Chicago, United States 🇺🇸

Free PLC training in Chicago

Engineers and technicians in Chicago can learn PLC programming, SCADA, drives and instrumentation free, online and at their own pace, with the courses below chosen for the city's automotive, food processing, steel. The optional certificate is US$23.99 for a beginner course.

Why automation skills matter in Chicago

Chicago combines vehicle assembly at Ford's Hegewisch plant with the headquarters of several major food manufacturers, while Gary Works and the BP Whiting Refinery sit just across the Indiana line. Together they cover discrete, batch and continuous process automation.

Automotive

Ford's Chicago Assembly Plant in Hegewisch, its oldest continuously operated car plant, builds the Explorer, Police Interceptor Utility and Lincoln Aviator.

Food processing

ADM, Conagra Brands, Kraft Heinz and Mondelez International are all headquartered in Chicago.

Steel

U.S. Steel's Gary Works on the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan is the largest integrated steel mill in North America.

Oil refining

BP's Whiting Refinery in north-west Indiana is described as the largest refinery in the US Midwest.

Industrial zones in and around Chicago

Ford Chicago Manufacturing Campus
Nine automotive suppliers have built factories next to Chicago Assembly.
Port of Chicago (Illinois International Port District)
Iroquois Landing and Lake Calumet terminals on Calumet Harbor.

Which PLCs you are likely to meet

General regional pattern: Allen-Bradley (Rockwell Automation) grew to hold the largest share of the PLC hardware and software market in North America.

Free courses for Chicago

PLC programming · Beginner · Free

Allen-Bradley Studio 5000

Robotics · Beginner · Free

FANUC Robot Programming with the Teach Pendant and ROBOGUIDE

Robotics · Beginner · Free

ABB Robot Programming with RobotStudio and RAPID

Quality management · Intermediate · Free

Automotive Core Tools: FMEA (AIAG-VDA 1st Edition)

HMI · Beginner · Free

Weintek HMI with EasyBuilder Pro

Fluid power · Beginner · Free

Industrial Pneumatics and Hydraulics

All free courses

The certificate

Beginner US$23.99, a one-off fee. Your bank handles any currency conversion. Issued when you pass the course's final assessment, with a code anyone can verify.

How the certificate works

Useful local bodies

For registration and recognised qualifications in United States. EDWartens is not affiliated with them.

NCEES
Develops the FE and PE exams used for US professional engineer licensure.
International Society of Automation (ISA)
Automation professional body behind the CAP and CCST certifications and the ISA/IEC 62443 cybersecurity standards.
Apprenticeship.gov (US Department of Labor)
US Department of Labor portal for Registered Apprenticeship programmes.
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
National society representing licensed Professional Engineers in the US.

Questions from Chicago

Is there free PLC training in Chicago?

Yes, online. Every EDWartens course is free to learn in full from Chicago: video lessons, notes, practice and a final assessment, in English, at your own pace. They run in the vendors' free or trial software with simulators, so you need a computer, not a PLC.

How much is the certificate?

The certificate is optional. For a beginner course it is US$23.99, a one-off fee; intermediate and advanced courses cost a little more. Learning stays free whether or not you buy it.

Which PLC should I learn first in Chicago?

Start with Allen-Bradley Studio 5000. It matches what plants in the region commonly run; the other courses on this page follow Chicago's main industries.

Is the certificate recognised by employers in Chicago?

It is an EDWartens Certificate of Completion with a public verification code, not a vendor, university or government qualification. Employers can check it online; many will also want to see a project you built.

Also in United States: Houston, Detroit

Sources

Local facts checked 26 September 2026. Company and plant names are their owners' and are mentioned for context only.