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Whitestone International College of Innovation delivers quality-assured, standards-aligned programmes that integrate academic rigour, industry relevance, and digital fluency to develop principled leaders who deliver measurable impact.

Courses

Whitestone International Diploma in Industrial Automation: PLC & SCADA Systems

The Whitestone International Diploma in Industrial Automation: PLC & SCADA Systems is a 12- month vocational programme designed to provide a structured, practice-oriented foundation in programmable logic controllers (PLCs), basic industrial control concepts, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems within modern industrial environments.

Course Overview

The programme integrates four key dimensions:

Fundamentals of industrial automation and control – processes, sensors, actuators, and control strategies at vocational–intermediate level.

PLC hardware and programming – architecture, I/O systems, ladder logic and other basic programming representations, diagnostics and troubleshooting under supervision.

SCADA and HMI systems – data acquisition, alarms, trends, operator interfaces and integration with PLCs at conceptual and support level.

Integration, safety awareness, maintenance, standards and professional practice – lifecycle, documentation, change management and cyber-security awareness.

It is intended for individuals who work in, or aspire to work in, industrial automation, plant operations, maintenance, engineering support, and control-system integration in sectors such asmanufacturing, process industries, oil and gas, water and wastewater, power generation and distribution, food and beverage, and building services.

Learners will explore how automation teams specify and configure PLC-based control panels, develop and maintain control logic within defined standards, connect SCADA/HMI interfaces, acquire and log process data, and support troubleshooting and optimisation, always under the direction of appropriately qualified engineers and in line with organisational procedures. The emphasis is on support-level competence, disciplined programming, documentation, and safe operating practice, not on unsupervised design of safety-critical systems or high-risk process control.

This diploma is vocational and non-regulated. It does not qualify learners as professional engineers,
control-system designers, functional-safety engineers, or licensed electricians, and does not authorise
them to independently design or certify safety-related control systems, high-risk process automation,
or hazardous-area installations. Such responsibilities require additional accredited qualifications,
supervised practice, and, where applicable, formal registration or certification in line with national
laws, industry standards and professional-body requirements. The programme also does not provide
offensive cyber-security training or instruction on bypassing safety or security controls.

Why This Course is Important?

Across manufacturing, process plants, utilities and building systems, PLC-based automation and SCADA systems are essential for safe, efficient and reliable operation.
Engineering teams depend on technicians and support engineers who can work with automation hardware and software in a disciplined way, follow standards, document changes, and support troubleshooting.
Advanced analytics, IoT, smart factories and remote operations all rely on clean, reliable, well-managed PLC and SCADA layers.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this programme, participants will be able to:

Explain core concepts in industrial automation, control systems and PLC/SCADA architectures at a vocational–intermediate level.
Identify and describe the functions of PLC hardware components, I/O modules, power supplies, communication interfaces and field devices.
Develop, test and document basic PLC programmes (e.g. using ladder logic or equivalent introductory representations) under supervision, in line with organisational standards.
Assist in configuring and maintaining SCADA/HMI screens, alarms, trends and basic reports, connected to PLC or controller tags.
Support fault-finding, troubleshooting and modifications in PLC/SCADA systems at support level, following structured procedures and change control.
Demonstrate awareness of functional-safety principles, lockout/tagout (LOTO), electrical and process safety, and cyber-security awareness as they relate to automation systems, escalating issues to qualified personnel.
Contribute to documentation, backups, version control and lifecycle management for automation systems, supporting reliability and regulatory compliance.

Target Audience

Individuals in or aspiring to roles such as Automation Technician, Junior PLC/SCADA Engineer (support level), Control-Systems Technician, Instrumentation & Control Technician, Maintenance Technician (Automation), or Plant Operations Support with automation responsibilities.
Staff in manufacturing, process plants, utilities, oil & gas, power, water/wastewater, building-services automation, material handling and system integration companies who work with PLC and SCADA systems.
Graduates and technicians from electrical, electronics, mechatronics, instrumentation, IT or related technical disciplines seeking to specialise in industrial automation.
Professionals from adjacent areas (e.g. operations, maintenance, OT/IT support, field service) who require a stronger foundation in PLC and SCADA concepts to support their work.

Entry Requirements

A recognised higher secondary qualification, diploma, or equivalent, preferably with prior study in electrical/electronic engineering, automation, instrumentation, mechatronics or related technical fields
Comfort with basic mathematics, logic concepts and digital tools, and an interest in automation and control
Proficiency in English (IELTS 5.5 or equivalent recommended) to engage with technical documentation, manuals and software interfaces

Programme Structure & Modules

Module 1 – Fundamentals of Industrial Automation, Control & Instrumentation

Role of automation in industry:
Objectives: safety, quality, productivity, efficiency, and reliability.
Process fundamentals (awareness level):
Continuous and batch processes, discrete manufacturing, and typical control variables (level, temperature, pressure, flow, speed, position).
Control concepts:
Open-loop vs closed-loop control, basic feedback principles at conceptual level.
Field instrumentation (awareness):
Sensors, transmitters, switches, actuators, drives and final control elements.
Control architectures:
Field devices, PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, DCS and higher-level systems at overview level.
Safety and standards awareness:
General awareness of electrical safety, functional-safety principles, lockout/tagout (LOTO) and relevant automation guidelines, without jurisdiction-specific code training.

Module 2 – PLC Hardware, Architecture, I/O & Basic Programming

PLC fundamentals:
Architecture: CPU, memory, power supplies, I/O modules, communication ports.
I/O systems:
Digital vs analogue I/O, sourcing vs sinking, basic wiring awareness (not authorising independent electrical installation).
PLC scan cycle and execution model:
Scan, read inputs, execute logic, write outputs – implications for design and timing.
Addressing and tag concepts:
Digital and analogue addresses, symbolic tags, and basic data types at support level.
Basic programming concepts:
Introduction to ladder logic and, where appropriate, awareness of other representations (e.g. function block diagrams) at introductory level.
Simple applications:
Start/stop logic, interlocks, time-delay sequences, counters and simple analogue comparisons under supervision.

Module 3 – Intermediate PLC Functions, Networking & Diagnostics (Awareness Level)

Structuring PLC programs:
Program blocks, subroutines, organisation blocks, modularity, and commenting.
Timers, counters and comparison instructions:
On-delay/off-delay timers, up/down counters, basic arithmetic and comparison operations.
Introduction to analogue handling:
Scaling of analogue inputs/outputs at awareness level, basic linear conversion and limits.
PLC networking and communication (awareness only):
Overview of common industrial networks (e.g. Ethernet-based, fieldbuses) without vendor-specific or protocol-level training.
Diagnostics and troubleshooting support:
Use of basic diagnostics screens, status bits, error codes and online monitoring under supervision.
Change management and backups:
Good practice in saving, versioning and documenting changes to PLC programmes.

Module 4 – SCADA, HMI Systems & Data Acquisition

Role of SCADA and HMI:
Supervisory control, visualisation, alarms, trends and reporting.
SCADA architecture (awareness level):
Servers, clients, communication with PLCs/RTUs, and data acquisition basics.
Tags and data points:
Mapping PLC signals to SCADA/HMI tags; data types awareness.
HMI/SCADA screen design at support level:
Basic layout principles, navigation, symbols, and operator usability awareness.
Alarms and events:
Basic alarm configuration, prioritisation awareness, and operator response expectations.
Trends, logging and reporting:
Creating simple trends and reports for process variables and events, respecting data-integrity principles.

Module 5 – System Integration, Safety Awareness, Cyber-Security & Maintenance

Integration in industrial automation:
Connecting PLCs, HMIs, drives, remote I/O and ancillary systems in a controlled way.
Commissioning and testing (support level):
Support tasks for loop checks, I/O checks, functional tests and documentation under engineer supervision.
Maintenance and lifecycle management:
Preventive maintenance, firmware updates awareness, spares and obsolescence considerations.
Functional-safety and interlocks (awareness):
Concept of safety-related functions, interlocks and permissives; importance of not altering safety logic without formal process.
Cyber-security awareness in OT/ICS environments:
Basic principles of defence-in-depth, least privilege, secure remote access, patching policies and configuration management, without offensive techniques.
Roles and escalation:
When and how to escalate technical, safety or security concerns to specialist engineers, HSE or cyber-security teams.

Module 6 – Documentation, Standards Awareness, Project Support & Professional Practice

Technical documentation in automation:
Control narratives, cause-and-effect charts, I/O lists, loop diagrams, panel drawings at awareness level.
Change control and configuration management:
Request, approval, implementation, testing and recording of changes.
Standards and best practice (awareness only):
Non-jurisdiction-specific awareness of industrial automation and functional-safety guidance from recognised bodies (in conceptual terms), without providing legal or design authority.
Project lifecycle and roles:
Concept, design, build, test, commission, operate and maintain; how technicians and support engineers contribute at each stage.
Communication and cross-functional collaboration:
Working with operations, maintenance, process, electrical, IT/OT, HSE and vendors.
Professional ethics:
Honesty, traceability of changes, respect for safety systems, confidentiality and adherence to organisational policies.

Awarding Body

Whitestone International College of Innovation

United Kingdom

Qualification Type

International Diploma – Vocational Qualification

(Industry-aligned qualification issued by Whitestone International College of Innovation, UK)

Assessment & Certification

Assessment Methods Include:

Written assignments on foundations of industrial automation and control; PLC hardware, architecture and basic programming; intermediate PLC functions and diagnostics; SCADA/HMI systems and data acquisition; system integration, safety awareness, cyber-security and maintenance; and documentation, standards awareness, project support and professional practice.
Practical tasks such as developing basic PLC logic for given scenarios, simulating input/output behaviour, preparing tag lists, designing sample HMI/SCADA screens, and writing simple fault-finding procedures under guidance.
Scenario-based exercises requiring learners to interpret functional descriptions, propose safe automation approaches at support level, and identify appropriate escalation points.
Reflective activities on safety, ethics, change management and lessons learned from programming and troubleshooting tasks.
Final Capstone Project: PLC & SCADA-Based Automation Solution (Concept & Implementation Plan), with a structured written report and/or presentation.

To obtain the diploma, learners must successfully complete all module assessments and the capstone project in line with Whitestone’s academic standards.

Certification:

On successful completion, participants will be awarded:

Whitestone International Diploma in Industrial Automation: PLC & SCADA Systems Issued by Whitestone International College of Innovation, United Kingdom

Benefits of Attending

Provides a robust, industry-aligned foundation in PLC- and SCADA-based industrial automation for early and aspiring practitioners.
Equips learners to support automation engineers, integrators and maintenance teams in configuration, basic programming, HMI/SCADA setup, troubleshooting and documentation.
Enhances employability in support-level roles such as Automation Technician, Junior PLC/SCADA Engineer, Control-Systems Technician, Instrumentation & Control Technician or Plant Automation Support, subject to employer and jurisdictional requirements.
Helps organisations strengthen automation reliability, change-control discipline, safety and data integrity, while building internal capability for future digitalisation initiatives.
Creates a strong platform for further study in Industrial Automation, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics, Control Engineering or related disciplines, and for progression towards vendor-specific PLC/SCADA certifications and specialised functional-safety or industrial-cyber-security training, where the learner meets entry criteria.

Industry Alignment

The programme reflects widely recognised principles of industrial automation and control practice, including:

Emphasis on structured programming, documentation, testing and change control for PLC and SCADA systems.
Focus on safe integration of automation with mechanical, electrical, process and IT/OT environments, respecting functional-safety and cyber-security considerations at awareness level.
Recognition that sustainable and reliable automation depends on competent, ethical practitioners at all levels, working within clearly defined roles, standards and legal frameworks.

£2000

£ 0

Industry-focused programmes with global standards.
Practical skills for real-world success.
Academic excellence with career-ready outcomes.

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Progression & Academic Pathways

Graduates of the Whitestone International Diploma in Industrial Automation: PLC & SCADA Systems may:

Progress to higher-level diplomas or degrees in Industrial Automation, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics, Control & Instrumentation, Industrial IT/OT, or related engineering disciplines (where entry criteria are met).
Enhance their suitability for roles in automation support, PLC/SCADA maintenance, plant operations, system integration and industrial digitalisation initiatives across manufacturing, process, utilities, oil & gas, power, water/wastewater and building-automation sectors.
Use this diploma as a structured foundation for additional professional development, such as vendor-specific PLC and SCADA courses, industrial networking and communication training, functional-safety and lockout/tagout training, and industrial cyber-security awareness or specialist certifications, in line with national regulations, industry standards and employer requirements.

Together We Learn, Together We Grow

At Whitestone, we believe in collaborative learning where students and faculty grow together through knowledge and experience. Our supportive community fosters teamwork, innovation, and shared success.

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