Instrumentation and Control Technician

Working as an Instrumentation and Control Technician in Alberta and BC

Instrumentation and control technicians in Alberta and BC keep process plants measuring, controlling and shutting down safely.

• Alberta. Oil sands mining and in-situ operations around Fort McMurray, upgraders, refineries and petrochemical plants in the Industrial Heartland near Edmonton, petrochemical and gas processing around Red Deer, and Calgary-based controls, automation and pipeline SCADA work.
• British Columbia. The LNG export terminal and gas supply system on the Kitimat corridor, pulp mills and sawmills around Prince George, hydroelectric generation, and water treatment, food processing and manufacturing in Metro Vancouver and the Okanagan around Kelowna.
• Who hires. Plant owners and operators, maintenance and turnaround contractors, controls and automation integrators, pipeline operators, utilities and municipalities.
• The work pattern. Expect shift work at large plants, spring and fall turnarounds, and rotation or camp work at remote sites.

In Alberta the trade is a four-period apprenticeship, with classroom training at NAIT, Northwestern Polytechnic, Red Deer Polytechnic and SAIT (tradesecrets.alberta.ca). In BC it is run by SkilledTradesBC.

The Red Seal exam is the same everywhere: a Red Seal endorsement is recognized in every province and territory that takes part in the Red Seal Program, so this practice works wherever you write. Exam study guide