Looking for career advice in PLC/automation industry

I am at the point where I took plcs & robots courses,went through most of the instructions and at work I had the chance to be involved with the engineering side of project.I have got
some standards,good plc programs but I do not have access to vmware with RSLogix 5000 and Factory Talk.What do you recommend in this situation?

If your goal is to further your understanding and ability, I would recommend looking into the RSLogix emulate software. I believe they still offer emulate 500 for free (even though it's SLC 500 software, it's still Rockwell and isn't horribly different from 5000). If you're looking to begin building a portfolio without access to the hardware and software, I can see your problem.

My best suggestion would be to work with emulation software (any ladder logic package will help you gain programming ability, even if it isn't Rockwell) and get yourself to the point that you can write out programs that use timers, latch bits, seal ins, math statements, etc. All of the stuff that simple to moderately complex programs will use. Then start applying at end users in the automotive industry. Those positions require no travel, and due to the turnover rate right now (people are all constantly moving around to keep their wage increasing every few years), the demand for people at these places is currently VERY high. I have recruiters and headhunters reaching out to me multiple times every week.

I'm working at one currently as an electrical engineer, but really we are more like maintenance plus. It's a great position to learn more about programming, though it would be on the fly (which comes back to "fake it till you make it"). A place like this will give you a flowchart when you interview and ask you to write a program with a pencil on paper that matches the flow chart. You can do that without any REAL experience.

Once you're hired in, ask lots of questions and shadow the other programmers as much as you can. You'll pick this stuff up very quickly. Just don't be overly ambitious and crash a machine or hurt someone, and after a couple of years of experience you will likely be to the point where you could start contracting or working with an OEM to program full time. However, both of those positions will come with travel requirements, almost certainly.
 
Well that sucks. OP, if you are a veteran, make sure to contact Phil and hear him out.
 
I had basic Programming experience, Panel building, troubleshooting, Installation. I just started my job with Frito-Lay 4 months ago. This place has been amazing! I have a great mentor and train under him for a year before I start on shift. Programming, Wonderware, Networking ETC. I'm just using this as an example that there still are jobs out there. Hope you find Something!
 
Hello everyone,

I understand that many young PLC engineers learn by diving head-first in to a project, with a lot trial and error. This is not my style; I'm the type that needs to understand the concepts and specifics of a project before getting to work. Unfortunately in this industry there are few employers willing to provide training (everyone is looking for PLC guy who can hit the ground running).

This part of your post stood out to me. In my experience you have to be willing to dive in and learn by trial and error. Even if you do not think you are good at it, you have to be willing to try.

I agree with most of what everyone said.

I think you should look into AutoCAD/electrical design jobs where you are more involved with the hardware design. In my experience, the hardware side of a project is usually much more clearly defined than the software and may be a better fit for you.
 
This part of your post stood out to me. In my experience you have to be willing to dive in and learn by trial and error. Even if you do not think you are good at it, you have to be willing to try.


Agreed. I find this is not only the case in automation. Same goes for engineering in general. Going to engineering school does not magically make one into a "can do everything" guy. It does give you a mental toolbox with which you can be more successful in attacking new problems out there.
 
I've spent my entire career learning to do things I've never done.

I seem to have chosen the same path :)

My motto is that everything is possible, which has lead to some situations where I was ready to give up, thinking I am the stupidest boy on the planet and ready to take a job mopping floors at the local grocery store.

But then you have one of these nights on Redbul and Coffee, where you come up with some brilliant solutions, code that you have to read true a few times next day, just to understand how it works :)

These moments are what keeps my going :D
 
I've spent my entire career learning to do things I've never done.

Is that not the reason we picked this line of work? I can't stand doing the same thing over and over, I had a couple jobs when I was young in production... I was a welder once, all you do is flip the hood down and think about other things all day long
 

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