Meet Our Graduates

As an electrician for over 25 years working both in the private sector as well as the public sector with residential, commercial, industrial, motor control, HVAC controls, solar, generator, Ethernet, fiber optic networks, data centers as well as working in some manufacturing and Class 1, 2, and 3 classifications as they pertain to the National Electrical Code I thought I knew everything that there was to learn in the electrical industry today. I find myself humbled as well as educated after studying and passing the PLC technician I & II course taught through MiraCosta College in Carlsbad California, the PLC technician I & II course was created and made available by the George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. 

I have spoken often with the George Brown support team which make themselves surprisingly available for students. I have called often and not once was I made to feel unwelcomed or embarrassed for calling and asking questions about either the course structure, logging in and out, the download and installation or just asking general PLC programming questions. I have recently decided to take a basic introductory course in C++ at another College and the George Brown support has even answered questions I asked about C++. The George Brown student support team does an excellent job, and the PLC technician course is a treasure trove of knowledge for a CA State general certified electrician like me. If there was a review, I could answer then I would have done the review, but there was not so I decided to write my own review. The PLC technician I & II course gets a 5 star out of 5-star rating in all regards. This course has made me a better electrician.

I selected PLC Technician program because I’m genuinely interested in the field and want to secure a relevant job in the future. What I liked most about the program was how clearly the content and concepts were explained with illustrations, animations, and simulations software. 

 I am now enrolled in the Automation program looking to acquire additional & new skills/knowledge.

Tyler Naramore works as a senior Pilot Plant Technician in the Research Department of a mining company where he programs PLCs and ensures instrument data is streaming correctly.

‘I use my PLC programming knowledge regularly in my job and expect my responsibility will change now that I have completed the program.’

“I liked how I was able to move at my own pace from home.’

Josh Finley is Lead Maintenance Technician at FC industries a CNC manufacturing plant producing automotive parts and construction parts. 

‘Over the past 15 years I had been able to make minor tweaks to timers and maybe change an output if needed but with automation advancing like it is I just wanted a better understanding; to be able to use the program as a troubleshooting tool and to add PLCs to older equipment as necessary.

With this program you will learn to write programs from start to finish and be able to implement them in the field right away. Since completing the PLC program at GBC I've added some PLCs to old school rivet machines, just writing a single input and single output program to make them much safer. In the past They were operated by a foot pedal which meant when the operator kept their foot on the pedal too long the riveter may double hit. I wrote a program with one input from the foot pedal which turned on a timer for ½ second and used a normally closed contact for the dn bit of the timer to that one output. The foot petal is therefore only on for ½ second.  To trigger it again the riveter must remove their foot and re trip the foot switch.

The software and virtual examples were my favorite part of the program. ‘

Sam Connor is an Electrical Specialist at TC Transcontinental Packaging, a packaging, commercial printing, and specialty media company. ‘I took the PLC Technician II program as I wanted to gain more knowledge and experience with the programming side of PLC’s and expand my knowledge as an Industrial Electrician.  

I liked the programs’ simulation software best; ‘it gave me great hands-on experience with programming PLC and was able to see my program in action.’

 Since completing this program my responsibilities have grown and now include taking charge of a new machine installation and being chosen to complete PLC programming projects. While I wasn’t looking for a promotion this program definitely helped me get my new job as an Electrical Specialist. 

I chose this program to refresh my knowledge of automation using PLCs. The online course offered by George Brown College provides the flexibility to complete it at your own pace. It combines theory with simulation software, making the concepts easy to understand and apply. The simulator is especially valuable, allowing practical experience without needing to invest in costly PLC training kits.

The program's resource center is also a great asset, enabling students to connect and share experiences. Additionally, the certificates earned upon completion provide industry-recognized validation of the skills gained, supported by George Brown College’s strong reputation.

Building on the knowledge acquired from this program, I’ve now established my own automation company.

Jesse Ohiro is a Production Operator at Magna Seating, assembling car seats for Ford and Lincoln. He selected the PLC II program to ‘advance my studies in PLC programming and other types of programming languages in general.’

‘The program along with the software, quizzes and projects all can be used to practice and simulate programs. This has helped me to understand the course material. 

The skills and knowledge acquired through the program to analyze and troubleshoot various programs and hardware, will eventually help start my career as a programmer or automation technician.’

“I selected the PLC Technician II program because our plant is upgrading its automation, moving from RSLogix 500 to RSLogix/Studio 5000. We are modernizing our automation loops, and the program helped me become an active part of the team. I’m using this new knowledge to grow professionally and be more efficient in my work. 

There are three very positive aspects of the program: time without pressure to advance for those of us working full-time, flexible payment options, and a curriculum with simulation software that combines theory and practice.  

The curriculum and simulation software are very well designed to combine theory with practice and are truly useful for understanding the applications. PLCLogix is an excellent learning tool—it helped me greatly understand the Studio 5000 environment. The knowledge I acquired has allowed me to improve my programming and PLC assembly with greater efficiency and performance.

Thank you to all of you who make our technical development possible. Thank you, George Brown College.” 

Philip Heywood is a Metal Machinist at a custom fabrication company. Philip registered into the PLC program ‘to expand my expertise into the function and repair of equipment that uses PLCs and to advance my career options.’

‘I work with CNC equipment that uses PLCs to function and the program has helped me troubleshoot issues making my job easier.

As a full-time employee it is difficult to find time to accommodate classes however this program is entirely online and I could work on it at my own pace.’

Amir Sabooniha is a Process Engineer with Heidelberg Materials, an aggregate mine company producing different sand and gravels used in the construction industry. “We use PLC for control and monitoring, vital factors in processing. With this course and the knowledge gained I have better insight and understanding of PLC processes.”