Online PLC Programming Courses
Learn how to become a PLC programmer through these e-learning programs!
Last Updated: February 11, 2023
Find Online PLC Programming Classes!
Find great online PLC programming training courses to build your automation career. Learn how to program PLCs with these incredible online PLC programming classes. The PLC courses last anywhere from several days with an online instructor or could be hundreds of hours on a do-it-yourself learning basis.
The need for industrial automation programmers is growing, so finding a great place to receive online training is crucial. That is why we have highlighted great online PLC training programs you can take to improve your PLC technical skills.
From the comfort of their homes, students can take many of these programs on their own time. With an online training course, you can avoid paying expensive costs to travel or even miss work, as you can do many of these listed courses during your time off.
We have made it easy to find the courses you need to improve your PLC and automation career. We want to provide you with a site where you can research all the top PLC courses in one location.
What is an online PLC programming course?
Online PLC programming courses teach students how to use a programmable logic controller, also known as a PLC. For those in the industry, this may also be called controls engineering. Most courses will include written materials, video lectures, visual diagrams, and a time for questions and answers.
The courses listed below will have various types of PLC brands, such as:
- Rockwell Automation / Allen Bradley
- Siemens / TIA Portal
- Omron Automation
- Schneider Electric / Modicon
- Delta
- Beckhoff Automation
- Wonderware
- Mitsubishi Electric
- Factory Automation
Who should take an online PLC training class?
- New PLC Programmers – Beginners or students who have just graduated or are still in school should take these classes to learn the basics of programming.
- Current PLC Professionals – If you are in the industrial automation industry and have never taken a PLC course before, update your existing technical PLC skills so you know the ins and outs of your current automation system.
- Experienced PLC Programmers – Are you interested in continuing education by learning how to program a new controller brand, or maybe your company will get new automation equipment? Learn how to use the automation software with online training before the latest automation equipment gets to your facility.
Online PLC training course questions:
Online PLC Programmer Training Courses:
Below we will describe our top online PLC programming courses.
SKIP TO:
Best Overall Online PLC Training Courses:
Approximate Course Cost: $1,1685.00-$2,285.00
PLC Course Highlights:
Course Length: 1-5 Days
PLC Brand: Allen-Bradley / Siemens / Wonderware / Schneider / Mitsubishi / Beckhoff / Omron
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Certification: Yes
Automation Training Course:
PROS
- One-week accelerated course
- Experienced instructors
- Live teacher assist
- Lots of brand options
- Hands-on labs
- 1-5 day class duration
- 35 different courses available
CONS
- High cost
- Not able to do at your own pace
Their expert instructors have a minimum of 10 years of industrial automation experience. The interactive online classes are scheduled for 8 hours per day. The student is given complete control of the provided automation software with each training workstation. Students will work through the course material and exercises as if they were in a traditional classroom environment, where the instructor can assist them throughout the course.
Students are sent course material before the start of this accelerated course. This live PLC automation training course uses hands-on labs through their training simulators in which instructors and students can easily interact with each other.
We recommend this program for more advanced or specialized students.
Approximate Course Cost: $67.00/month
PLC Course Highlights:
Course Length: 20-80 hrs. Per Course
PLC Brand: Allen Bradley
Skill Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
myPLCtraining Course:
PROS
- Low monthly cost
- Access to a community of technicians, electricians, and engineers
- Money-back guarantee
- Course-related support within 24hrs
- Access to software licenses
- Can cancel your subscription anytime
- Great student reviews
- 4 courses offered
CONS
- Only Allen Bradley training
- Must use a Windows computer
myPLCtraining.com is a membership site that aims to motivate electricians, technicians, and engineers to improve their careers within the automation industry. Students get access to PLC and human machine interface (HMI) courses with support from the company and community. This Allen Bradley PLC training program helps students build a solid foundation before moving to more advanced programming.
Best Online PLC Training Course For Intermediate Programmers:
Approximate Course Cost: $19.00/month
PLC Course Highlights:
Course Length: 30min/day
PLC Brand: Allen Bradley
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Certification: Yes
Online PLC Support Course:
PROS
- Low Cost
- One-on-one PLC programmer training
- Coaching and courses offered
- Software provided
- Unlimited access
- Experienced instructor
- Great YouTube channel
- Can cancel your subscription anytime
- 12 courses available
- 2 coaching courses offered
CONS
- Only Allen Bradley training
Online PLC Support is a subscription or buy-per-course PLC training program. The benefit of this company is that they offer a one-on-one PLC coaching session with students for an additional cost. They help students learn the PLC and HMI automation.
Online PLC Support focuses on Rockwell Automation and teaching PLC ladder logic, function block, structured text, FactoryTalk, and sequential function chart. They also focus on adding more training topics as students ask questions to instructors.
Best Online Training Course For Multiple PLC Brands:
Approximate Course Cost: $99.99
PLC Course Highlights:
Course Length: 44.5 hours
PLC Brand: Allen-Bradley / Siemens / Schneider / Omron / Delta
Skill Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Udemy Course:
PROS
- One-time fee
- PLC wiring concepts and troubleshooting
- 25 downloadable resources
- PLC software included
- Good for beginners
- 4.5-star rating with 4.6k reviews
CONS
- Video and audio quality
- Windows 7 required
- 301 different lectures
This course involves examples of HMI interfacing of Omron, Delta, Schneider, Allen Bradly, and Siemens PLC programming. This course will explain how to program, design, and wire multiple programmable logic controllers.
Students will use several software programs like ITS PLC, Simumtik, FACTORY I/O, and enthusiastic hardware instructors who create a great learning platform. The course will have quizzes in various sections of the class that evaluates students on what they learned.
Quickest Online PLC Learning Course:
Approximate Course Cost: $29.99
PLC Course Highlights:
Course Length: 2 hours
PLC Brand: General Overview
Skill Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
LinkedIn Learning Course:
PROS
- Quick
- 4.7-star rating with 1.2k reviews
- Great for beginners
- Share your certificate on your LinkedIn profile
CONS
- Not controller brand specific
- For beginners only
This online PLC course gives a great introduction to industrial automation technologies. It shows how many industrial computer control systems use ladder logic as their primary programming language.
The instructor of this course is an engineer who covers the basics of PLC ladder logic programming. Students will explore basic PLC concepts such as; the main types of inputs and outputs, counter and timer instructions, and rung operations used in ladder logic programming. During this short two-hour class, the instructor shares real-world case studies to help students grasp the concept of these automation applications.
Best Online Industrial Simulation Training Course:
Approximate Course Cost: $49.99
PLC Course Highlights:
Course Length: 9 hours
PLC Brand: FactoryTalk
Skill Level: Beginner
Certification: Yes
Udemy Course:
PROS
- Includes 6 articles
- One-time fee
- 4.8-star rating with +600 reviews
CONS
- 61 different lectures
Factory I/O immerses students in a 3D industrial environment representing the real world. This simulation course will teach you how to build an industrial automation system to meet application requirements. This real-time sandbox allows users to edit pre-built or create new industrial automation systems.
Factory I/O is a 3D simulation software that helps engineers with factory automation layouts. It has state-of-the-art graphics with dynamic sound and uses physics. The package is entirely interactive and can be controlled with various technologies.
Students will learn how to install sensors and actuators in a machine. It will also teach you how to simulate your industrial automated system with a programmable logic controller. They will review how to test and analyze the feasibility of a project.
OEM Online PLC Training Courses:
Take an online course working directly with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Check out the links below for an online class you can work with to build your career from home. There is no better way to learn PLCs than directly from the manufacturing source.
Beckhoff Automation Online Training
Beckhoff provides an e-learning portal with various subjects associated with industrial automation. These useful educational topics include I/O, automation software, drive technology, and Industrial PCs.
A quiz after each e-learning presentation to reinforce the subject matter covered and estimate what each student learned. Beckhoff hardware is not required to participate in the modules, but some training modules allow students to use their Beckhoff equipment.
Bosch Rexroth Automation Online Training
Rexroth provides a multitude of eLearning programs through their company where you can learn individually and on your own time and pace from your PC. They provide virtual classrooms or training videos for an extensive collection of standard PLC training.
Online College Education Programs:
Take one of these online college education programs to further your education in PLC programming.
George Brown College
PLC Technician I
This PLC Technician I Certificate Program provides programming fundamentals for students with little to no PLC work experience. The class focuses on real-world applications in industrial manufacturing fields.
This program includes Allen Bradley PLCLogix 500, used with their lab simulator software. The software allows students to design, simulate the operation, debug ladder logic programs, run and test like real-world PLC applications.
Cleveland Institute of Electronics
Industrial Electronics with PLC Technology
In this industrial electronics with PLC technology program, students will graduate with a great understanding of electronics technology and how to troubleshoot and program PLCs. Students will also learn to read and understand numerous types of controller and electrical schematics and operational manuals.
George Brown College
PLC Technician II
This PLC Technician II Certificate program offers a study in advanced PLC programming languages, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA), and Distributed Control Systems (DCS). It is not a prerequisite to take the PLC Technician I class to take this Technician II class. The program includes Allen Bradley PLCLogix 5000, and a simulation with the Studio 5000/RSLogix 5000 programming applications.
Most popular educational automation categories:
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