Engineering Technician Interviews & Application process (Industrial Maintenance & Instrumentation)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ม.ค. 2021
- In this video I discuss my journey finding a new job as an instrumentation technician.
I quit my job at a water plant in September and moved across the country. In my job hunt I had a lot of interviews and a lot of things that did not go my way. Watch to see how i made it work and lessons learned!
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Instrumentation and controls, engineering, interviews, career, science, electronics, process control, physics, PLC, VFD programable logic controller SCADA metrology data aquisition college automation
Add me on LinkedIn Gregory Roche Cleveland Ohio
![Instrumentation Calibration - [An Introduction]](/img/n.gif)
Keep the instrumentation videos going I’m in school and watch this
Will do thanks. What would be a good topic in your opinion?
Process technology degree vs instrumentation degree level of difficulty of each degree and what to do if you know nothing about electrical and instrumentation
@@gregroche7323 or talk about working as a instrumentation tech with no degree
@@tresperez144 you got it my friend
Video suggestions please.. will post really really
Going through a similar situation, appreciate the video
Glad I stumbled on this video I have been in a very similar predicament I graduated last May and have been trying to peruse a job in instrumentation finding the right job had been a huge struggle
I can help (maybe) sometimes its tough finding the right job bc of different terminology in the job description or title. First job is the toughest I would suggest looking at maintenance tech or field service tech jobs that has some controls or electronics, plcs etc in the job description... Find those and you will coast the interview imo (thats my experience) the pay may be a bit lower but a job is a job and you can build your resume
Any luck? Did you get a job?
Keep it going sir
Man i have been so lazy. Gotta do it
What Gerald said lol I appreciate the video very much
Ok you got it. Thinking next video what a basic control loop looks like then discuss difference between process control and instrumentation what do you think
@@gregroche7323 no more general stuff on it like comments I said previously
I went to school for instrumentation back In 2019, it was a trade school. I still have yet to find a tech job, I hear a lot of companies won’t hire people without experience. I’m in Texas and there are a lot of chemical plants and refineries. I have no idea where to start but your video was helpful. I’m really hoping to find a tech job by 2022. Right now I’m
An electrician, been since 2016, also in the chemical plants/refineries.
I just saw this comment and I feel like I already responded to it but it's not on here so maybe I didn't... If you're already in electrician that's strange me that you're having trouble finding a tech job. Most instrumentation jobs or control system jobs aren't called instrumentation or control system technician. Look for a job as an electrical technician in a manufacturing setting and that's going to have a lot of crossover between instrumentation and electrician work and it should pay similarly as an electrician, then once you get that extra boost of experience with that job on your resume you should be good to go in my opinion. You can get on the job sites and in the search bar just put plc vfd controls instrumentation electrical technician you'll find a lot of crossover in those job titles that's my advice good luck let me know how it works out
I'm actually currently trying to transition from an instrumentation role to more of a control system technician role so I will keep you posted as well
Hey Greg i subscribed to you! Thank you for doing these types of videos. I'm going for my instrumentation degree and i kind of worried on how long it would take me to get my first job since i don't have any experience but i like the things you said about willing to learn and being honest which makes things all the better because i really want to succeed in life
Thank you for subscribing. Means a lot. What area are you in?? I can take a look at the jobs postings there and tell you what I would apply for. Bottom line is sometimes the first job isn't ideal but you can look at it as part of the education
Also what job history do you have?
@@gregroche7323 I live in Houston Tx... currently working as a janitor at Lyondellbasell-Houston refinery on Lawndale st... in there I have a job with "Austin Industrial" who I been working with the past 3 years. I got advice by some of the Lyondell coworkers there to go for my instrumentation for a good stable career and so that's what I'm working on
@@gregroche7323 I don't have any history/experience related to the career itself but i do have plant experience being inside and getting a feel for how it is in there
@@WilisWar that is good... Better than mcdonald's for sure. You're gonna be good dude start networking... Thats a great company. Anything controls related is a good first job get on linkedin start applying you would be surprised what you can get i know i was at first
Hey im going to school for instrumentation later this year and would love it if you could help break down some of the important general knowledge or give some sort of introduction to instrumentation, so I can get a good head start and know more about my future profession.
Ok so just a basics video?
You are the second person that asked me that😂😂
@@gregroche7323 yes please that would be a great help!
What’s some interview wear for i&e just really nice work clothes or button up and tie?
That is a good question. You could probably get away with both. I always wear a nice button up shirt with no tie and dress pants.
I completed a two year Mekaronics program in California and they have no internship opportunities.
I ended up getting into a job as a electronics technician that ended up transitioning away from being electronic technician for credit card readers. I messed up selecting that job.
I’m looking to make the right decision this time. I noticed that I’m not being considered for a lot of entry level positions and I’m wondering if you have any advice on extra programs outside of my degree or things I can do to keep my skills up that will help me land a job in this field.
Really anything will help if you have the time. Thanks man these videos help. I’m applying for jobs but noticing my skills might need upgrading. It’s difficult for me to learn straight from the book without application and the school that I went to only did a limited amount with no internships so I feel a little bit stuck.
I hear you brother my best suggestion would be get a job as a maintenance technician at a company that has controls and instrumentation. That or apply for electrical controls jobs at big companies that aren't super popular such as Amazon. I believe the Amazon jobs are usually listed through a staffing agency I know they use CW services in my area that could be a good starting point but you're not going to get the best relevant experience.. it does look good on a resume though I would not suggest going back to school. A lot of the certifications and stuff are Regional but I know here the ISA certification hold some weight, read through the comments I know there's a lot of people on the west coast that talk about certifications that they get that could be helpful. So yeah go for some certifications and try to get a maintenance tech job with opportunity to learn controls or look for electrical tech jobs at companies that are not very popular both will look just dandy on a resume to get you the job you want
Industrial maintenance technician also is a pretty underrated career, it is the cousin of instrumentation technician more based on mechanics and physical problems but there is a lot of overlap. I know car mechanics often get hired as industrial maintenance technicians because at least in my area it's hard to find people with that skill set. Companies seem to be willing to train maintenance technicians as long as they have some sort of mechanical aptitude hope that helps
Hey Greg,
Thank you for the videos.
I want to study instrumentation engineering at SAIT but i am really confuse about 2 things: job opportunities and family plan.
It's easy to get a good job after the school?
It's possible to get the job and don't need to travel too much? I want don't want to stay fare from my Family..
Sorry for the late response on this.. sometimes the first job can be a little bit challenging to land just cuz you don't have any real world experience. Traveling jobs are easier to get just because no one wants to do them. Any updates on your situation for the audience
I didn't want to take a traveling job and I never had to that being said there's probably better money in those jobs generally speaking and most the ones that I've seen are reasonable you might only travel 5 days a month or so
I also have an interview for an Electrical & Control Tech coming up at a provincial power plant. So far my only control systems experience is labs with VFDs and examining/calibrating PID controllers. It’s an entry level position so I don’t expect too many job specific questions- but can you recommend some things for me to study up on?
I think you will get the job. Study up on schematics and symbols, if you don't know how to use them learn.
Maybe study up on basic electrical code (just the basics) and throw out the word PLC. Watch a video or 2 on plcs and dcs. You got this
Did you get the job?
@@gregroche7323 hey Greg, thanks for following up I hope you’re well! It ended up just being an aptitude test. A lot of my friends wrote it and none of us got a call back. I’m still working as a electrical eng. technologist at my paper mill but it’s a shitty desk job. I am going to be finished up my instrumentation diploma in April
I hear ya thats good at least you got something going for now. Im sure you will get the next one. Keep me in the loop if you think of it. Have a good one.
Also i would like to ask you a question on hydroelectricity. I have 2 hydrosystems one that is a smaller low outputting system that is fully functional and another one that was about more than half way done. Could this something that I could potentially learn somewhat about in this field or is it a completely different profession
So any instrumentation is going to have a foundation in electrical theory.
Many IC techs work at power plants. Calibration on sensors, troubleshooting control circuits. IC tech is essentially the arm of the electrical/ electronics/ controls engineers.
Engineers design and modify, ic techs troubleshoot install repair and offer insights into automated process. Hope that sort of answers your question
Being an instrumentation tech you will understand how it all works. If you want to design then you are going to want to look into engineering
@@gregroche7323 Thank you for all that great info it really helps out a lot and im glad im going the right route because I was planning to take both engineering and instrumentation in Nevada.
@@gregroche7323 Also one more question and that is when I receive my degree for engineering through a trade school, will I still be able to get my PE after 4 years in the field?, or will i have to take engineering for 4 years at a university
@@rockomoore2619 it is my understanding that you need a 4 year engineering degree from an ABET accredited school to pursue the P.E.
Every state has slightly different laws with that. You can call and find out which degrees are accepted (i forget which organization it is,but I did it before that is how I know)
I'm currently a maintenance technician going on 2 years of experience. I'm looking into the electrical engineering technology degree path at my local community college now. The only problem is i currently work nights, and have a lot of trouble waking up early. When i was working day shift i could wake up at 2:50 am no problem. So i feel it would be best for me to get back on day shift and take classes in the afternoon ( after work ). What was your schedule like when pursuing your degree?
That's a really good question and it's actually a huge issue with these sorts of degrees because they're so few people going into it they have to have all the classes at like either one or two set times so there's not much flexibility. If I remember correctly the degree that I was in offered most the classes at night it was set up for working adults but it was not perfect so luckily the guy who ran my degree had a lot of flexibility with me and he allowed me to skip a lot of prerequisites and just start like classes that I was supposed to take at the end more towards the beginning of my degree. After I was able to get through my first semester I started working two part-time jobs one of which was a 24-hour week instrumentation internship and then the other one was just delivering pizzas so I did have to get a flexible schedule to get my degree. If it's a good program the people at your college will understand this and they'll move things around to help you move forward that's the best I can say it's all based on their requirements and how they do it. In my opinion you're in a great situation to move forward in this direction with your career being that you already have relevant experience. If you believe your employer would be supportive definitely discuss it with HR they might help you pay for it even though it's pretty cheap or and maybe a better situation would be at least to let you move your schedule around a little bit if if you let them help you pay they'll want you to stay there for a few years.
I apologize for the horrible grammar I'm doing voice to text on my phone, but yeah I can't really have an answer for you because my degree at first it was all at night and then towards the end it was some classes during the day so I just had to have flexible schedules your best BET's going to be having the college let you take classes before you get the prerequisites and having your employer allow you like one or two days a week when you come in at a different time that's my opinion
Also.. and just a thought make sure you're looking at all your options maintenance tech to electronics or instrumentation Tech isn't a huge upgrade maybe 20% more pay but it is a better career in my opinion. I'm not saying you shit I'm just saying it might be worth exploring the pros and cons versus getting a four year engineering degree, there's more flexibility with that degree as well but there's obvious negatives to going for that degree rather than just a two year
@@gregroche7323 hello Greg, I have some amazing news. I actually was accepted into an e&i apprenticeship at a huge company in my area. It was about a 2 month process between applying and actually receiving my acceptance email, but I’m extremely blessed to receive this opportunity. The apprenticeship starts out at $30.95, great benefits, schooling is paid for, indoor gym, cafeteria & even barber shop. It’s a dream come true.
I plan on being here at the least, the next 4 years, at that point I will obtain my journeyman’s license, as listed in the program description. My life has officially made a huge turn, because these past 2 years as a maintenance technician have been complete hell. I’ve dealt with drunks, addicts, people with severe anger problems, it’s been a difficult 2 years, but I can officially say it’s all been worth it. My start date is in august, I will definitely update you later on and let you know how things are going. I appreciate you for all that you do sir.
@@gregroche7323 hello Greg, I have some amazing news. I actually was accepted into an e&i apprenticeship at a huge company in my area. It was about a 2 month process between applying and actually receiving my acceptance email, but I’m extremely blessed to receive this opportunity. The apprenticeship starts out at $30.95, great benefits, schooling is paid for, indoor gym, cafeteria & even barber shop. It’s a dream come true.
I plan on being here at the least, the next 4 years, at that point I will obtain my journeyman’s license, as listed in the program description. My life has officially made a huge turn, because these past 2 years as a maintenance technician have been complete hell. I’ve dealt with drunks, addicts, people with severe anger problems, it’s been a difficult 2 years, but I can officially say it’s all been worth it. My start date is in august, I will definitely update you later on and let you know how things are going. I appreciate you for all that you do sir.
( I posted this comment 8 months ago, this is just a copy and paste of it. I came back to revisit your videos and noticed my comment wasn’t displaying for some reason. Hope you see this )
Yeah that's pretty awesome and That's a pretty solid wage starting out
Gonna graduate later this semester with an associates degree in instrumentation, looking if i can work in a shop first to gain my knowledge and experience.
That's the way to do it I would start applying it factories for maintenance positions I don't know where you're located but in Ohio a lot of those positions remain vacant so it shouldn't be too hard to find one
@@gregroche7323 im located in houston here in texas so lots of refineries and plants here honestly
Yeah I've heard that definitely some big career opportunities in that area. I wish you the best remember your first job doesn't have to be your Forever job some people luck out and it is but it's not always the case
@@gregroche7323 thanks man !
@@angelflores3431 how has it been going with starting your degree?
As a journeyman lineman with 4 years experience. How hard would it be to transition to instrumentation? Looking for something less physically demanding. Have theory knowledge, but I never set foot in instrumentation, does everyone start at the bottom if they decide to pursue this field?
That is a great question. One of our techs is the exact same situation. You are well qualified for electrical or i&e tech imo. You can always pursue some sort of certificate... I would suggest get the ISW CCST1, your experience should quality you for that. There really is no "bottom" for instrumentation. In my experience moat jobs are all at about the same level, and expect to have to train people. Check out the ISA website, get what you can and start applying. Jobs that are more focused on calibration might be a stretch, but the ones that are more focused on controls should be relatively easy for you to get a job offer imo. A lot of maintenance electrician jobs are focused on i&e as well, something to consider.
Expect lower wages than what you are doing... But a very rewarding and stable career good luck. Knowing what you know I would not suggest finding an entry level position, just look for one that has a lot of crossover with what you know. Liscensed electrician with instrumentation knowledge are DANGEROUS buddy you will be writing your own checks in no time.
Typos: train people was supposed to say train on the job, it isn't isw it is isa (international society of automation).
Also(i know this is an old thread). There isn't really a bottom its not like being a 1st year apprentice. I bet you would make less money as an i&e tech, but like you said it is less physically demanding and is more gray collar than blue collar. My job is 60/40 field and office work.
Please let me know if you decide to do it and how it goes. Also, I bet you could find a job with your experience without going to school, as the pool of people to hire is so limited. I would suggest applying for some jobs and doing the interviews to get a feel for how easy it would be for you to get employed and what kind of wages you could expect
I have a degree in industrial maintenance technology. I wanna go back to school for Instrumentation & controls 🤔 I’m currently working under brown & root at NovaChemical working my way up 23 years old might do this while enrolled
You work as a maintenance tech yet?
@@gregroche7323Nopeeee left the job. As a Laborer decided to go back to college for Instrumentation & electrical
I'm an Instrumentation Engineer having 1 year and 5 months of experience, i do have experience in calibration and maintenance of field Instrumentation. As I'm from India, Is there any chance for me to get a job there?
I would think so but I really am not sure. Try applying for jobs and see if they call you... That should tell be a sign if you can get a job here
Make a linked in account, most i&e i&c jobs are posted thru there. Use staffing agencies also. The benefits usually aren't as good but pay is the same
Is the job hard and does it require extensive math knowledge?
Not really.... You need to be good at math but not necessarily know a lot of math if that makes sense... It helps to be math minded. As far as training and knowledge it's important to know principles of physics and electricity and once you have that foundation you just learn on the job basically how it works
Some jobs are more difficult than others that's why experience matters a lot