How to Become an Instrumentation and Controls Technician

Instrumentation and controls technicians look after the instruments that measure pressure, temperature, flow and level. They also support the automated systems that run the plant: PLCs, SCADA, distributed control systems and safety systems. You'll find them in mineral processing plants, LNG facilities, refineries, power stations and water treatment plants.

At a glance

• Where you'll work: processing plants, LNG and gas facilities, refineries, power stations.
• Usual way in: an electrical and instrumentation (E&I) apprenticeship.
• Uni needed? No.
• Time to qualify: often around five years for a dual E&I trade.
• Rosters: FIFO and DIDO are common at remote plants. Some city and coastal plants are residential.

What the job involves

• Installing, calibrating and testing instruments.
• Fault-finding control loops, valves and actuators.
• Working on PLCs, SCADA and control systems.
• Maintaining alarms, emergency shutdown and safety systems.
• Working on hazardous-area equipment.
• Supporting commissioning and shutdowns.

At school

• Maths, especially algebra and measurement.
• Physics.
• Electronics or computing.
• Chemistry, for process industries.
• English. You'll follow procedures and write maintenance records.

How to qualify

The strongest route for school leavers is an E&I apprenticeship. It combines an electrician qualification with an instrumentation and control qualification, so you finish with two trades.

The electrical side matters because most instruments connect to electrical systems and control cabinets. Electrical licensing rules vary by country and state, so check where you plan to work.

You'll usually need an employer and a training contract before you start. A classroom course on its own rarely leads to site work. Qualified electricians can also add the instrumentation trade later.

Your first job

Job titles to search for:

• Apprentice E&I Technician
• Apprentice Instrument Technician
• Trade Assistant, E&I
• Instrumentation Technician
• Process Control Technician

New apprentices often start with bench testing and basic maintenance. Next comes live plant work: reading loop diagrams, isolating equipment, and tracing a signal from the field device to the control system.

Tickets and training

• Your electrical licence and instrumentation trade.
• Hazardous-area training, for oil, gas and chemical sites.
• Isolation and permit system training.
• Working at heights and confined space tickets.
• Site inductions and a medical.

Where it can lead

Apprentice E&I Technician → Instrumentation Technician → Senior Instrument or Control Technician → Lead or Commissioning Technician → E&I Supervisor, Automation Specialist or Control Systems Engineer

Further study can take you into PLC programming, functional safety, control systems engineering or maintenance management.

What employers look for

• Accurate calibration and careful records.
• Logical fault-finding. Check the process, wiring, signal and calibration before replacing a transmitter.
• Electrical safety.
• Clear communication with operators, engineers and other trades.

Is it for you?

It suits you if you enjoy electrical work and problem-solving with computers, and like asking why a reading doesn't look right.

Pay, rosters and jobs

• See what the job pays: Electrician salaries
• Browse live roles: Electrician and E&I jobs
• Related guides: High Voltage Electrician, Process Technician