Do you want to learn how to program PLCs?
Many PLC training courses are available, with some even free. However, not all are reliable or high quality. I crafted this guide to help you discover the best one tailored to your needs.
This guide will help you figure out which course is right for you, what type of content it includes, and if it’s worth the cost or not.
Whether you want to learn Allen Bradley (Rockwell Automation), Siemens, Omron, or Factory Automation—we’ve selected the Top PLC Training for your needs.
Let’s jump right into the Best Online PLC Training Courses of 2024.
What is PLC Training?
PLC training is training designed to help you learn how to program a programmable logic controller (PLC). This learning can include video lectures, written course material, as well as example tutorial questions. These courses are sometimes taught in-person at a learning institute (e.g. college), but online training is much more popular nowadays.
The best PLC training courses teach you how to program the various types of programmable logic controllers—including Allen Bradley, Siemens, Factory Automation, or Omron. They also cover the different PLC software that these programmable logic controllers run on.
Why should I take an online PLC course?
There are several reasons universities don't teach PLC programming. One of them is that PLC programming is a skill. In universities, you will learn about theoretical stuff, not skills. It's the same reason you won't learn how to use Photoshop in university.
The second reason is that PLC programming is very platform-specific. What works in a Siemens PLC might not work with a Rockwell PLC and vice versa. Universities are often independent and cannot choose a specific brand for their PLC training course.
That is why you will see a lot of private companies offer PLC programming courses from specific brands. With these courses, you will learn how to configure and program a specific PLC, like the Siemens S7 PLC platform.
Most often these courses are very expensive. They usually cost in the 1000's of dollars per person, and they are not online. This means that you have to attend a school somewhere. In most cases, the school is not even in your country or so far away that you will also have to pay to live there.
This is where online PLC courses come in.
Do you have to own an expensive programmable logic controller (PLC) to learn PLC programming?
Absolutely not!
Most people think that they have to own a PLC to learn about PLC programming. That is not the case. With most PLC programming software, you can simulate the PLC on your computer. In fact, most PLC professionals rarely use real PLCs when they develop PLC programs. It is much handier to just simulate the PLC on your computer.
I spend 80% of my time without a PLC. It's only when I have to deploy my software to the customer I will connect to a real PLC and load my software. This means that you can learn almost all that there is to learn about PLC programming without even touching a PLC.
Well, some of the courses even include software for simulating real machines and automation lines. Factory I/O is a great example of that!
Best Online PLC Training Courses
Here is a list of the best PLC training courses available.
This covers the various types of programmable logic controllers – including Allen Bradley (Rockwell Automation), Siemens, Omron, and Factory Automation.
I will write my own review, the price, and other people’s reviews of the courses. In that way, you can choose yourself. I will also write a short description of each and which platform they are focused on.
In your job as a PLC programmer, you will most often have to work with several platforms. There are a variety of different PLC brands, each with its own software. While some general principles like scan time and ladder logic may apply to every PLC, there are still some crucial differences between the PLC (especially the software).
Learn 5 PLCs in a Day-AB, Siemens, Schneider, Omron & Delta
This course is an excellent starting point for exploring the top PLC platforms. It introduces you to the five leading brands in the automation field, equipping you with versatile skills.
In my opinion, this course is a necessity if you are serious about PLC programming. Knowing the most used platforms will give you a big advantage compared to programmers who only know their way in one of them. Most PLC programmer jobs will even require you to know about at least some of them. In a way, this is the ultimate PLC training course. My recommendation is that you start with this course to get to know the platforms. Later on, you will be able to specialize in one or two of them, depending on your work.
With this course, you will get lots of video material, articles, resources, and exercises. Absolutely perfect for learning about all 5 platforms.
Good for: Beginners – Intermediate
Video: 26 hours
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RSLogix 5000 PLC Training
One of the most used PLC software among students is the RSLogix platform from Allen Bradley. The reason for this is that the software is very cheap – even free versions are available.
Allen Bradley RSLogix PLC Training Course
The Online PLC Support course teaches you all essentials of PLC programming using RSLogix, ensuring you’re well-equipped with the needed knowledge.
In my opinion, this is one of the largest and best PLC training courses out there. Shane Welcher has made this course with more than 20 hours of video material! You will learn ladder logic and structured text, SFC, and function block diagram (FBD) programming. I highly recommend this PLC programming training!
Good for: Beginners, Intermediate
Video: 21.5 hours
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PLC Programming Training (EEP) - FREE
Electrical Engineering Portal has some great articles! They have articles about everything that an electrical engineer should know about and some good articles on PLC programming. As far as free PLC training courses go, this is one of the best ones. That said, I still prefer Learn 5 PLCs in a Day and RSLogix 5000 PLC Training, as they are more comprehensive and include detailed example questions.
PLC Programming Training Course from EEP.
EEP’s collection of YouTube videos forms a comprehensive learning experience in PLC programming. The best part? It’s entirely free.
You will learn the very basics of ladder logic and PLC programming. The platform is RSLogix (RSLogix is a PLC software) for Allen Bradley programmable logic controllers.
The course is divided into two parts. The first part is about the PLC basics. Here you will learn everything about PLCs and PLC ladder logic programming. The second part is focused on Allen Bradley PLCs.
As this is a free PLC training course, this is a good way to start learning about PLC programming without spending a penny.
When you want to take your PLC programming training to the next level, I would recommendLearn 5 PLCs in a Day and RSLogix 5000 PLC Training, as they are more comprehensive training courses.
Good for: Beginners
Video: 22 + 11 videos
PLC Programming from Scratch
More than 15,000 people have been taking this online PLC course. Renowned as possibly the most sought-after online PLC programming course, it’s particularly well-suited for beginners embarking on their learning journey.
PLC Programming from Scratch on Udemy
At least the best if you want to learn general PLC programming and principles. This course is one of the PLC training courses that use RSLogix 500 from Rockwell.
First of all, because it is an easy platform to begin with. But also because it is cheap. This software is very cheap compared to the big shots like Siemens or Schneider. You can even use the free version RSLogix Micro Starter Lite.
Good for: Beginners
Video: 10 hours
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Siemens PLC Course (TIA Portal)
As you most likely already know, Siemens programmable logic controllers are one of the most used in the industry. In fact, more than 30% of the market is dominated by Siemens PLC’s. This makes it impossible to avoid for every PLC programmer.
Learn Siemens S7-1200 PLC & HMI from Scratch using TIA
To be a great professional, you have to know about the Siemens platform. And what better way to do it than with a cheap online course.
With this course, you will be introduced to the S7-1200 PLC, the best Siemens PLC for beginners. With educative videos, articles, and other great learning material, you will learn how to program the PLCs with TIA Portal.
TIA Portal is the programming software for Siemens programmable logic controllers. It is used to program all the PLC and HMI’s. This means that you will learn how to program the S7-1200ando to navigate the software for programming all of the other Siemens PLC products with this course.
Good for: Beginner Professionals
Video: 17.5 hours
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Allen Bradley PLC Course (MicroLogix)
The second-largest player in the PLC business is Allen Bradley from Rockwell Automation. They are actually more spread out than Siemens in some markets like the US. For this reason, every PLC programmer with respect for himself should know how to program and configure these.
Learn Allen Bradley Micrologix PLC Programming, From Scratch
Good for: Beginners
Video: 6.5 hours
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Omron PLC Course (CX-Programmer)
Omron PLC Course (CX-Programmer)
Good for: Beginner Professionals
Video: 2.5 hours
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Factory Automation using PLC Logics
Factory Automation using PLC Logics
Good for: Beginners (university students)
Video: 6.5 hours
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