Industrial Automation and PLC Technician

Installing PLCs, sensors, drives and SCADA screens; wiring control panels; finding faults when a line stops; changing the program when a process changes.

A day in the work
The shift starts with a handover from the last crew, who report any faults or changes. You check sensors, drives and the HMI screen, then walk the line to see if anything is slowing down. When a machine stops, you trace the fault with a multimeter and the PLC's diagnostic screen, fix or replace the part, and log what you did. Many afternoons go on small changes to the program, tested carefully before the line restarts.

1. Step 1 · Class 9–10Take Science and Maths seriously. Most two-year ITI trades in this field ask for Class 10 with these subjects. Minimum age is usually 14.
2. Step 2 · After Class 10Apply through your state's ITI admission portal for a trade in mechatronics, electronics mechanic or automation. Check which trades your nearby government ITI actually runs, because not every ITI offers every trade.
3. Step 3 · ITI, years 1–2Learn electrical and electronic circuits, soldering, panel wiring, sensors, hydraulics and basic CNC. Each year includes mandatory on-the-job training or a group project, and you finish with a National Trade Certificate from DGT.
4. Step 4 · After ITIBuild PLC and SCADA skills. Look for courses that match national skill standards, such as the NSQF PLC/SCADA qualifications, and check that they are recognised by employers before you pay for any course.
5. Step 5 · First jobsStart as a technician who maintains and fault-finds machines. With experience, many move on to writing and changing PLC programs, which is the more senior role in this field.

• Two-year ITI: Technician MechatronicsA DGT trade of four six-month semesters, open after Class 10 with Science and Maths. It covers sensors, panel wiring, hydraulics, CNC and industrial training, and ends with a National Trade Certificate.
• One-year ITI: Manufacturing Process Control and AutomationA shorter DGT trade focused on PLC, HMI and SCADA. It teaches building small automated systems, interfacing PLCs with HMIs and SCADA, and industrial visits.
• Apprenticeship: Mechanic Mechatronics under ATSA two-year apprenticeship-based route where most of the training happens in industry. It ends with a National Apprenticeship Certificate from NCVT.
• Diploma plus PLC/SCADA trainingA diploma in electronics or electrical engineering, or the DGT Diploma in Industrial Electronics and Automation, followed by PLC and SCADA courses. This route suits students who want more theory.

Fees from: Telangana ITI Admissions 2024, tuition fee annexure · Delhi Government ITI Admission 2026 portal notice. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Pay depends on your experience, the industry (auto, food, pharma, steel or packaging), and the city. New trainees earn much less than experienced technicians who can programme PLCs, and employers set pay individually.

The DGT curriculum for Technician Mechatronics lists several disability categories as eligible for this trade, including locomotor disability, low vision and hearing impairment. Check the seat rules at your ITI.

• Class 7–9With an adult, open an old unplugged fan or torch and identify the switch, wires and motor. Draw a simple diagram of how the switch controls the light or motor.
• Class 10–12Read the first-year list of the DGT Technician Mechatronics curriculum. Note which topics you find interesting, such as sensors, circuits or CNC, and ask a teacher what they involve.Open link ↗
• College or afterLook for a free introductory course on control systems or automation on NPTEL and finish one module on sensors or control logic.Open link ↗

• The ITI certificate is a government-recognised trade certificate. It is not a licence, so no registration is needed to work as a technician.
• PLC brands differ. Official PLC qualifications cover Siemens and ABB software, so being comfortable with more than one brand helps.
• Factories often run shifts, and fault-finding can happen at any hour when a line stops.