I recently finished my MS in electrical engineering focusing in Systems and Controls. Now, I am seeking oppertunity in the industry as a controls engineer. In every controls engineer requirement, I have seen that they ask for at least 2 years of PLC programming experience. Unfortunately, I went to a university which is focused more on theoretical controls and even the professors who has been teaching controls for past 30 years in here does not know what PLC's are. So, now I am in a deep trouble. I want to work in the field of automation and controls. I don’t care if it’s PLC programming, DCS, HMI, Motion Control, I just want to work on one of these fields. I have a strong foundation in Programming in C++, LabView, Matlab, Simulink and with these experience and expertise, I firmly believe that I can learn all the required tools in a reasonable amount of time and be a valuable asset to any organization. So, I was wondering if you guys can give me some tips regarding how I can land into a controls engineer job.

Actually, I tried to learn PLC programming by myself. I got a book on PLC programming from library. I read upto flipflops. It pretty much looked like digital logic. I downloaded RSLogix 5000 demo software from Rockwell Automation website. Tried to write some programs. Read some help files. Finally, got a feeling that if got an assignment, I can do it. then quit it. Similarly, I downloaded CitectScada software and learnt it also. Then I put it all in my resume. " Sound understanding of PLC programming, RSLogix 5000, Citect Scada". I got some consultant phone calls but they were more interested in how many years of actual experience I have with these tools in industry. I was a naive. I used to say that I don't have any hands on experience; learnt it all by myself by reading the help files. They never called me second time.

After going through all these, I am seeking some advice from you guys. PLEASE help me. What do I need to do to get an entry level position as an controls engineer??????

 

I doubt very seriously any controls firm will hire you as a controls engineer without any industry experience. Your education is sound, and by the way you took on learning PLC your motivation is good. The fastest way to becoming a controls engineer is by first taking a job as a controls tech. You'll learn how the system works from the ground up, including real hands on PLC experience. With time (2-3 years) you will have the experience and education to move up and become a controls engineer.

 

PLCs (no apostrophe for a plural) are just tools, school teaches you the principles, now you need to go out into the world and apply them. A few
years cabling and fitting sensors to some real machines will be invaluable when you eventually get your own project.

marc

 

Contact your local National Instruments distributor and get him/her to recommend an integrator who uses NI. If you really are hot with LabView, you may get a gig.

Walt Boyes
---------------------
Walt Boyes ([email protected])
Editor in chief, CONTROL magazine
www.controlglobal.com
DigitalFieldInsider,SecureSystemsInsider
Blogging "Sound Off" at controlglobal.com
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630-467-1301 x 368

 

Offer to work in maintenance for a while. Maintenance depts. are always looking
for plc types and you can get some hands on experience. Of course, it helps if you can fix something now and again.

Regards
cww

 

You are going to have a difficult time. If you don't mind traveling, look for a service engineer or technician position. Many companies will train you a little and send you out to fix things. They won't mind holding your hand over the phone because it saves the more experienced engineers the time of travelling to the customers site. You will gain considerable experience by doing this for a few years.

Secondly, why do so many colleges teach all this stuff that nobody in the real world uses? I know some recent EE grads who have had courses in C++, LabView, Matlab, and Simulink. Who gives a #%&* about all that when they don't understand troubleshooting basic circuits or ladder logic. These kids are being mislead, IMHO. Instead of a basic education, they are getting a bunch of impressive sounding nothingness.

Maybe larger companies use this stuff, but I don't know anyone in the real world that does.

 

Feeling a bit pitty about you but at the same time happy to know that u want to progress but just need a push.

Look your job period usually consist of 30 to 40 years; Half of your life.

So in the beginning if u just enter some where as an internee or trainee engineer. It seems awkward after MS degree. But U have to follow this practice. then u may switch to a better position.

U may get yourself involve in some maintenance type of job. Initially for two or three years then go for projects and other fields.

Actually demending a 2-3 years eperience by yours employer means usually that wheter u r socially mature or not. Can u handle the workers and collegues or not. It does not mean that u r techinically down RATHER it means u r socially and emotionally strong also. U can tackle problems in all respect.

Hope U got my point.

Best of luck for U
A PLC Programmar
PAKISTAN

 

I suggest you to learn the very good PLC programming is the Siemens SIMATIC S7 because the way to program this PLC is not only a graphic language but the program will teach you if you play more in advance it also support for the high level language like your background C++ (for example Siemens have SCL language and many open development kit for your own program). But it's not like a graphic language as RS Logix5, 500 or 5000 just little bit difficult for begining but you will realy love it after you know more.

 

Try companies like SIEMENS , AB. They have recruitment programs for fresh University passouts.

Good Luck.
Burhan

 

I am an Automation Manager for a large pharmaceutical company. The suggestion for first obtaining a position as a tech is a good one. However, I know that you must be thinking that "did I go to school for this?" The reality is that nothing compensates for experience. I spent the first part of my career in the DCS world and then made a transition to PLC/ladder logic programming (chemical process to packaging). It was true that I could easily program ladder logic after years of DCS programming. But it took quite a while for me to write efficient code that was bug free and really understand machine logic programming. Again reading books and playing with demo programs is good, but learning takes place when you have to get something to run that some operator will not screw up. In my opinion, the absolute worse thing that you can do is misrepresent your abilities and knowledge. You may get the job but you will not last long on the job and will lose the respect of your collegues.

 

Look for a maintenance engineer position at a high volume production factory. Start analazing the programs (some machines PLC programs) takes two binders of 3 inches. Look for quality problems or safety to add a sensor here and there. Get deep in communication, HMI, FieldBus, POC, etc. Then after 2-3 years of experience you can start working with a new project and leave maintenance. To get better training look for distributers of Mitsubishi, Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Telemecanique and contact them to let know about training sessions, they might give you a discount price. Automation is amazing, I wish you luck.

 

Annada

You obviously are academically well qualified and possess initiative. Here are a couple of pointers which may help you land that first position.

You didn't mention AutoCAD. If you can pick up CAD skills, this really can help a department head in taking you on. For small to medium scale projects, he/she is looking for someone who can handle design, programming and documentation, and CAD is definitely part of the pic.

This business lives on industrial projects, no projects no work. At times, there are a lot of really good, connected and experienced designers loose on the market. Its only human to be a bit discouraged and frustrated when you ge no response, but it is a mistake to take this personally. Department managers may not care about you, but they certainly have other priorities than keeping you down.

Do not overlook vendors, they seem to be a little more apt to take on somebody on based on academics, espically if your interpersonal skills are steller. If you get an interview, you will have one shot, but it works for many. Vendors doing the entire electrical is a trend.

Speaking of vendors, find out where they are exibiting at trade shows. Vendors put on trade shows to exibit to people who are design decision makers. These prime targets are usually too busy to actually go to a trade show, but make sure you go. Make up business cards (use your imagination) and bring them. Networking at these is not great, but way better than nothing staring out.

Avoid human resources as much as is humanly possible. Ditto personnel firms. You program, so set up your own contact database with every electrical/control name you can glean from anywhere.

Are you willing to travel? big plus for yes, although nobody is likely to send off a rookie right away, project eventually work takes you to where projects are. Have your passport current, and innoculation history filed somewhere. At least it shows you're serious.

Do not be reserved about selling yourself and emphasizing your credentials, but do not make the mistake of trying to convince a department head that the requirement for experience is overblown. It does not take much for a project to become a train wreck. Knowing basic logic does not make you a PLC programmer any more than knowing your ABCs makes you Dickens. The is an art to structuring realistic scale projects that just cannot be learned any other way than being a part of a team. I hope you love teamwork.

Hope these scattered musing are of some help.

Regards
Ron Sewell
Sigmatic Controls
Kelowna, B.C.

 

I would hire someone with a Masters for a position that required two years of experience in the field. That is a fairly standard trade-off for hiring in the US. I also prefer to hire someone who can figure stuff out, rather than someone with rote knowledge. Smaller companies (such as mine) are generally more flexible about this kind of thing than giant beauracracies. Still, this is an age-old debate in EVERY field; how do I get experience if no one will hire me without experience?

Keep at it, and utilize any resources you can get your hands on. I would have had terrible difficulty getting a job if I hadn't gone through on-campus recruiting at my university.

-James Ingraham
Sage Automation, Inc.
www.sagerobot.com

 

William

I laud your response to annada (and appreciate your use of two spaces after a period). I've been in this business for thirty+ years and started as a field technician with no regrets (they held my hand over the phone and I learned techniques I use to this day that are not normally taught at university).

[Secondly, why do so many colleges teach all this stuff that nobody in the real world uses?] I know some EE people that can't handle field work (or design anything useful) and elect to go into sales. Collages and universities are there to educate the students on how to find the solution to the problem (or think) not to train them in a specific software package (which could change hourly) or technique which is better learned in the field or on the job.

Annada be prepared to learn every day for the rest of your life (your education is just beginning).

Dennis

 

dear Annada,

programming, intended as "writing code", is not the most important issue while developing programmable systems. Opposite to what presumed by the many, there are several important things (project specifications, documentation, application analysis, software planning, etc) that come *before* programming and that, guess what, are not taught at university. There are other important things that come *after* programming (commissioning and troubleshooting techniques, maintenance hints, final documentation) that are not taught as well. Not to mention project details that may change *while* programming.

For a control engineer, field experience is mandatory (regardless of DCS, HMI, SCADA or PLC programming), so do not expect many offers to develop something on your own if you haven't got such experience. You could contact a rather large software house or machinery manufacturer and ask for a job (even on a contract basis) to be done together with a senior programmer. For large companies it's easier to deploy "one and a half" control engineers at someone's plant (most of the times billing for two of them...). You may also ask a freelance professional (avoid the sloppy ones) and spend some time with him while he's programming or commissioning, it's worth the effort.

Oh, about your "I was a naive": control engineers are not used car dealers, you were honest not to pretend skills you have not. You may fool a customer before programming his system, but you can't fool the system if you programmed it badly... in the latter case, consequences may really hurt.

regards
Luca Gallina

 

A lot of the problem is that education is not a reliable predictor of performance. As you mention, a lot of engineers end up doing drudge work in a cubicle someplace. A certain percentage of people know what they are doing and how to apply what they've learned. The remainder don't. The surprising thing, is that no amount of education seems to alter those percentages.

That's why you have technicians designing things and engineers who are only draftsmen.

Regards

cww

 

You might have to do like I did. Buy your own software, PLC's, panelview, drives, and HMI software, and make up your senerio to get experience. now I'm part owner in automation company. My first job was an Electrician helper,even wired house. It great that you got an education, that only about 25% of it. Hand-on experience make a world difference in the real world. The best experience far as programming goes that help me more then anything was working as control panel builder. If you start as a maintance person, electrician,panel builder. I think that getting your feet muddy would help you to be better control engineer. I seem in these forums, or in the real world even, that some people needed to get feet muddy before they call themselves "control engineers or engineers"

 

Give SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC a call!!!

 

actually where r u from????

i will give the job
do not worry

 

I'm a bit late on this one. Did you land a job? I'd like to hear what happened.