Program Description
Instrumentation Engineering Technology provides students with sound theoretical and practical training in the operation and maintenance of automated process control and measurement systems used in the production of various commodities. Instrumentation technologists use electronic test equipment to install, troubleshoot, calibrate, maintain and repair electrical/electronic measurement and control instruments. Students will learn about pneumatic devices, control valves, electronic instruments, digital logic devices, computer based process controls and control system design. Students also become well versed in personal computer applications in instrumentation, process control systems design, Fieldbus™ SCADA, PLC, distributed control system design and interfacing of industrial microcomputer control systems with real processes. Modern laboratory facilities include pilot-scale versions of processes found in various industries and a fully equipped control room.
The Instrumentation Engineering Technology program is currently only offered full-time; distance and continuing education options are not available. Each academic year consists of two 15-week semesters and students generally take two years to complete the program.
Program Overview
Your Career
Opportunities for employment exist in engineering design, instrumentation sales and industrial process plants in a variety of sectors, including power production, oil and gas refining, processing, transportation, fertilizer production, pulp and paper, wood processing, petrochemical processing, food processing, mining and manufacturing.
- Graduates of the Instrumentation Engineering Technology program have a 94% employment rate.
Student Success
The Instrumentation Engineering Technology program (IIET) requires an interest and aptitude for math, science and computers. The foundation that you have developed in these areas through previous education and experience will be further enhanced through courses that include lecture and laboratory components.
Contact time with instructors in lectures and labs is thirty hours per week. The average student is expected to spend about an additional twenty five hours per week on assignments, studying and projects.
A career in Instrumentation Engineering Technology typically includes both office and field work. Depending on someone’s particular career path the proportion of office and field exposure can vary significantly. In the IIET program students are exposed to lab work that simulates field activities. This includes using machinery and hand tools to assemble, calibrate and troubleshoot industrial instrumentation components, following safety requirements including the use of personal protective equipment like safety glasses and footwear.
Some of the subject areas that are a focus of the program include:
- Industrial Process Analysis
- Process Instruments
- Analytical Instruments
- Control and Safety Systems
In the industry, instrumentation practitioners will often work in teams of various sizes. In the IIET program many courses require working in teams for projects or lab assignments.
We invite you to reflect on the following questions:
- Do I enjoy working in a team environment?
- Am I a good communicator? Verbal (good English language skills); Written (clear, concise)
- Am I a self-starter who likes to think critically through problems and challenges?
- Am I adaptable?
The IIET program is designed to provide teaching, or the delivery of information to students, at the beginning of the program, but evolves to more of a coaching role, where students learn more independently, by the end of the program. This requires that students take more initiative and responsibility for their learning, with instructors available as a resource, as they progress through the program.
Students will have to secure their own job after graduation. Assistance is available on resumé writing and interviewing for a position. Networking opportunities with industry are available through the program. Students are encouraged to be active in their student club, to develop the soft skills that are important to a successful career and to access additional opportunities to network with industry.
Credentials and Accreditation
After successfully completing this program, graduates will receive a SAIT diploma in Instrumentation Engineering Technology.
Accreditation
The Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT) nationally accredits the Instrumentation Engineering Technology program at the Engineering Technologist level. Students are eligible for membership in the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals in Alberta (ASET) and International Society of Automation (ISA).
Return to: