Co-op program details

Robotics and Industrial Automation (Co-op)

Program details

Credential: 2-Year Ontario College Graduate Certificate

This 16-month graduate certificate program builds on a prior technical degree or diploma to prepare students with the theoretical knowledge and applied skills for work in the industrial automation sector.

Students are trained for automation with an emphasis on programming the more common elements of an automated system. Programming of PLCs, robotics, computers and microprocessors for the automation industry are covered. Students are also well-versed in advanced 3D CAD (Solidworks), supervisory control systems and safety for automation.

Graduates are well-prepared for careers in the industrial automation sector.

Student availability & wage data

Conestoga College facilitates recruitment on an ongoing basis - there are no hard deadlines. Typical time frames for work terms are listed below.

Postings are accepted beginning four months before the start of a term until all students have secured employment provided the minimum 12 consecutive weeks of full-time work is met.

Work/Study Sequence

Year Semester Semester Semester
Year 1 Classes Classes Work Term*: $18-26
Year 2 Classes

*Note: students are available for work term: fall (September to the end of December) and winter (January to the end of April)

Conestoga College collects data on hourly wages of co-operative education students and offers suggested ranges as a service to employers for the purpose of establishing fair and competitive compensation.

Our experience has been that employers increase wages as skills increase, particularly when employing students for more advanced work terms. The Co-operative Education Office can provide assistance to employers in establishing appropriate wage rates.

Work term capabilities

  • PLC programming
  • Advanced SolidWorks
  • Robot programming
  • PC programming (Visual Basic)
  • Familiar with Windows, Visual Basic and Microsoft Office
  • SCADA implementation
  • Safety circuit and standards implementation
  • Electrical panel design and commissioning
  • Provide assistance to engineering teams on fundamental problems, extracting information from manuals and interpreting drawings and standards

Sample job titles

  • Automation Technologist
  • Controls Technician
  • Equipment Operator
  • Maintenance Person
  • Manufacturing Engineering Technologist
  • PLC Programmer
  • Robotic Technician
  • SolidWorks Operator

Post a co-op job now

Setup an account or login to Conestoga's MyCareer to post a job.

Contact information

Do you need help developing a recruitment plan or job posting, accessing wage information, or connecting with a talented co-op student? Contact:

Melissa Deneault
Employer Relations Consultant
Mdeneault@conestogac.on.ca
226-339-7953