Filling the knowledge gap

Like most professionals in the control and automation field, I received most of my working skills and knowledge on the job. Leaving university with a mind brimming with theory and a mathematical tool chest, it was a shock to find that I knew little of practical use for a working engineer. My superiors patiently guided me through the process of relearning skills and knowledge as no doubt they had in their own day as graduates.

Although there is a similar knowledge shock for other engineering disciplines, it seems more severe for control and automation engineers who deal with specialised and ever-changing technologies. I see the same problem with apprentice instrument techs, struggling to relate theory from the classroom to what they were actually working on in the plant.

Thirty-something years later, I ask whether things have changed. Technologies have certainly changed - tablet PCs have replaced the slide rule and we have smartphones in our pockets instead of notepaper, pencil and a pen (in fact two pens, in case one ran out!). Many of today’s graduates tell us that the real-world transitional shock is still there.

But organisations have also reduced engineering staffing over the last 20 years and specialists such as control engineers are not being replaced as they leave. This has resulted in industry knowledge being concentrated in the large vendor organisations with the well-known conflict of interest issues that result. And it also means that the on-the-job transfer of skills and experience is no longer working either - resulting in an increase of inexperience within the industry.

The question of what core skills are needed in the instrumentation, control and automation fields has only recently been answered in a concise way by the Automation Federation in conjunction with ISA (International Society of Automation, or as most people recall their original name, the Instrument Society of America). These groups have developed competency models for various control and automation professional roles. The competency models are available online at http://www.automationfederation.org/.

ISA is the preeminent international society representing instrumentation, control and automation, with branches in many countries. ISA is also the originator of many automation standards, such as P&ID symbols, fieldbus standards and, recently, industrial wireless standards. The equivalent of ISA in Australia is IICA (Institute of Instrumentation Control & Automation).

So the question remains of how to fill the knowledge and experience gap that often exists in Australia’s plants and factories. To help fill the gaps, IICA has teamed up with ISA to present ISA’s training courses in various control and automation subjects. The one-day courses cover both introductory subjects suitable for new graduates, as well as new technologies suitable for experienced personnel wanting to upgrade skills in new areas.

The IICA/ISA courses have been developed by engineers and technicians to provide practical hands-on knowledge - and are regularly updated as standards and technologies change. IICA’s instructors in Australia are specifically chosen to have extensive hands-on experience in their particular subject area.

The courses, presented in over 30 countries and internationally recognised by global corporations, have been ‘Australianised and metrified’ by IICA to reflect Australian standards and systems. They are recognised by Engineers Australia as contributing to their Continuing Professional Development requirements.

To make these courses as accessible as possible, course charges are based on direct cost recovery only. Feedback from participants has been excellent with many returning for second or third courses. Take note HR training managers and engineering managers - these courses will help your control and automation personnel enhance and maintain important skills.