instrumentation technologist

[Audio_Rookie]

So I am a bit confused here.

There is a program at NAIT on this, 2 year diploma program. Looks interesting. But wait, it is also a trade? And the 2 year program only counts towards 600 hours of the trade?

I have never even heard of this listed as a trade before.

So you can get a diploma in instrumentation and a journeyman ticket?

They are listed as instrumentation engineering technologist and instrument tech, but both fall under the same type of program as defined by ALIS.

http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&occPro_ID=71003035

http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&occPro_ID=71011133&SNT_ID=25

Anyone shed some light on this?

Advantages of going to nait (why would I go if its like any other trade?). Advantages of the trade?

Seems like there is alot of cool stuff. I am looking for something where I can utilize my passion for mathematics but not sit on my ass all day.

Eric G.

[b_t]

The guy who started the company I work for (Cobra Maintenance) is an instrumentation tech. Its a trade just like pipefitting/millwright/machining but you can get it a couple different ways. He took that program from NAIT and then logged his hours to get his ticket. He is now fabulously rich :D If it is like most gas plant work though, you still spend much time not sitting on your ass (looks bad) but not doing any work, so you just ride your bicycle around the plant or something.

[jharp]

This might be a vague answer, but that is what my dad does and he works in an office and makes decent money.
He used to work in a plant in northern BC but to my knowledge all he did was wonder around and look at gauges.

I really don't know any specifics though, other then he took a two year course at SAIT a while back.

[Audio_Rookie]

ya it seems like there is good money in the trade. And I would be able to use more of my math skills then being in any other trade.

It doesn't look like a pre employment program for a trade job though...its its own diploma...and a trade. It is weird.

I am trying to find more info about it right now.

[Crazyjoker77]

well i hope i can clear this up some i just finished a few months ago in the pre employment instrument tech program at sait. THere are some minor differences between the instrument tech and technologists. First being is how the schooling is done for instrument tech its just like any other trade you find a journeyman to indenture you get your hours and attend school for 2months of the year for 4 years.

for the engineering program its a 2year full time course and when your done you get your CET which is pretty much the equivalent of a journeyman ticket. After this once you have around 4 years expierance you can apply for a RET (registered engineering technition) and really all it does is in title you to more money.

also the engineering course focuses alot more on math and requires you to take some calculus courses during the program so its much more difficult.

but as far as employers are concerned there is no differance other that sometimes preferance is given to journeymen as they can train apprentices.

now for my impressions on the trade. Right now I am working as a instrument tech here in calgary but unfortunatly they dont have a journeymen on staff so i am getting no hours logged towards my apprenticeship. The work is easy and like said in a previous post i spend 80% of my day staring at guages and recording data. There is a big demand for instrument techs but i've come to the conclusion that there is a shortage of journeyman around this area as they are all going up north cause they are in super high demand. Also the instrument trade is not as big as most of the others so its a more of who you know type of thing for most of the jobs.

hope this helps you guys out thinking about getting into instrument tech.

[Super_Steve]

I hope this clears up some questions for you.

The two year course at NAIT will get you the Instrumentation Engineering Technology Diploma. It will also give you credit for the first two years of the Instrumentation Technician apprenticeship. By that i mean you wont have to write the first two year exams. You get around 900 hours credit for your first year and 600 towards your second. After that you have to continue working and building up your hours. You also get the ability to challenge your 3rd and 4th year apprenticeship tests so you won't have to go to school for that. You can go back to school though should you chose to.

At the same time you can be working as a TT (technician/technologist in Traning) through ASET http://www.aset.ab.ca/ There are some stipulations but after a couple of years you can get your CET (Certified Engineering Technologist) certificate. This may help you with some employers but so far I have found most want you to have the Journeyman ticket. You cannot apply for your RET(Registered Engineering Technologist) after 4 years as stated above unless those 4 years have been senior level experience.

Just to give you an example. I graduated in 2006 and there were some kids that had zero work experience other than the 4 months between 1st and 2nd year that were getting 30 dollars an hour. I am already an Electrician so my wage after school is skewed. I did however land a job with an oil company months before i finished and get paid well above 100k a year now with minimal overtime. Its the little things that add up, RRSP contributions, share appreciation plans, etc.

If you enjoy working with computers/electrical equipment and dont really like crazy back breaking work then i would highly recommend this trade/diploma. Its also a very diverse field so you can work in just about any sector, I chose oil and gas because thats where ive been for 10 years now and thats where the money is.

Any other questions feel free to ask.

Steve

[Audio_Rookie]

what do you actually do all day?

I read its about measuring volumes in weird shapes and flow dynamics and stuff. Thats all fine and dandy.....but once you learn all that stuff what do you actually do at work?

I am a first year (soon to be second year) welder and was thinking I could weld part time to pay through school.

I would hope to make 60k+ straight out of the 2 year diploma.

I just wanna use my fricken noggin a bit more...field work would be cool 2....something where I am not stuck in an office but can still do calculation on the fly. I love working under pressure.

[Super_Steve]

I work at a small gas plant up north so Im the only Instrument/Electrical person on site so I do a wide variety of things.

For example we needed some new servers for our hmi system. The old ones were on their last legs and i was worried that they were going to crap out and leave us without the ability to see/conrol the plant. So i spent probably 6 weeks of work setting up drivers and communication/building the databases to link to the PLC's. It was really challenging but felt good when it was done. Plus now I know my way around the system so when a problem comes up I can find it/fix it right away.

I also do a bit of PLC programming as needed. We have both Modicon and Allen Bradley PLC's so i get the chance to work on two completely different ladder logic styles of programming.

All of our wells are on a SCADA system, fisher Roc 312's and floboss' to be exact. Everything is polled via radios back to one of the servers. I look after those ,keep them communicating, wells operatings properly as well as monthly downloads of the meter data.

Also responsible for calibrating all the transmitters in the plant. That would be the level, pressure, temperature, gas and fire detection, h2s analysers, moisture analysers, UPS system, etc. One important thing that we have to do is the meters for custody transfer/accounting. Those have to be done to the EUB's specifications ala Directive 17.

Fix anything that comes up during the day that the operators are having problems with. Instrument Air compressors, air dryers, vibration sensors, valves, etc etc.

I enjoy this work a lot more than electrical work. Theres a lot more diversity and i find it more challenging/rewarding.

I find i dont use a lot of the stuff i learned in school directly, but the troubleshooting process helps as well as the ability to read manuals. Thats a must as a lot of equipment is too complex to just jump into. For example our mass flow meter for the water injection well manual is 350 pages!!!

Anymore questions feel free to ask.


Originally posted by Audio_Rookie
what do you actually do all day?

I read its about measuring volumes in weird shapes and flow dynamics and stuff. Thats all fine and dandy.....but once you learn all that stuff what do you actually do at work?

I am a first year (soon to be second year) welder and was thinking I could weld part time to pay through school.

I would hope to make 60k+ straight out of the 2 year diploma.

I just wanna use my fricken noggin a bit more...field work would be cool 2....something where I am not stuck in an office but can still do calculation on the fly. I love working under pressure.

[Audio_Rookie]

ya like you said....sounds like your a pcl programmer and computer nerd at work 2.

That stuff sounds fun, running around fixing whatever. Almost like a glorified millwright.

Hmmmm..I am having a hard time finding job links though. I would assume there are opportunities everywhere and not just north.

I would really not like to go further than Edmonton north wise.

Maybe I will call nait and book an appointment with a career counselor.

[Super_Steve]

Id rather my sister be a whore than my brother be a millright. haha. JK to any millwrights who read this

Ya theres lots of jobs local. I enjoy working in the bush, less politics/more money so thats why i do it.


Originally posted by Audio_Rookie
ya like you said....sounds like your a pcl programmer and computer nerd at work 2.

That stuff sounds fun, running around fixing whatever. Almost like a glorified millwright.

Hmmmm..I am having a hard time finding job links though. I would assume there are opportunities everywhere and not just north.

I would really not like to go further than Edmonton north wise.

Maybe I will call nait and book an appointment with a career counselor.

[Audio_Rookie]

Good point.

A full fledged trade as well as strong ties to engineering, even full diplomas for it.

Didn't think such a thing could exist.

career counselor here I come.

Its 2 bad there is not some kind of job shadow program thing I could go on.

Seems to be the biggest problem out there, everyone gets there education before they fully understand what they can do with it lol.

[Super_Steve]

You may be able to do some job shadowingif you call around. It might be hard to get into the refineries though as they have all that safety crap to deal with.

[Super_Steve]

Oh. forgot to mention that with NAITs new building, they will be able to pump through twice as many instrument techs per year(approx 200). I hear its a really nice building with new equipment but its going to make finding a job twice as hard for those guys.