Instrumentation technology program and job market

[alieno1]

Anyone here a student or working in this field?

I checked out the Open House at NAIT last weekend and there was a lot of interesting programs but after some investigation, it looks like Instrumentation was the most interesting. I looked at the quota for this program and noticed they doubled it from 60 to 120 students and there is a winter intake, along with a fall intake for the program. Is there really that much demand for Instrumentation technologists right now or is there a lot of competition for jobs? To give you a perspective, there is a quota of 60 students for Power Engineering, but the same number of qualified applicants who want to get in, so there must be a lot more competition for this program than there is for the Instrumentation program. I also imagine the employment field is bigger for Power Engineers than it is for Instrumentation techs. So I don't know, what is the demand for Instrumentation techs out there right now? How about future demand? As a student, are you already getting job offers?

Anyways, I thought I would throw that out there before I head out to work this morning.

Appreciate any input I can get. Thanks.:)

[adam c]

Yes there is a big market for instrumentation guys right now, a lot of automation companies are looking for them right now

[HiTempguy1]

so there must be a lot more competition for this program than there is for the Instrumentation program.

I also imagine the employment field is bigger for Power Engineers than it is for Instrumentation techs.

So I don't know, what is the demand for Instrumentation techs out there right now? How about future demand? As a student, are you already getting job offers?

I recently graduated from the NAIT program in April. For one thing, not many programs at technical colleges become "full". They usually try to make room for you if your high school marks were decent.

You also would be mistaken about the employment field being bigger for power engineers. There are plenty of instrumentation jobs available, everyone I know from my graduating class has a job unless they were a complete idiot. And this is 4 months out of graduating. Pretty good considering last year NOBODY was being hired at all.

So, to answer your questions specifically, YES, there is high demand for instrumentation technologists. Future demand is dependent on oil activity. One thing to consider is that the instrumentation in a plant will always need somebody to look after it, economic downturn or otherwise. The jobs that disappear tend to be with construction.

As a recent graduate, I had a job within a month (took the first job I was offered, not necessarily the smartest move but the economy was still shaky at that point). I then job hopped to my dream job, working for the Alberta Research Council as a research technologist. YMMV! Ask any questions you'd like, I'll be more than happy to answer.

[IggyB]

The work is picking up.

Just so you know............

Instrumentation is really divided into at leat 2 areas. Field instrumentation such as valves, flow meters and such. And Controls which is programming and so on (Bit Weenies as they're commonly called :) ). And then of course there's working in the field or in the office.

[alieno1]

Awesome, sounds like the demand is there. I definitely have some more questions.

If you did well in Physics, would this job appeal to you?

Do you need a good mechanical aptitude, or is it more electrical in nature?

What exactly is it you do in a typical work day?

If you don't want to work in oil & gas, are there plenty of opportunities in other industries?

I'm interested in Power Engineering and Electrical engineering as well, but I have doubts about these programs. Not interested in crazy shift work with the former and I might not find the latter as interesting. I'm 29 years old now, but when I graduated in 2002, a lot of people were telling me to go into Instrumentation. My mom's boyfriend is a Millwright, and he was totally pushing me into it. Was gonna apply, but I ended up going straight into the flooring trade instead and it's hard physical work. I can't imagine doing this when I'm 50, so I'm starting to think more long term now. I also feel like my brain is starting to turn to mush doing the same thing over and over.

So yea, any more feed back would be nice. Don't have to answer all my questions. I don't know anyone currently working in this field, so any help is appreciated.

[alieno1]

Hey HiTemp, I sent ya a private message.

[JfuckinC]

I work with alot of Inst guys and they're all well paid happy dudes haha.. Seem to enjoy the work that's for sure too..

[RizenSun]

I graduated at '09 and it was during the recession but my classmates were still getting hired for jobs in BC and AB... mind you you'd have to take the crappy jobs offered but experience outweighs not doing anything (like i did :D)

The start of this year was when everything changed... increase in intake for instrumentation work and as well as an increase in intake for applicants for IIET at SAIT

When I took this course I had the privelage of having an awesome Controls Theory teacher and if it wasnt for him I wouldve failed those 2 courses (totally dry, boring, and freaking hard... Valve calculations are the biggest pain in the ass EVER!)

But I enjoyed inst... and not only is it applicable to Elec Eng (mainly branched off from electrical)... but at SAIT it is an industrial application of isntrumentation (Pulp and Paper, Refrigeration, Oil and Gas, Wheat Plants, etc). So you get a little bit of everything: Computer Eng(Logic ANDORNOTs, Programming, CADD drafting, Sequencing), Electrical (V=IR, creating circuit boards, components of a power supply, etc), Chemical (1 yr of chem process, pipe specs, valve specs, Big 5 measurements flow temp level pressure and I cant remember the last one), Mechanical (flow tubes, flow profiles, valve measurement and calculations, pipe sizing, flow calculations based on pipeline design)

Apart from just maintenance, inst techs also do startup/commissioning(lucky if u get to do this off the bat, best experience u can get IMO), design(need exp and probably a degree for this), shutdown/maintenance

There is alot of possible advancement in instrumentation... and I think somewhere in the states they offer a degree for instrumentation and I'm looking forward to see if I can maybe get into that program in the future... but yea instrumentation is everywhere... your car, in airplanes, in rocket ships, submarines, shiet ur Ventilation and heating system in ur house got that too... its a simple loop consisting of measurement, transmission, control, final element reaction...

And yea if ur good in physics you'd get inst a bit better... but be warned that some of the courses in this program ARE DRY AND BORING AS HELL!!!!

[alieno1]

RizenSun, thanks for the reply to this thread. I shot an e-mail your way.

[freshprince1]

I work for an Automation & Controls company. This is a great field to get into. The Controls industry is huge and this is a great way to get your foot in the door. There are so many ways you can go once you have a few years under your belt (i.e. Instrumentation Engineer working for End Users, Sales for a Vendor...etc). I am surprised that it isn't a more well-known industry.

I am in Sales and wish that I had a more technical background, it would have helped the learning curve over the first couple of years.

If you're interested in it, go for it. Let me know if you have any questions, I'd be happy to share what (little) I know.

SAIT uses our Safety System for instruction.

[alieno1]

I sent a PM to you Freshprince.

By the way, in case anyone else who is reading this thread is interested in this field, I found a really cool YouTube channel with hundreds of videos full of lessons and demonstrations on different aspects of Instrumentation technology: http://www.youtube.com/user/BTCInstrumentation

[Euro838]

I'm sure ATCO Gas is always hiring Intrumentation Technologists! :)

[autosm]

Originally posted by IggyB
The work is picking up.

Just so you know............

Instrumentation is really divided into at leat 2 areas. Field instrumentation such as valves, flow meters and such. And Controls which is programming and so on (Bit Weenies as they're commonly called :) ). And then of course there's working in the field or in the office.



Does it help to drive a Nissan?

[IggyB]

At least I'm not driving a swedish meatball.

[stealth]

Like people have said. Instrumentation is in big demand right now.

[alieno1]

I got a letter of acceptance from NAIT for the January intake into the Instrumentation program and I'm super happy. I was really worried that I wouldn't get in because the max intake was only 32 students, but apparently a lot of students cancel and some don't even fill out their applications properly. Anyways, can't wait to start!

I want to thank everyone who helped me out on Beyond, especially Iggy, Prince and HiTempguy for their insider information into the program and the job field. You guys are awesome, and I hope to meet you guys one day on the other side. No not after death, but in the field one day. I'm sure I'll end up a slave under one of you guys :whipped: :rofl:

Wish me luck.