PLC course

hey_hey

Hi folks im a 4th year apprentice sparks waiting to go to phase 6. While browsing through the fas website i saw a PLC course starting in 2 weeks. I dont have any plc experience but i would love to be able to put it on my cv!! I know phase 6 apprentices do a bit of plc work, but can anyone tell me how much detail they go in to in tech. Its €300 for the course which i think is quite good, but i dont want to do the course only to find out ill cover all the same stuff in tech. Has anyone done this course?
Cheers

mazthespark

in phase 6 at the minute for about 2 weeks now. there starting us at the bottom and building up. seems to give us the basics of it and how to use everything but would exactly look for a job in programming after it. your course may require previous experience if its a similar course to one fas used to run. and if its a nite class for 10 weeks its more or less the same as phase 6 as far as i know,

hey_hey

yeah its 2 nites a week for 5 weeks so id say its the same, cheers 4 d info anyway i mite give them a buzz 2moro and see if it will b worth my while, gud luck wit phase 6

mazthespark

thanks. if u ring fas have plenty of credit in as u prob know being an apprentice haha. good luck with the course

Davy

I would reckon the course would have a lot more content. You will be covering the same in fas, but only the basics. If you can afford the €300, and have the time i would go for it. It will stand to you for your phase 6 exams.

hey_hey

thanks davy, i hadnt even thought of the phase 6 exams, but that makes sense!! im gonna call them 2moro and see what the story is. cheers

bertie1

You should have a look at skillstream.ie it was set up to help apprentices starting out with PLCs by one of the Cork IT lecturers

2011

I dont have any plc experience

Once you start learning about PLCs you will find they are quite addictive!

i would love to be able to put it on my cv

It is a good area to get into. Even if you are never employed to programme a PLC having an understanding of how they operate, how to wire them, the difference between analogue and digital I/O can make you much more employable. From this there is also the whole area of instrumentation. This is another interesting area that still provides employment oppertunities to many.

can anyone tell me how much detail they go in to in tech

Not much I would imagine as not much time is allocated to PLCs. I think it is great that apprentices do some PLCs as part of their training. Hopefully many apprentices will go on to learn ore about PLCs once their "appetite has been wetted".

i dont want to do the course only to find out ill cover all the same stuff in tech.

I think that you will find that much of what you learn with PLCs is by "playing" with them. If you find that you are covering the same stuff again read the manual and try other stuff. There is lots of basic stuff you can do with counters, compare functions, timers, set/reset etc. You cant but learn from this course, I think you should do it.

There are lots of out of work electricians, this may give you a slight edge. A basic PLC course I did many years ago led me to complete a more substantial course that focused on PLCs which got me the job I have now.

Perhaps if you give your employer the receipt he can put it through his books as staff training and give you some sort of rebate. It would cost him nothing to do this.


Good luck with it!

hey_hey

thanks 2011 im just after signing up for it, i was told yesterday that the employer pays for courses for apprentices...so its all good. thanks again

2011

im just after signing up for it

Good move! I bet you will enjoy it too. It is always easier studying something that you enjoy