Fleming College

Program Highlights

As an Instrumentation and Control Technician your career will be technology-based with an applied edge.

This four-semester Ontario College Diploma program will prepare you for a hands-on, exciting and rewarding career in emerging engineering and scientific fields. The program provides valuable and in-demand skills required in today's process, manufacturing, and calibration facilities. These include, but are not limited to:

• Process Control, Safety, Electrical/Electronic Controls and Sensors
• SCADA/PLC, Automation/Robotics
• Industrial Communications and Data Acquisition

You will also learn required skills in communications, mathematics, science and health and safety to enhance your knowledge and skills for application in the workplace.

Candidates in good standing can attend a one week professional training program hosted by Siemens Milltronics Process Instruments, located in Peterborough. This free training allows you to learn the ins and outs of some of the world's best instruments in a professional setting, taught by a certified Siemens professional.

Your Lab

The engineering commons is where you will gain experience working with a variety of instruments and controls currently used in industry. This well-equipped facility consists of a lower level industry/factory floor area (5000 square feet) and an upper level control/electronic station area overlooking it (3000square feet).

Lower level
A variety of Instrumentation Trainers, Motor Control, Fluid Power Station, and Robotic Stations.

Upper level
30 work stations each equipped with Electrical/Electronic test equipment, PLC Panel, and PCs with industry leading software.

Learn how to configure and troubleshoot some of the most popular instruments products used to measure:

• Dimensions
• Temperature
• Pressure/ Force/ Strain

• Level
• Flow
• Analysis
• Speed

Core equipment includes products from Siemens, OMEGA, Bannner Engineering, LabView, and Tektronix.

Learn how to program controls which will automatically react using PC, Embedded and PLC control:

• Motors
  Motion Control
• Motors
  Pumping

• Fluid Power
• Robotics
• Valves

Core equipment includes products from Siemens, Omron, Allen Bradley, Foxboro, and Fanuc.

Work Experience

Students in this program may have the opportunity to apply to paid summer co-ops. Examples of companies that have sponsored co-ops include: OPG, SGS, Andritz Hydro and Opcode Systems. The co-op runs during the summer between years one and two. This co-op allows you to build on your academic education, experience the work environment and make valuable contacts in one of the many diverse industries requiring instrumentation technician professionals.

Career Opportunities

Graduates can obtain employment in industry sectors that use automated or controlled technology systems, found in the processing, instrumentation, manufacturing, petro-chemical, power generation, mining, oil and gas, alternative energy, nuclear energy, water treatment/water purification, or pulp, paper and wood processing industries.

• Instrumentation Technician is considered a voluntary trade in Canada, and many companies do not require trade certification
• This means you can work in the field as an apprentice, or after obtaining a related two-year diploma
• After obtaining your diploma and working in the field for a few years, you can write the Trade Certification exam and obtain the Certificate of Qualification, if necessary

Note: See Human Resources and Skills Development Canada link below for more information.

Instrumentation Technician graduates use a variety of computing, electromechanical, and test equipment to install, troubleshoot, calibrate, maintain, and repair simple or complex measurement and control devices in a variety of fields. Depending on the industry you choose, a day’s work can range from calibrating small instruments at your desk, to programming a robot to perform a certain task, to braving the elements in the Alberta Oil Sands while repairing a large valve.

Typical Job Titles:

Opportunities for employment in this field are expected to increase due to retirements, and to recent growth in the manufacturing sector.

For more information on this career, visit Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

Related Program

With just 8 additional courses you can complete a second diploma at Fleming in the Electrical Engineering Technician program and graduate with 2 diplomas in 3 years.

Transfer Agreements

You may be able to use credits obtained at Fleming College to continue your postsecondary education in pursuit of a degree. The articulation and credit transfer agreements with our partner institutions are summarized below.