Control and Automation?

Max_Charger

I'm a qualified electrician with a love for all things PLC related and looking to go back to college next Sept to do engineering in the field of automation ,since i'd like to stay in cork I'm having a bit of difficulty trying to decide which engineering course to do though since there is no dedicated course for it, but many touch on it between Mechanical,Manufactoring,Electrical and instrument...The obvious choice since i'm an electrician is to do electrical but i have 0% interest in power distribution etc and the course seems to be more aimed at that? And if i did do one of the other courses, would it set me apart from others the fact that i am an electrician,or does it look like i'm dithering?
Its wrecking my head trying to choose,all opinions or idea's welcome

_Nuno_

I did engineering in electronic automation and robotics a couple of years back in CIT.

Is that course gone?

WinstonOno

i do electrical/electronic engineering in dit, in which your given a choice of either power or control&automation as part of your course. i myself was also an electrican and more than half the class was. im guessin it will be the same in cork as they're just too many electricans in the country.

Max_Charger

_Nuno_ wrote: »

I did engineering in electronic automation and robotics a couple of years back in CIT.

Is that course gone?

never heard of that! I did a search for it on the cit website,nothing,it only comes up on a google search! seems to share the first 2 years with electronic and then a year on its own, no info on whether you can go on to a level 8 degree though,presume you can? How did you find it? the modules seem nice and interesting!

WinstonOno wrote: »

i do electrical/electronic engineering in dit, in which your given a choice of either power or control&automation as part of your course. i myself was also an electrican and more than half the class was. im guessin it will be the same in cork as they're just too many electricans in the country.

The exact same, i've heard that sparkies have an extremely low drop out rate compared to school leavers though,i could see how its a good grounding for engineering for all of us who are thinking of training up, although soon the place will be flooded with engineers because of it ha

Cheers for the responses lads,much appreciated!

Outkast_IRE

theres a automation and control course in cit http://www.cit.ie/course/CR_EACSY_7

moonlighting

i just started automation engineering and electrical services. it would suit you as you are an electrician( the course was designed with electricians in mind), you get to skip first year so just 2 years to get level 7 degree. look it up they do the course in a few places gmit being the newest. its a combination of automation plcs etc, energy systems renewable etc, and electrician stuff security systems smart buildings etc.

_Nuno_

Max_Charger wrote: »

never heard of that! I did a search for it on the cit website,nothing,it only comes up on a google search! seems to share the first 2 years with electronic and then a year on its own, no info on whether you can go on to a level 8 degree though,presume you can? How did you find it? the modules seem nice and interesting!

Well, when I did it there was the option to do a fourth year and get the level 8, but it had to be done during the day time, which I couldn't do. I did it part time at night and I got previous learning recognition and all that.

At the end of the course we were only 3 in the class, so maybe that's why they're not doing it anymore.

There was definitely some interesting modules in the course, although I already had 5 or 6 year PLC programming experience when I started it so the automation part was not of great use to me. For someone with no experience it would be different.

I'd say you should go to CIT and speak to someone in the electronic engineering department and see what's the story with that course.

Max_Charger

@outkast, i seen that alright,its a part time cert and fairly expensive for what it is, i'd prefer to throw myself into a full time honours degree course. thanks anyway

@moonlighting seems the course is very broad and aimed at a wide varity of stuff, i'd only have interest in the plc stuff.

@Nuno cheers man, i really hope that course is still going, seems my best lead to what im after so far, i'll email the dep and see what the story is.

sorry if i'm coming across as fussy, i'm just fairly sure in what i'm after but cant seem to find it! I've scrolled through the boards here and it seems i'd be better off to concentrate on a specific topic from an employer point of view, of course the down side is limiting jobs for concentrating on one thing,like i said, head wrecking

_Nuno_

Max_Charger wrote: »

sorry if i'm coming across as fussy, i'm just fairly sure in what i'm after but cant seem to find it! I've scrolled through the boards here and it seems i'd be better off to concentrate on a specific topic from an employer point of view, of course the down side is limiting jobs for concentrating on one thing,like i said, head wrecking

There are plenty of jobs in PLC programming out there, although getting a break when you have no experience is always tough. Most offers request at least a few years, but everyone has to start somewhere...

Good luck anyway

moonlighting

if your only interested in plcs thats fair enough i would recommend naybe going down the programming route something IT related. best guys i know can program in different computer languages with good knowledge of hardware aswell
as for automation engineering and electrical services, i do think the energy part of the course is very important for the future but thats just my opinion

DublinDilbert

If you are going down the plc programming route make sure to learn about networking and databases. Have a good working knowledge of serial coms, rs232, rs485, profi bus, modbus, Ethernet, lots of that can be self thought anyway. Knowledge of microprocessors will come in handy too, will help you understand how a plc works inside.

Max_Charger

moonlighting wrote: »

if your only interested in plcs thats fair enough i would recommend naybe going down the programming route something IT related. best guys i know can program in different computer languages with good knowledge of hardware aswell
as for automation engineering and electrical services, i do think the energy part of the course is very important for the future but thats just my opinion

DublinDilbert wrote: »

If you are going down the plc programming route make sure to learn about networking and databases. Have a good working knowledge of serial coms, rs232, rs485, profi bus, modbus, Ethernet, lots of that can be self thought anyway. Knowledge of microprocessors will come in handy too, will help you understand how a plc works inside.

Thanks for the input lads, will do!