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Learning path · Electrician to PLC

Free PLC course for electricians: learning path

Is there a free PLC course for electricians? Yes. This path takes what you know about wiring, contactors and relay logic and adds PLC programming in 6 free courses, with a simulator so you need no hardware. It is self-study. The certificate is optional (£19 including VAT) and is not a vendor or regulated qualification.

See the 6 courses

In order

The courses

About 124 hours in all. The last course is optional if you do not work to BS 7671.

  1. 1Electrical Fundamentals for Technicians: Volts to Multimeter to Drawings Beginner 14 hoursA refresher if you want it, and the course that covers the multimeter, earthing, RCDs and safe isolation.
  2. 2Industrial Motor Control Beginner 25 hoursContactors, starters and reversing circuits. This is the relay logic that ladder logic is drawn from.
  3. 3Siemens TIA Portal Beginner 28 hoursYour first PLC. Swap in Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 if the plants you want run Rockwell.
  4. 4PLC and Electrical Troubleshooting for Maintenance Teams Beginner 14 hoursFault finding on a machine you did not build, including sensors, 4-20 mA loops and online diagnostics.
  5. 5HMI Design and Programming: Siemens WinCC and FactoryTalk View ME Beginner 18 hoursThe operator screen: tags, alarms and clear, safe design.
  6. 6Wiring Regulations in Practice: BS 7671 and IEC 60364 Intermediate 25 hoursOptional: BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 and the IEC 60364 method, if your work includes design or inspection.

Free PLC course for electricians: learning path: guide

What you already know

If you have worked with contactors, relay control circuits, overloads, wiring and drawings, you already understand the idea behind ladder logic. It was drawn to look like a relay wiring diagram, so a seal-in rung is the same circuit as a self-holding contactor. Safe isolation, reading schematics and meter work carry straight over.

Where a PLC is different

  • The program runs in scans, so the order of rungs and what you read when matter.
  • Wiring changes: 24 V DC inputs and outputs, sinking and sourcing, and addressing in software instead of terminals.
  • You work in software: projects, hardware configuration, simulation and online diagnostics.
  • An operator screen (HMI) is often part of the job.
  • A PLC alone does not make a machine safe. Safety functions need safety-rated devices and proper validation.

Which PLC brand first?

Choose the brand used where you want to work. Siemens TIA Portal is in the path. Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 is the alternative if you aim at Rockwell plants. Our guide Electrician to PLC engineer: a UK career switch guide goes through the decision. For practice with nothing to install, use the Lab PLC simulator and the free ladder logic course.

Practice and jobs

Checked 24 October 2026

The PLC Programmer and Commissioning Engineer job simulations let you practise the work (days 1 to 5 are free, and it is practice, not employment). See what is advertised on the PLC and automation jobs board.

On pay, ITJobsWatch reported a median of £60,000 for PLC Engineer across 144 advertisements in the six months to 21 October 2026 (checked 24 October 2026). That is advertised pay across the market, not a promise for any one person. More in PLC engineer salary UK.

Next steps

Practise, then apply

Job simulations (practice, not employment)

UK jobs

Free simulators in the EDWartens Lab

Guides

Also useful

Questions

Common questions

Will my electrical qualification help?
It helps with wiring, safe isolation, drawings and motor control, which are all part of PLC work. Employers set their own requirements, so we cannot say what any one qualification will count for.
Which PLC brand should I learn first?
The one used where you want to work. Siemens TIA Portal and Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 are two of the most common. Pick one, learn it, then other brands are mostly a new editor.
Do I need a degree?
You do not need a degree to take these courses. Employers set their own requirements, so check current adverts for the roles you want.
What do PLC engineers earn?
ITJobsWatch reported a median of £60,000 for PLC Engineer across 144 advertisements in the six months to 21 October 2026 (checked 24 October 2026). This is advertised pay, not a promise, and it varies by role, sector and region.
Is it free?
Yes. Every lesson, quiz and final exam is free. The optional EDWartens certificate is £19 including VAT per course, and is not a vendor or regulated qualification.