PLC training costs in the UK range from under £100 for online video courses to over £15,000 for full-time university degrees. Whether that investment is worth it depends entirely on your goals, current skill level, and the quality of the training you choose.
This guide breaks down every realistic path to PLC competence in the UK, what each actually costs (including hidden fees), and what return on investment you can expect in terms of career outcomes.
The Main Categories of PLC Training
1. Free Resources (£0)
Manufacturer webinars (Siemens, Rockwell), YouTube tutorials, OEM documentation. Great for exposure but rarely enough to get hired.
Time investment: 100–300 hours of self-study. Outcome: Good for existing engineers upskilling. Not sufficient for career changers or absolute beginners.
2. Online Video Courses (£50–£500)
Platforms like Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and specialist PLC sites offer courses on ladder logic, SCADA, and specific platforms.
Typical prices:
- Udemy PLC courses: £15–£150 (often discounted from £200+)
- LinkedIn Learning: included with subscription (£15–£25/month)
- Coursera Automation specialisations: £39–£79/month
- Specialist sites (e.g., RealPars): £30–£60/month
What you get:
- Video lectures, sometimes with simulator exercises
- Self-paced, flexible schedule
- Certificates of completion (not industry-accredited)
What you don't get:
- Hands-on work with real PLCs
- Expert instructor feedback
- Career support or placement help
- Industry-recognised credential
Time investment: 40–200 hours. Outcome: Strong foundation for existing engineers. Not sufficient alone to get hired as a PLC engineer without prior engineering experience.
3. Bootcamp / Intensive Courses (£1,500–£5,000)
Specialist providers like EDWartens UK offer 4–8 week intensive programmes combining theory, hands-on practice, and career support.
Typical prices:
- EDWartens Professional Module: £2,140 (CPD Accredited, includes career support)
- EDWartens AI Module: from £1,500 (Industrial AI & ML)
- Similar UK providers: £1,500–£4,500
- EU providers: €1,800–€5,500
What you get:
- Live instruction from experienced engineers
- Real PLC hardware (Siemens S7-1200/1500, sometimes Allen-Bradley)
- Industry-accredited certificates (CPD, UKRLP)
- CV reviews, LinkedIn optimisation, interview prep
- Placement support and industry connections
- Small class sizes (typically 10–15)
What you need to check before booking:
- Accreditation (CPD, UKRLP, City & Guilds are valid UK credentials)
- Hardware access (actual PLCs, not just simulators)
- Instructor credentials
- Placement outcomes (ask for recent stats)
- Payment plans
Time investment: 4–8 weeks full-time or part-time equivalent. Outcome: Realistic path to landing your first PLC role within 3–6 months of completion.
4. Vendor-Certified Training (£1,000–£3,000 per course)
Siemens SITRAIN, Rockwell Automation Training, Mitsubishi — direct from the PLC manufacturer.
Typical prices:
- Siemens SITRAIN ST-BWINCCS (5 days, WinCC basics): £1,800–£2,500
- Siemens S7-1500 programming course (5 days): £2,000–£2,800
- Rockwell Studio 5000 training (5 days): £1,800–£2,600
- Mitsubishi iQ-R (3 days): £900–£1,500
What you get:
- Deep platform-specific expertise
- Vendor-issued certificate (highly regarded)
- Technical depth beyond bootcamps
What you don't get:
- Broader automation context
- Multi-platform experience
- Career support or placement
Best for: Experienced engineers deepening expertise on a specific platform.
5. Apprenticeships (Employer-funded, £0 to student)
UK apprenticeship framework for engineering technicians — employer pays fees, apprentice earns a wage while training.
Typical structure:
- 2–4 years, level 3 (Advanced) or 4 (Higher)
- Employer pays £27,000/year average training levy (government-funded for qualifying employers)
- Apprentice wages from £10,000–£20,000/year (rising each year)
- Day-release or block-release study at a training provider
- Leads to a level 3/4 qualification plus work experience
What you get:
- Earn while learning
- Real workplace experience
- Full qualification recognised UK-wide
- Employer-sponsored, no personal cost
Challenges:
- Hard to find — apprenticeships are competitive, employers want school leavers
- Low starting wage
- 2–4 years is a long commitment
- Limited to companies offering the scheme
Outcome: Excellent long-term path for school leavers. Rarely realistic for career changers over 25.
6. University Degrees (£9,250/year UK, plus living costs)
BEng/MEng in Electrical, Electronic, Control, or Mechatronic Engineering at UK universities.
Typical 3-year BEng total cost:
- Fees: £27,750 (3 × £9,250)
- Living costs: £30,000–£50,000 (3 × £10k–£17k)
- Total: £60,000–£80,000
What you get:
- Bachelor's degree (portable, respected worldwide)
- Broad engineering foundation (maths, physics, thermodynamics)
- Research exposure, industry placements via sandwich years
- Graduate Engineer Scheme eligibility with major employers
What you don't get (explicitly for PLCs):
- Most UK engineering courses spend only 1 semester on PLCs/SCADA
- Graduate often knows theory but lacks practical PLC fluency
- Often still need employer or specialist training post-graduation
Outcome: Best for 18-year-olds on long career paths. Overkill and expensive for someone who just wants PLC skills fast.
Hidden Costs to Budget For
Regardless of which route you choose, budget for:
- Software licences: Siemens TIA Portal V19 Basic (free), Advanced (£600+/year), Professional (£2,000+/year). Rockwell Studio 5000 (£1,000+/year per licence).
- Hardware for home practice: Used S7-1200 CPU (£150–£400), HMI panel (£200–£500), power supply and I/O modules (£100–£300).
- Books & reference: Jon Stenerson's "Programming PLCs" (£40–£60), ISA standards (£100+ each).
- Certification exam fees (if separate from training).
- Travel if attending in-person training.
ROI: What Does PLC Training Actually Return?
Based on UK Office for National Statistics data and automation industry benchmarks:
| Entry-level salary (Trainee PLC Engineer) | £28,000–£34,000 | | After 1–2 years | £35,000–£45,000 | | Mid-level (3–5 years) | £45,000–£60,000 | | Senior (5+ years) | £55,000–£85,000+ | | Principal/Lead Engineer | £75,000–£110,000+ |
For a £2,140 investment in a bootcamp like EDWartens' Professional Module, earning even the lower end of the entry range (£28k) means payback in the first month of employment. By year 3, your total earnings would be ~£130,000 from that single training investment.
Compare to a £27,750 university fees + 3 years not earning = opportunity cost £87,000+. The bootcamp ROI is dramatically faster for adult career changers.
So Which Should You Choose?
- £0 free resources: Good for existing engineers adding PLC to their CV.
- £50–£500 online courses: Good introduction, good for existing engineers.
- £1,500–£5,000 bootcamps: Best for career changers and recent graduates who want to be employable in 3–6 months.
- £1,000–£3,000 vendor courses: Best for experienced PLC engineers deepening platform expertise.
- £0 apprenticeship: Ideal for 16–21 year old school leavers.
- £60,000+ university degree: Best for 18-year-olds seeking a 30+ year engineering career in research or complex systems design.
Why EDWartens?
Our Professional Module at £2,140 sits squarely in the bootcamp category but with key differentiators:
- CPD Accredited — formally recognised professional development
- UKRLP Registered — on the official UK Register of Learning Providers
- Real hardware — every student gets hands-on Siemens S7-1200/1500 time
- Career support included — CV, LinkedIn, interview prep, placement assistance
- Small batches — maximum 15 students per cohort
- Flexible payment — instalment plans available
- Visa-friendly — international students on Student, Graduate, Skilled Worker, or Dependent visas welcome
For transparent pricing and a full breakdown of what's included, see our Professional Module page or book a free consultation with our career advisors.
