Electrical Engineering Technician - Industrial

Picture yourself tracing a fault through a motor control panel until a stalled production line hums back to life. The Electrical Engineering Technician - Industrial programme at Cambrian College in Sudbury is a two-year, four-semester Ontario College Diploma modelled on levels one and two of the Ontario Basic Electrician apprenticeship, and it takes you from simple circuits to complex industrial machinery.

In semester one you start with Electrical Fundamentals, Electrical Installation I, Prints & Electrical Code I, Electrical Workplace Safety and Electrical Math I. Semester two brings Motor Control Fundamentals, Digital Electronics Theory, Electrical Installation II and Prints & Electrical Code II. The second year moves into industrial systems, with Electrical Systems Lab, Electrical Systems Theory, Power Electronics I and Instrumentation I in semester three, then AC and DC Machines Lab, AC and DC Machines Theory, PLC Basic Programming, Power Electronics II and Instrumentation II in semester four. Four levels of Prints and Electrical Code run through the diploma, so reading drawings and applying the code become second nature.

Much of the learning happens in hands-on electrical labs fitted with industry-standard 120 to 208/240 volt equipment, where you design, install, troubleshoot, repair and maintain residential, commercial and industrial circuits. You are introduced to AutoCAD Electrical, programmable logic controllers, power electronics and industrial instrumentation, and electrical safety codes are woven into every level. Graduates are eligible to apply for Certified Technician status with OACETT, and can apply for advanced standing into semester five of Cambrian’s Electrical Engineering Technology - Industrial programme through a competitive process.

Graduates move into roles such as electrical engineering technician, electrical maintenance technician, instrumentation technician, PLC and controls technician, electrical apprentice and field service technician in mining, manufacturing and industrial plants. The programme suits methodical, safety-minded people who like working with their hands and want an electrical foundation that can lead either toward an apprenticeship or into technology studies.