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Free courses
Free PLC courses in the UK, with an optional certificate
Are there free PLC courses in the UK? Yes. EDWartens UK has 30 free PLC courses covering Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi, Omron, Schneider and CODESYS. Lessons, quizzes and the final exam are free, and a simulator means no hardware. An optional certificate costs £19 including VAT. It is not a vendor or regulated qualification.
30 free PLC programming courses
Showing 12 of 30 courses
- SiemensFree
- SiemensFree
- Allen-BradleyFree
- BeckhoffFree
- CODESYSFree
- SiemensFree
- Schneider ElectricFree
- Mitsubishi ElectricFree
- Allen-BradleyFree
- Allen-BradleyFree
- OMRONFree
PLC programming in the UK
What is free, and what costs £19
Every lesson, note, quiz and final exam is free, and no card is needed. If you pass a final exam you can buy a certificate for £19 including VAT, or skip it and keep learning.
The certificate is an EDWartens certificate of completion with a number and QR code that anyone can check at edwartens.co.uk/verify. It is not a Siemens, Rockwell or other vendor credential, and it is not a regulated qualification. How the certificate works.
Which PLC should you learn first in the UK?
Learn the brand your next employer is likely to use. Siemens S7-1200 and S7-1500 controllers, programmed in TIA Portal, run a large share of UK machines and process plant. Allen-Bradley CompactLogix and ControlLogix are common in UK food, drink, pharmaceutical and automotive plants. If you do not know yet, start with one of these:
- Siemens TIA Portal: the full beginner course, with S7-1200 ladder logic, PLCSIM simulation and a first HMI screen.
- Siemens TIA Portal in Three Hours: a short first look, finished in an evening or two.
- Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 for CompactLogix and ControlLogix, or RSLogix 500 for the MicroLogix and SLC 500 systems still running on older lines.
- CODESYS and IEC 61131-3 and OpenPLC: free software that runs on any PC.
Brand new to all of it? The PLC foundations path puts the first courses in order.
Practise without buying a PLC
Every course runs in a simulator or free software, so a computer is all you need. The Siemens courses use PLCSIM, which comes with the TIA Portal trial licence (21 days, and you can reinstall it). CODESYS and OpenPLC are free.
For ladder logic with nothing to install, use the PLC simulator in the EDWartens Lab. It has a vendor-neutral editor, so you write the logic there and keep the brand software for the course. Our free ladder logic course gives the order to learn it in.
From a free course to UK work
A course gives you knowledge, and employers also look for something you have done. Work through the PLC Programmer job simulation (days 1 to 5 are free, and it is practice, not employment), then look at current openings on the PLC and automation jobs board. We cannot promise an interview or a job.
How a course works
Each course is a set of video lessons from respected creators and manufacturers, credited on the course page. We add a study plan, notes, a quiz after each module and a final exam. You can read any course page without an account. To track progress and sit the quizzes and final exam, create a free account and confirm your email. Courses run from a few hours to around 35 hours, so check the hours on the card before you start.
How the free PLC options compare
Checked 24 October 2026
Free PLC learning exists in several places. This is what each offers, so you can choose with the facts in front of you. It compares what is offered, not quality.
| Provider | What is free | Certificate | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alison | A PLC programming course, 5 to 6 hours, beginner | Paid add-on; the price varies by location | Ads and a Premium upsell on the page. |
| Automation Community | One beginner PLC course: 13 lessons and 13 quizzes, about 6 hours | Certificate of completion included | One course per topic; no UK content. |
| AutomationDirect | A free video library after registration | Tests for certificates reported in 2019 coverage; page not re-checked | Brand-specific (CLICK, Do-more) and US-focused. |
| Solis PLC | Short free courses: a TIA Portal intro (6 lessons, about 1 hour 20 minutes), RSLogix 500 and a PLCnext intro | Only a PLCnext exam certificate is listed | Free courses lead to paid courses; prices are not shown. |
| EDWartens UK | 30 PLC courses, each with lessons, quizzes and a final exam | Optional, £19 including VAT, checkable by number and QR code | UK context, a browser simulator and a UK jobs board. Our certificate is not free. |
Details come from each provider's public pages and search summaries on 24 October 2026 and change often. Check them before you decide. Free here means free to learn.
If you want a live class or funding
Free self-study is not the only route. For funded and instructor-led options in England, read Funded PLC training in England. If you want a live class with an instructor, the paid Professional Module is a five-day online course in Siemens TIA Portal. To compare providers, see best PLC training in the UK. Many learners start free, decide which brand and route suit them, and only then spend money.
Questions
PLC programming: common questions
Are there free PLC courses in the UK?
Yes. EDWartens UK offers 30 free PLC courses, from Siemens and Allen-Bradley to Mitsubishi, Omron, Schneider and CODESYS. You can read every course page without an account. A free account lets you track progress, take the quizzes and sit the final exam.
Can I get a free PLC course with a certificate?
You can learn and take the final exam free. The EDWartens certificate costs £19 including VAT and is optional. If you need a certificate that costs nothing, the Automation Community lists a certificate of completion with its free six-hour beginner course (checked 24 October 2026). Ours costs £19, sits on longer courses and can be checked by an employer.
Which PLC should a beginner learn first?
Siemens TIA Portal or Allen-Bradley (RSLogix 500 or Studio 5000). Both start from zero. Pick the brand used where you want to work. After one brand, every other is mostly a new editor and new instruction names.
Do I need a PLC or any hardware?
No. Each course names what it needs: PLCSIM for the Siemens courses, free CODESYS and OpenPLC, and the browser PLC simulator in the EDWartens Lab. Filter the catalogue by 'runs fully in simulation' to see the courses that need nothing else.
Is the PLC software free?
Often. CODESYS and OpenPLC are free. TIA Portal needs a trial licence (21 days) and includes PLCSIM. RSLogix Micro Starter Lite and Connected Components Workbench Standard are free, and Studio 5000 has a trial. Each course page lists the software it uses.
How long does it take to learn PLC programming?
Plan on roughly 40 to 60 focused hours to reach basic ladder logic. A full brand course is longer. Our guide How long does it take to learn PLC programming sets out the stages.
Is the certificate a qualification that UK employers recognise?
It is a certificate of completion. It is not a regulated qualification and not a vendor credential. It shows you completed a course and passed its final exam, and an employer can verify it. Most employers also look at projects, so pair it with practice in the Lab or a job simulation.
Will a free PLC course get me a job?
No course can promise that. A free course teaches the skills, and employers then look at what you have built and your experience. The UK jobs board shows what is advertised now, and job simulations give you practice to point to.
Next steps