A CPD certificate shows you completed accredited learning, a City & Guilds or EAL award is a regulated qualification at a set level, and Siemens certification means you passed Siemens' own practical exam. No credential is best for everyone: choose a regulated qualification when you need a recognised level or funding, a vendor certificate when you will work on that vendor's equipment, and CPD for structured, verifiable learning that fits around work.
What do the main PLC credentials actually mean?
They answer different questions: how long you studied, what level you were assessed at, and whether you can program a specific vendor's system. The table compares them using each provider's own pages.
| Credential | Who awards it | Regulated qualification? | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPD certificate (EDWartens Professional Module) | The CPD Group accredits the activity; EDWartens issues the certificate | No | Structured learning of 80 CPD credits, attendance of a five-day class, a passed theory assessment |
| City & Guilds or EAL award | City & Guilds or EAL, awarding organisations | Yes, if it is a regulated qualification (check) | Assessment against a published standard at a stated level |
| Siemens Certified Programmer in TIA Portal (CPT-FAP) | Siemens | No, a vendor certificate | Passing a 5½-hour practical exam on a Siemens plant model |
| Certificate of attendance (for example Make UK) | The training provider | No | That you attended; Make UK states there is no assessment |
Is CPD a qualification?
No. CPD stands for continuing professional development, and a CPD certificate records learning you have done. It is not a regulated qualification like City & Guilds, EAL or an HNC, and it does not sit on a national qualification level.
EDWartens' certificate is accredited with The CPD Group (activity 1019624) and carries 80 CPD credits. It is issued when the learner attends the five-day live class, completes the Basic Engineering modules, passes the final theory assessment and completes a resume session. Employers can check it online using the QR code or certificate number at our verification page. The certificate states TIA Portal V17, and the course is Siemens-focused and delivered online using simulation rather than a physical rig. Our explainer on CPD accreditation in engineering covers what accreditation does and does not mean.
That video is the Engineering Council's explanation of CPD for registered engineers. The principle is the same: planned, recorded learning that keeps you competent.
What is a regulated qualification, and how do you check?
A regulated qualification sits at one of nine levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and can be looked up on the Register of Regulated Qualifications. gov.uk lists what each level contains: Level 3 includes diplomas, national certificates and advanced apprenticeships; Level 4 includes the HNC and higher apprenticeships. gov.uk adds that you can check whether a qualification is regulated if you know its name and the exam board.
Use that when a course says it is accredited. Technique Learning Solutions' five-day PLC course, priced at £1,030 (£1,236 inc VAT), is described on its page as accredited by City & Guilds, but the page I read does not give a qualification title, number or level. That is not a criticism; it is the question to ask: which award, at what level, with what number, and can I find it on the Register?
A concrete example of a regulated engineering qualification is the EAL Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Technologies (number 60158013), which the DfE's qualification service lists at Level 3, with approval for advanced learner loans and Free Courses for Jobs until 31 July 2027. It is a broad diploma, usually studied at college, not a one-week PLC course. Funding follows regulation, which we cover in funded PLC training in England.
What is the Siemens Certified Programmer exam?
It is a vendor exam for people who already program Siemens PLCs. On SITRAIN UK, the course Siemens Certified Programmer in TIA Portal (code CPT-FAP) lasts three days: two days of theory, then a 5½-hour practical examination on the third day, on a SIMATIC S7-1500 plant model. The task is to create and commission a complex PLC program. Siemens says passing earns a recognised certificate attesting your specialist knowledge.
It is not an entry-level credential. The page says it refreshes and consolidates skills from the TIA Portal programming courses TIA-PRO1 to TIA-PRO3, and that you must have attended TIA-PRO3 at least to enrol. The exam is open book, but documentation is not supplied for courses you have not taken. On 21 October 2026, dates were listed from 2 November 2026 to 14 June 2027, and prices were by quotation. If you are still choosing a Siemens course, our TIA Portal course guide lists the options.
What do UK employers actually recognise?
There is no authoritative UK survey ranking these credentials, so be sceptical of anyone who claims one. The adverts give some evidence. In the ITJobsWatch data for SCADA, a degree appeared alongside SCADA in 47.2% of the 632 permanent adverts counted in the six months to 21 October 2026, and NVQ Level 3 in 26.1% (165 adverts). Co-occurrence is not the same as a requirement, and the index leans towards IT roles, but it suggests regulated qualifications are named often.
Reed's trainee PLC listings on 21 October 2026 show another pattern. Titles such as "Junior Automation Engineer (PLC/Siemens TIA Portal)" (£40,000 to £50,000) and "Graduate Control Systems Engineer (Training on PLC Programming)" (£25,000 to £27,000) name a vendor tool or a willingness to train. Employers hiring juniors tend to weigh background, aptitude and evidence of real work, and our trainee PLC jobs guide shows how to present that.
When does each credential make sense?
Match the credential to the job in front of you.
| Your situation | A sensible choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Need a recognised level, or want funding | Regulated qualification (City & Guilds, EAL, HNC) | Sits on the national framework and can attract funding |
| Already programming Siemens PLCs at work | Siemens certification | Vendor-validated, practical, aimed at working programmers |
| Career changer wanting structured Siemens learning, online, fast | CPD-accredited course | Verifiable learning; no regulated level |
| Employer wants proof of attendance only | Certificate of attendance | Cheapest; shows attendance, not skill |
| Unsure | Free courses and simulators first | Learn whether PLC work suits you before paying |
What does "assessed" actually mean?
Credentials differ most in how, and whether, you were tested. Three cases show the range, each taken from the provider's own page.
- No assessment. Make UK's three-day PLC course gives a certificate of attendance, with no assessment and no qualification. Dudley College's Level 4 PLC evening course states there is no formal assessment, and awards a competency certificate. Both are honest about what they are.
- Theory assessment. EDWartens' certificate requires a passed final theory assessment, plus the five-day class, Basic Engineering completion and a resume session. It does not include a practical exam on physical hardware.
- Practical exam. The Siemens Certified Programmer exam is a 5½-hour hands-on task on a plant model, which is why Siemens requires attendance at TIA-PRO3 before you can enrol.
When an employer asks what a certificate means, being able to say how you were tested is the strongest answer. A hiring manager reading "CPD certificate" will want to know whether you can actually program, and your portfolio project answers that better than any logo.
How should you question a provider about accreditation?
Ask six plain questions before you pay, and expect precise answers.
- Who is the accrediting or awarding body, and can I check that on its own website?
- Is this a regulated qualification? If so, what is the exact title, level and number?
- What is assessed, and how: attendance, theory test, practical task?
- Can an employer verify my certificate online?
- Does the credential state a software version (for example TIA Portal V17), and is that still taught?
- Is it funded, or could it be, and what do I pay in total including VAT?
A provider that answers these clearly is easier to trust than one that leans on the word "accredited". We try to meet that standard ourselves: the certificate states V17, shows the CPD Group activity number and verifies at edwartens.co.uk/verify.
Can you combine credentials?
Yes, and many careers do. A common sequence for a Siemens-focused engineer looks like this: learn the basics free, take a structured course to get hands-on with TIA Portal, work on real systems, then add Siemens certification once you have the experience its prerequisites assume. A regulated qualification such as a college diploma or HNC can run alongside or come first if you want a recognised level.
Treat each credential as evidence for a different audience. Regulated qualifications speak to HR and funders, vendor certificates speak to engineers who use that vendor's kit, and CPD speaks to ongoing competence. The credential rarely matters as much as being able to explain a system you have built, a point our guide to first PLC jobs develops.
How EDWartens can help
If a regulated qualification or a vendor certificate is what you need, choose that route; we would rather you did. If you want live, instructor-led Siemens learning online with a verifiable CPD certificate and career support, see the Professional Module: five days live, 68 self-paced Basic Engineering modules, £2,140 + VAT (£2,568), with a £100 deposit option. There is no job guarantee. Start with the free Siemens TIA Portal course and the PLC simulator, then sign up if it fits.
