In England, public funding for PLC training mostly attaches to regulated qualifications at approved colleges and providers, not to short private courses. The routes that can work are Free Courses for Jobs (adults aged 19 or over earning under £25,750 or unemployed), Advanced Learner Loans for Level 3 to 6 courses, local Skills Bootcamps where one exists, and apprenticeships. EDWartens' private online course is not eligible for loan or bootcamp funding.
Is there funded PLC training in England?
Yes, but usually as part of a broader engineering qualification rather than a standalone PLC course. The table summarises the main routes.
| Route | Who it is for | Key point from the official source | Typical PLC fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Courses for Jobs | Adults 19+ in England earning under £25,750, or unemployed | Government pays course fees for approved Level 3 courses (engineering is an eligible subject area) | Broad Level 3 engineering diplomas that include PLC units |
| Advanced Learner Loan | Adults 19+ taking Level 3 to 6 at approved providers | Covers course fees only; repaid when income passes a threshold | Regulated engineering qualifications |
| Skills Bootcamp | Adults 19+ in areas with local provision | Free to the learner; employer co-funds if upskilling its own staff | I found no PLC-specific bootcamp on the day |
| Apprenticeship | Anyone 16+ not in full-time education | You earn while you train | Level 4 Automation and controls engineering technician |
| Employer-paid | Employees | Employer decides | Any course the employer approves |
Can you get a Level 3 engineering qualification free?
Possibly. According to gov.uk, if you are aged 19 or over and earn below £25,750 or are unemployed, you could take a free Level 3 qualification in engineering and other listed subjects, with the government paying course fees. Local rules on maximum earnings and prior qualifications can differ, so the page tells you to check with a local provider and use the National Careers Service course finder.
Courses must be on an approved list. For Level 3 the qualification must already be approved for funding through the adult skills fund or advanced learner loans, be at least 60 guided learning hours and be in an eligible sector subject area such as engineering. As a real example, the DfE's qualification service shows the EAL Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Technologies (number 60158013) approved for Free Courses for Jobs from 1 April 2021 to 31 July 2027. That is a broad engineering diploma, not a PLC-only course.
Dudley College lists "Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) 1 Level 4" on Wednesday evenings, 6pm to 9pm, starting 3 March 2027, marked "free if eligible" under West Midlands or Department for Education funding criteria. Its page says there is no formal assessment and a competency certificate is awarded. Funding there depends on where you live, your earnings and your prior qualifications.
How does an Advanced Learner Loan work?
It is a tuition-fee loan for older learners on regulated courses, not a general training grant. According to gov.uk, you must be 19 or older on the first day of a Level 3, 4, 5 or 6 qualification at an approved college or training provider in England, and residency rules apply. It covers course fees only, the minimum loan is £300, it is paid directly to the provider, and you start repaying when your income is over a threshold, with interest from the day of the first payment.
Two details matter in 2026 and 2027. Some Level 4 and 5 courses with Higher Technical Qualification approval use undergraduate funding instead. And for Level 4, 5 or 6 courses starting on or after 1 January 2027, gov.uk says to apply through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement instead. You also need a "learning and funding information" letter from the provider before you can apply.
Regulated is the keyword. A CPD-accredited short course is not a regulated qualification, so loans do not apply to it. Our guide to CPD, City & Guilds and Siemens certification explains the difference.
Are there Skills Bootcamps for PLC training?
Skills Bootcamps are short, locally commissioned courses, but I did not find a PLC-specific one. A Suffolk County Council page describes them as free to the learner, lasting from 60 hours to 16 weeks, open to anyone 19 or over who is employed, self-employed, unemployed or returning to work, with a guaranteed interview for unemployed learners. That page's funding period is April 2026 to March 2027, and provision varies by area.
For employers, the DfE's funding guide says that when an employer upskills an existing employee, it co-funds 10% (small and medium employers, fewer than 250 staff) or 30% (large employers). Where the learner is self-employed or not being trained by their employer, DfE pays 100%. The gov.uk list of bootcamp providers adds that recruiting new staff through a bootcamp is free. Search your local authority's bootcamp list for engineering or automation, but do not assume one exists near you.
What about apprenticeships?
An apprenticeship is the most substantial funded route, because you are employed and trained at the same time. gov.uk says you can start one if you are 16 or over and not in full-time education, and a previous qualification such as a degree does not rule you out.
The relevant standard is Automation and controls engineering technician (ST0662), Level 4. The official page lists a typical duration of 48 months, a maximum funding band of £14,000 and describes duties including programming PLCs, HMIs and SCADA systems and commissioning. The page also notes the apprenticeship is being revised, with the current version remaining approved for delivery. The funding band is the government's cap on training cost, not a fee you pay.
Apprenticeships depend on an employer taking you on, so they take longer to arrange. Our comparison of apprenticeships, short courses and degrees weighs the trade-offs.
What if you self-fund or your employer pays?
Then price and fit matter most, and you should compare like with like. The table uses figures from each provider's own page.
| Option | Cost shown | Format | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dudley College PLCs 1 (Level 4) | Free if eligible | Evenings, in person | Competency certificate; no formal assessment per the page |
| Make UK programming PLC | £995 + VAT (£840 + VAT for members) | 3 days, in person | Certificate of attendance |
| Technique Learning Solutions PLC | £1,030 (£1,236 inc VAT) | 5 days, in person, mostly practical | Described as City & Guilds accredited |
| EDWartens Professional Module | £2,140 + VAT (£2,568) | 5-day live online, plus self-paced modules | CPD certificate, 80 credits; not a regulated qualification |
The in-person courses use physical rigs, which ours does not. Ours is Siemens-focused, runs live online, and includes 68 self-paced Basic Engineering modules and career support. Judge on what you need.
How do you check what you are eligible for?
Work through these steps in order; each one takes minutes and avoids wasted applications.
- Check your basics. Note your age on the first day of the course, your annual earnings, whether you are unemployed, your highest qualification and how long you have lived in the UK. Funding rules use all of these.
- Use the National Careers Service course finder, which gov.uk points to for Free Courses for Jobs, and set the distance you will travel. Some courses can be studied part-time or online.
- Ask the provider two questions: "Is this course approved for funding this year, and under which scheme?" and "Can you send me a learning and funding information letter?" The second is a gov.uk requirement for loan applications.
- Check the end date. Approval windows run out; the Level 3 diploma mentioned above is approved until 31 July 2027, for example.
- Look at your employer. If you are employed, ask whether the business would pay or co-fund, and whether a local Skills Bootcamp covers your sector.
What are the common funding traps?
Be sceptical of claims that blur the line between a funded qualification and an accredited short course. A few patterns to watch:
- "Government-approved" or "accredited" without a scheme name. Funding is tied to specific approved qualifications. Ask which one.
- Loan promises for unregulated courses. gov.uk ties Advanced Learner Loans to Level 3 to 6 qualifications at approved providers. If a provider is not approved, you cannot use one.
- Assuming free means no conditions. Free Courses for Jobs has earnings and prior-qualification rules that vary by area, and Skills Bootcamps vary by local funding round.
- Overlooking living costs. An Advanced Learner Loan covers course fees only, not living costs, though a bursary fund can help with travel, equipment or childcare at some providers.
Is funded training the right route for you?
Funded routes are slower but cheaper, and private courses are faster but self-paid. That trade-off decides most cases. A funded Level 3 or Level 4 route suits someone who can wait for an intake, is happy with weekly classes, and wants a regulated qualification on their CV. A private short course suits someone who needs to move quickly, can fund it (or has an employer who will), and values live instruction on a specific platform.
Many people use both: a funded college course for the qualification, and a short vendor-specific course for hands-on confidence on the software their employers use. If you are unsure where to start, our guide to PLC training in the UK compares provider types, and the beginner path to a PLC career outlines entry routes.
How EDWartens can help
To be plain: the EDWartens Professional Module is a private, self-funded or employer-funded course. It is not eligible for Advanced Learner Loans or Skills Bootcamp funding, and we do not claim otherwise. You can reserve a seat with a £100 deposit and pay the balance before the course starts, which also gives you time to ask an employer about funding.
If funding is the barrier, start free. Our free courses and browser simulators cost nothing, and our PLC training guide lays out typical prices. Sign up when ready.
