Training Technicians for Success: How PLC Technician Certificate Can Boost Your Career
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are fundamental to industrial automation, and their usage is projected to increase, maintaining strong demand for skilled PLC technicians.
Historically, PLC technicians gained programming skills informally, often through on-the-job observation or online resources. However, this approach can be costly for employers, as it may result in the use of non-optimal practices and less efficient programming techniques. The PLC technician with practical training and an understanding of programming and the instruction set used in modern day PLC’s is going to have a significant advantage in the workplace. This article explains why.
Why PLC Technicians Are in Demand
PLCs execute programmed instructions in a deterministic manner. This makes them ideal for real-time control of devices like actuators and motors. Manufacturing relies heavily on PLCs to optimize productivity, ensure quality, and enhance safety in complex processes. For the same reasons, other sectors that use PLCs extensively include energy production, industrial automation, food and beverage production, and pharmaceuticals.
As part of their efforts to cut costs and increase output, these businesses are investing in more automation and more sophisticated equipment. This means more PLCs, all of which need maintenance and often minor program updates to address changes to a product line, and that continues to drive demand for PLC technicians.
Duties of a PLC Technician
The main duties of a PLC technician are:
- Installation, testing and troubleshooting PLC systems
- Wire sensors and IO devices
Perform required maintenance and often minor program editing
A PLC technician may be responsible for making minor PLC program changes, particularly those with less complex requirements. Many PLC technicians over time, and given the exposure, will become competent with the basic PLC programming concepts. The ability to troubleshoot and recognize programming issues as well as understand the complex fault messaging system, file system and other “programmer” or software system related concepts gives a technician a definite advantage
How PLC Technicians Develop Their Skills
Historically, PLC technicians started out as electricians. They progressed from wiring sensors, motors, and actuators to learning how to send and read signals, usually by watching a more senior programmer. PLC software was designed to emulate an environment familiar to the electrician, and they could use a digitized variation on Relay Logic to program industrial applications. Ladder Logic, the result, is still used today to program PLCs for its familiar format for those technicians who have an electrical background.
A better approach is to follow a structured program that takes a logical approach to the transfer of knowledge. Reinforced with practical exercises, multimedia, virtual lab tools ensuring the student acquires and develops the programming skills along with the hardware skills they need to be both safe and productive right from the start.
Content of a PLC Technician Training Program
PLCs are sophisticated devices composed of multiple electronic circuits and components, and in use they are integrated with a wide range of advanced equipment. A PLC technician is required to both understand how they are used and be able to install and debug them once in service. Achieving this level of competence requires a training program addressing:
- Fundamentals and functionality of PLC hardware
- Installation and integration with IO devices
- Maintenance
- Relay logic and ladder logic programming
- Basic Understanding of Other programming methods
- The use of timers and counters
- Use of tags
- Communication with external devices and systems, including SCADA systems
- Distributed control systems
Use of PLCs in process control
Aspiring technicians may find this content covered in a single course. A more comprehensive PLC training program may also split it up into beginner and advanced level courses.
How PLC Technician Certificate Supports Greater Career Success
A PLC Technician certificate complements a general electrical or industrial technicians’ skill set by ensuring that the required level of programming competency and understanding has been achieved. Employers view the type of training, the type that includes programming concepts for PLC technicians, as a core skill to have been acquired through certificate training and demonstrated on demand by prospective job applicants. Once hired, such an employee will likely be given greater responsibility earlier in their career and will have more opportunities to grow into roles in automation, maintenance, and process control.
A well-trained PLC technician certificate holder will be more likely to:
- Work more efficiently and accurately, reducing errors and preventing workplace accidents
- Follow best practices, which supports subsequent program debugging and future upgrades
- Be able to work with more robust programs for more complex processes
Extract higher performance from installed PLCs
A Certificate Offers Distinct Benefits
As manufacturers and other industries strive for higher productivity and quality, they will keep installing growing numbers of PLCs. These complex electronic devices are increasingly at the heart of advanced automation and process control, but successful deployment depends on having people skilled in using them safely and effectively.
An applicant for a PLC technician position with related industrial or electrical experience, who has taken a PLC technician certificate has a clear advantage over one who has not had the training and exposure to programming concepts and hardware equipment specific to modern day PLC systems.
For current employees, obtaining a PLC technician certificate showcases their commitment and ambition for professional growth. It signals to the employer that the employee is dedicated to enhancing their skills, which often leads to greater responsibility and more opportunities for career advancement.
In summary, obtaining a PLC technician certificate is a proven strategy for career advancement as an overall automation / industrial control technician.
If you have questions regarding the online PLC Technician programs at George Brown College please contact our Program Consultants toll free at 1-888-553-5333.