couple of examples

[Super_Geo]

Just out of curiosity, how old are you guys and where are you taking these courses? The requirements for 3rd-1st tier power engineers seems to be pretty lax:


To write the examination for the Third Class certificate, candidates must have:

the required operating experience with a Fourth Class certificate
Science 10 or Physics 10, Applied Math 10 or Pure Math 10 (or Math 10 or 13) and English 10 or 13 (or equivalent education) or pass Part A of a recognized Third Class course in power engineering.
To write the examination for the Second Class certificate, candidates must have:

the required operating experience with a Third Class certificate
Science 20 or Physics 20, Applied Math 20 or Pure Math 20 (or Math 20 or 23) and English 20 or 23 (or equivalent education) or pass Part A of a recognized Second Class course in power engineering.
To write the examination for the First Class certificate, candidates must have:

the required operating experience with a Second Class certificate
Science 30 or Physics 30, Applied Math 20 or Pure Math 20 (or equivalent) and English 20 or 23 (or equivalent), or pass Part A of a First Class course in power engineering.

[Commanderwiggin]

I go to SAIT...lets just say that dumb people won't pass, thats for sure. Our class started at 62 last year and we're down to like 40 now. Also ABSA tickets just got harder this year as they are switching over to new examinations.
In order to get your 4th class you need to write two 3.5hr exams, 150 questions each with a,b,c,d,e type questions. Also they are hard m.c. questions...ex: choose 1,2,3 or 1,2,3,4 or 1,2,3,4,5 or 1,2...etc... you get the idea.

In order to get your 3rd class you need to write four (1 written, 3 M.C.) 3.5hr exams and have enough steam time (1years worth or more I think). Taking school at SAIT gives you 8 months steam time. (Summer open for the other 4)

So technically speaking I should've been writing my 2nd class exams (6 of them to write, extremely hard 3.5hr written exams.) But I failed my B1(written) and B2 (last 2 third class) exams. First absa exams I've failed yet. A 65 is a pass. I got 53 on the B1 and a 64 on the B2...yup a big kick in the nuts. All my studying was on the B1 written exam but the markers were really anal as ABSA has new management, new exams, and has no clue what they're doing. I studied all previous exam questions thinking that they would be on them, only 2 questions were from previous exams.

Also for any series of exams if you fail 3 times you have to wait 6 months to rewrite. So for example...i failed my B1 and B2...this counts as 2 failures. However once i pass my 3rd class 'B' series papers then everything resets...so i got 3 chances at 2nd class A1,A2,A3 papers.
4th Class: A1 and A2
3rd Class: A1,A2 and B1,B2 (B1 Written)
2nd Class: A1,A2,A3 and B1,B2,B3 (All Written)
1st Class: A1,A2,A3,A4 and B1,B2,B3,B4 (All Written)

I am sure I can easily pass the 3rd class B2 without much studying since I never put any effort into that exam, just studied my B1 previously and pulled off a 64 on the B2.
However this time if I study these "PanGlobal" course packs that ABSA is pulling most of the new questions off of then I should ace this exam.

Also on a side note, here are the differences between SAIT and NAIT:

SAIT: 5 Semesters Long (Bullshit IMO), Boilers, Elec,Stats,Calculus, Writing, Computers, Thermodynamics, Controls, Labs
Teachers will be retiring very soon and SAIT has very poor management...at least in the energy department.
SAITS Program offers Steam Time, Nait does not (not 100% sure)

NAIT: 4 Semesters (AWESOME)...not sure about courses and how the teachers are.

In my opinion I made the right decision to go to SAIT earlier but now the program is going to shit and I think NAIT is going to offer a better Power Engineering program in the future if not already. Also the 5th semester at SAIT (currently in) is a real pissoff...i want to make money:bigpimp:

[stealth]

SAIT is supposed to be the best place to go for Power Engineering, but NAIT is excellent also.

Those prerequisites are bullshit. In reality to be able to take the course you need 30's, to be eligible into NAIT.

If you are going in with a Grade 10 education, don't expect to pass, or even get accepted into the program.


As for the Apegga thing. We are considered Engineers, tell me where else you can take Power Engineering? You cant take it at University or anything, and if you were able to, you would still need ot be certified by ABSA.

There is only one jurisdiction in Alberta that licenses Power Engineers and that is ABSA, if you aren't listed on their, you are not a Power Engineer.

[stealth]

Moderators, this can be closed.

I found a job. Thanks:D

[denise]

Im looking to change careers asap. My occupation right now isteaching and im looking to take the online 4th class power engineering course through NAIT this year. Can anyone offer me some advise... a bit worried about the math... is it mostly formula based math??

[Talon_66]

Originally posted by denise
Im looking to change careers asap. My occupation right now isteaching and im looking to take the online 4th class power engineering course through NAIT this year. Can anyone offer me some advise... a bit worried about the math... is it mostly formula based math??


Im currently working towards my 4th class. I found a job that would hire me on without any experience, and give me boiler hours/time. I am doing all my studies through correspondence, it is a lot harder because you have to study at your own pace and a lot of the questions arent even in the text book.

I do want to advance to my 3rd class and maybe 2nd. This is a good thread, full of good information.

[HeavyD111]

You found an operating job with absolutely no tickets or experience? Sounds like you lucked out! In town or did you have to go to a remote location?

[stealth]

I believe he is a Building Operator. That is probably the only way to get into it without having a Power Engineers Certificate.

[lil*tymer]

Originally posted by Commanderwiggin
I go to SAIT...lets just say that dumb people won't pass, thats for sure. Our class started at 62 last year and we're down to like 40 now. Also ABSA tickets just got harder this year as they are switching over to new examinations.
In order to get your 4th class you need to write two 3.5hr exams, 150 questions each with a,b,c,d,e type questions. Also they are hard m.c. questions...ex: choose 1,2,3 or 1,2,3,4 or 1,2,3,4,5 or 1,2...etc... you get the idea.

In order to get your 3rd class you need to write four (1 written, 3 M.C.) 3.5hr exams and have enough steam time (1years worth or more I think). Taking school at SAIT gives you 8 months steam time. (Summer open for the other 4)

So technically speaking I should've been writing my 2nd class exams (6 of them to write, extremely hard 3.5hr written exams.) But I failed my B1(written) and B2 (last 2 third class) exams. First absa exams I've failed yet. A 65 is a pass. I got 53 on the B1 and a 64 on the B2...yup a big kick in the nuts. All my studying was on the B1 written exam but the markers were really anal as ABSA has new management, new exams, and has no clue what they're doing. I studied all previous exam questions thinking that they would be on them, only 2 questions were from previous exams.

Also for any series of exams if you fail 3 times you have to wait 6 months to rewrite. So for example...i failed my B1 and B2...this counts as 2 failures. However once i pass my 3rd class 'B' series papers then everything resets...so i got 3 chances at 2nd class A1,A2,A3 papers.
4th Class: A1 and A2
3rd Class: A1,A2 and B1,B2 (B1 Written)
2nd Class: A1,A2,A3 and B1,B2,B3 (All Written)
1st Class: A1,A2,A3,A4 and B1,B2,B3,B4 (All Written)

I am sure I can easily pass the 3rd class B2 without much studying since I never put any effort into that exam, just studied my B1 previously and pulled off a 64 on the B2.
However this time if I study these "PanGlobal" course packs that ABSA is pulling most of the new questions off of then I should ace this exam.

Also on a side note, here are the differences between SAIT and NAIT:

SAIT: 5 Semesters Long (Bullshit IMO), Boilers, Elec,Stats,Calculus, Writing, Computers, Thermodynamics, Controls, Labs
Teachers will be retiring very soon and SAIT has very poor management...at least in the energy department.
SAITS Program offers Steam Time, Nait does not (not 100% sure)

NAIT: 4 Semesters (AWESOME)...not sure about courses and how the teachers are.

In my opinion I made the right decision to go to SAIT earlier but now the program is going to shit and I think NAIT is going to offer a better Power Engineering program in the future if not already. Also the 5th semester at SAIT (currently in) is a real pissoff...i want to make money:bigpimp:

The correspondence course through Nait has no pre-req. The only reason you need math 30 pure for 4th class is because of the high demand. Of course the higher educated will get in, but the course load is well below math 30 pure.

[Talon_66]

Originally posted by HeavyD111
You found an operating job with absolutely no tickets or experience? Sounds like you lucked out! In town or did you have to go to a remote location?



Originally posted by stealth
I believe he is a Building Operator. That is probably the only way to get into it without having a Power Engineers Certificate.


Stealth is correct I am building operator.
We have 17 Class A boilers on site.

Im working in Edmonton