Choosing between UK PLC training providers in 2026 is mostly about matching the provider's structure to your actual goal. Some providers excel at upskilling existing maintenance staff in a single day. Others are built for career changers who need a complete 5-day intensive plus placement support. A few specialise in vendor-direct training that costs more but carries a manufacturer's certificate. There is no single "best" provider; there is the right provider for what you're trying to achieve.
This article compares the eight UK PLC training providers most commonly searched for in 2026, evaluated on price, format, accreditation, hands-on time, placement support, and verifiable career outcomes. EDWartens UK is included for transparency, and we recommend other providers where they are the better fit for a specific need.
How we ranked the providers
We weighted five factors:
- Hands-on hardware time (40%) — hours per course actually spent programming real PLCs, not just slides
- CPD or City and Guilds accreditation (15%) — third-party validation of course quality
- Placement support (20%) — CV review, mock interviews, employer introductions
- Price-to-outcome ratio (15%) — what you pay versus the salary uplift you can realistically expect
- Trainer credibility (10%) — practising engineers vs career academics
We did NOT factor in marketing volume, paid ads, or aggregator review counts. Those are not quality signals.
Provider 1 — EDWartens UK (Milton Keynes)
- Course: Professional Automation Engineering Module — 5 days, £2,140
- Format: Classroom or online live, Milton Keynes-based, also delivered across UK and 17 EU countries
- Hands-on: 70% of course time on Siemens S7-1200/1500, WinCC SCADA, hardware integration
- Accreditation: CPD Certification Service, UKRLP registered, ISO 9001:2015
- Placement support: Free CV review, mock interviews, ongoing employer introductions until placed
- Trainers: Practising automation engineers from Wartens' integration projects
- Awards: Best PLC Training Provider UK 2025 (Radio Lemon Live), UK Startup Awards 2025 National Winner
Best for: Career changers from any background, international engineers needing UK-recognised training, and existing electricians/mechanics moving into automation. The 15 hours of recorded sessions are particularly valuable for revision before interviews.
Provider 2 — Equinox Training Solutions (plc-training.co.uk)
- Course: Siemens S7-1200/1500 Level 1 — 5 days, £1,495 (excl. VAT)
- Format: Midlands training centre or on-site at customer premises
- Hands-on: Strong, multi-vendor coverage including Allen Bradley, Mitsubishi, Omron, GE Fanuc
- Accreditation: City and Guilds
- Placement support: Limited; primarily an upskilling provider for employer-sponsored students
- Trainers: Experienced industrial trainers
Best for: Existing maintenance teams whose employer pays for training. Particularly strong if your plant uses Siemens AND Allen Bradley, since they cover both vendors deeply. Less suitable for solo career changers who need placement support.
Provider 3 — Technique Learning Solutions (learntechnique.com)
- Course: City and Guilds PLC course — 5 days, multi-vendor
- Format: Classroom-based, dedicated training rigs per student
- Hands-on: 90% practical, every student on their own rig
- Accreditation: City and Guilds, one of the few accredited centres
- Placement support: Not the primary focus
- Trainers: Industrial trainers
Best for: Engineers who learn best with completely uninterrupted hands-on time and want a formal City and Guilds qualification rather than CPD.
Provider 4 — Automation Academy (automation-academy.uk)
- Course: Siemens S7-1200/1500 Level 1 TIA Portal — 4 days
- Format: Multiple UK locations including Manchester (Adamson House) and Birmingham (Park House)
- Hands-on: Standard for the format
- Accreditation: Vendor-aligned (Siemens)
- Placement support: None
- Trainers: Siemens specialists
Best for: Engineers in the North West or West Midlands who specifically need Siemens upskilling and can't travel to Milton Keynes. Single-vendor focus is a strength if you'll only ever work Siemens, a weakness otherwise.
Provider 5 — Scantime (scantime.co.uk)
- Course: IMFFP® 1 and 2 Siemens TIA Portal — 4 days
- Format: Classroom-based
- Hands-on: Solid
- Accreditation: City and Guilds Assured
- Placement support: None
- Trainers: Industrial trainers
Best for: Engineers wanting the IMFFP (Industrial Maintenance Fundamentals for Field Professionals) badge alongside their Siemens training. Good intermediate course.
Provider 6 — Make UK (makeuk.org)
- Course: Introduction to PLCs — 1 to 3 days, plus advanced modules
- Format: Technology Training Centre in Aston, Birmingham
- Hands-on: Moderate for short courses
- Accreditation: Make UK (industry body)
- Placement support: None
- Trainers: Industry trainers
Best for: Manufacturing employees who need a quick PLC introduction (1 day) or specific topic refresher. Not enough depth for career changers.
Provider 7 — Siemens SITRAIN (sitrain.siemens.com)
- Course: S7 Programming 1 (ST-PRO1) — 5 days, approximately £2,700
- Format: Siemens training centres or virtual
- Hands-on: Excellent, on official Siemens hardware
- Accreditation: Official Siemens certificate
- Placement support: None
- Trainers: Siemens-employed instructors
Best for: Engineers who need the official Siemens certificate (sometimes required by Siemens authorised system integrators) and whose employer pays. Most expensive option for the same five-day format, but the brand carries weight in Siemens-loyal organisations.
Provider 8 — Rockwell Automation Training Centre (Milton Keynes)
- Course: Various Studio 5000 / ControlLogix modules — typically 2 to 5 days, £1,500 to £2,500
- Format: Rockwell's UK training centre in Milton Keynes
- Hands-on: Excellent, on official Allen Bradley hardware
- Accreditation: Official Rockwell certificate
- Placement support: None
- Trainers: Rockwell-employed instructors
Best for: Engineers committed to Allen Bradley platforms, working at Rockwell-aligned system integrators, or whose employer specifies Rockwell certification.
Comparison summary
| Provider | Price (5 days) | Hands-on | Placement support | Career changer friendly | Multi-vendor | |----------|----------------|----------|-------------------|------------------------|--------------| | EDWartens UK | £2,140 | 70% | Yes, ongoing | Yes | Yes (Siemens + AB intro) | | Equinox Training | £1,495 | High | Limited | No | Yes | | Technique Learning | mid-range | 90% | Limited | Partial | Yes | | Automation Academy | mid-range | Standard | None | No | No (Siemens only) | | Scantime | mid-range | Solid | None | No | Mostly Siemens | | Make UK | £400–900 | Moderate | None | No | Brief intro only | | Siemens SITRAIN | ~£2,700 | Excellent | None | No | No (Siemens only) | | Rockwell Training | £1,500–2,500 | Excellent | None | No | No (Allen Bradley only) |
Which provider should YOU choose?
Three honest scenarios:
If you're a career changer or international engineer wanting placement help and broad coverage, EDWartens, Equinox or Technique Learning give you the strongest foundation. Of these, EDWartens is the only one of the three with structured placement support included in the course price, which closes the loop on the actual outcome you care about.
If your employer is paying for upskilling and you'll stay on one vendor, Siemens SITRAIN or Rockwell's own training carry the strongest vendor badge. Pay the premium for the certificate.
If you're a busy maintenance engineer needing a 1-day refresher, Make UK's short courses or a vendor-specific short course is more efficient than a 5-day intensive.
The honest take on certifications
There is no single PLC certification UK employers universally require. The combination that matters at interview is:
- A CPD or City and Guilds accredited course on your CV
- A portfolio project you can demo
- References from a UK training provider with industry recognition
Brand of training matters less than having all three. Pick the provider whose format and price fit your situation, then focus your energy on the portfolio.
Next steps
If you want a no-pressure conversation about which training route fits your background and goals, book a free 20-minute consultation with our admissions team. We'll honestly recommend a competitor if EDWartens isn't the right fit. Otherwise, see our Professional Automation Engineering Module page for course details and upcoming cohorts.
