Online · Core, Pro or Elite

Industrial Automation & Robotics Internship

PLC, HMI, SCADA, drives and robot cells, built the way Wartens builds them for clients. You work on an industrial project with client gates and your own parameters, and your PLC logic is tested automatically, like a factory acceptance test.

Plan your internship Compare the levelsSee the projects

Host team

Wartens engineers and roboTED

The Wartens engineers who design, program and commission PLC, SCADA and robot systems, and roboTED, the Wartens robot-subscription business. The projects follow their practice; who reviews your work depends on your level.

Who it is for

Electrical engineeringElectronics engineeringInstrumentation and controlMechatronicsMechanical engineeringDiploma (electrical, electronics)

Students and recent graduates. No experience needed: the screening test sets your starting level.

What you learn

The syllabus, stage by stage

Lessons come from the EDWartens course catalogue, in order, a few modules a day, with notes, practice and a short daily AI revision.

Foundation

Weeks 1 to 2

Intermediate

Weeks 3 to 6

Advanced

Weeks 7 to 12

Specialisation

Week 13 onwards

Every plan starts with the Wartens Induction. The screening test decides whether you start at Foundation or Intermediate, and a longer plan reaches further down the list. Each course is free to preview on its own page.

PLC tasks

8 PLC tasks, tested automatically

You write ladder logic in LADX Mini, the PLC simulator in your browser, and run the tests yourself. They drive the inputs, let time pass and check the outputs, like a factory acceptance test. Any program that does what the brief asks passes; a wrong one shows you which step failed and why.
  1. PLC-01Motor start/stop with overload protectionWrite the start/stop control for a single motor: a seal-in, fail-safe stop and emergency stop inputs, an overload trip and two indicator lamps.Foundation · about 45 minutes · task 1 of 8
  2. PLC-05Tank filling pump with dry-run and overflow protectionFill a tank between two level switches without chattering, protect the pump from running dry, and latch an overflow alarm that needs acknowledging.Foundation · about 50 minutes · task 2 of 8
  3. PLC-04Batch counter on a packing conveyorCount boxes past a photo-eye, stop the conveyor when a batch is complete and reset for the next batch, counting each box once however long it blocks the eye.Foundation · about 45 minutes · task 3 of 8
  4. PLC-02Forward/reverse motor with interlock and changeover delayRun a conveyor both ways from two contactors that must never close together, with a dead time before the motor may be reversed.Foundation · about 60 minutes · task 4 of 8
  5. PLC-03Star-delta starterSequence the three contactors of a star-delta starter: star for a set time, a short dead gap with both open, then delta, with stop dropping everything.Foundation · about 60 minutes · task 5 of 8
  6. PLC-06Pedestrian crossingRun a push-button crossing through amber, walk and clearance on timers, never showing Walk to pedestrians while cars can move, and ignoring presses during the cycle.Intermediate · about 75 minutes · task 6 of 8
  7. PLC-07Parcel diverter with travel delayCatch a lane B parcel at the entry photo-eye and fire a pusher when it arrives further down the belt, forgetting it if the conveyor stops. A warm-up for the parcel sorting project.Intermediate · about 75 minutes · task 7 of 8
  8. PLC-08Duty and standby pumpsShare the work between two pumps by alternating the duty pump on each demand, hand over to the standby when a pump trips, and flag when both have failed. A warm-up for the pump station project.Intermediate · about 75 minutes · task 8 of 8

Your plan carries the first tasks on the list, by length: 1 week, 2; 2 weeks, 3; 3 to 4 weeks, 5; 5 to 6 weeks, 6; 7 weeks or more, 8. Each task's timings and setpoints are drawn for you. A task passes when every test passes, at every level.

Industrial projects

What you build

Each project starts from a client's brief with your own parameters, so nobody else's answer fits, and passes the gates a Wartens client project passes.

Every project passes the same gates: Requirements review, Design review, Build checkpoint, Client change request, Test / FAT sign-off, Client demo and Handover pack.

  • Core: the AI review decides every gate, against the brief and the gate's checklist.
  • Pro: your mentor signs off the requirements review, test / FAT sign-off and handover pack; the AI review decides the rest.
  • Elite: your Team Lead reviews every gate.

Project 1, in every plan

Parcel sorting conveyor: PLC, HMI and factory acceptance test

Automate a three-lane parcel sorting conveyor: a PLC program in IEC 61131-3, an HMI with alarms, and a factory acceptance test run on a simulated plant before the client signs it off.

You hand over

  • Requirements list
  • Functional design specification (rev B)
  • I/O list and tag database
  • Cause and effect matrix
  • Alarm list
  • PLC program
  • HMI screens
  • FAT procedure and executed record

Client in the brief: Northgate Logistics (fictional). Industry-simulated, based on Wartens practice. About 40 hours for a first attempt.

Project 2, from 7 weeks

Water tank and pump station: PID level control, duty/standby pumps and SCADA

Automate a booster pump station that keeps a service reservoir at its level setpoint: duty/standby pumps on variable speed drives, a PID level loop in IEC 61131-3, alarms, and SCADA screens with trends, all proven on a simulated tank before handover.

You hand over

  • Requirements list
  • Process sketch (P&ID style)
  • Functional design specification (rev B)
  • I/O list and tag database
  • PID tuning sheet with step-response records
  • Alarm list
  • PLC program
  • SCADA screens with trends

Client in the brief: Kestrel Water Services (fictional). Industry-simulated, based on Wartens practice. About 45 hours for a first attempt.

Capstone, from 14 weeks

Robot pick-and-place cell: robot program, PLC interlocks and safety concept

Design a robot cell that picks products from an infeed conveyor and packs them into cartons: the robot program in RoboDK or a ROS 2 simulation, a PLC that runs the conveyors and the robot handshakes, and a safety concept to ISO 10218 and ISO 13849 with guarding, a light curtain and safe states.

You hand over

  • Cell layout
  • Risk assessment (ISO 12100 method)
  • Safety concept with PLr per safety function
  • Light curtain safety distance calculation (ISO 13855)
  • Robot and PLC signal list with handshake diagram
  • Robot program and simulation station
  • PLC program
  • Cycle-time study

Client in the brief: Brightline Contract Packing (fictional). Industry-simulated, based on Wartens practice. About 55 hours for a first attempt.

A plan under 2 weeks carries a shorter version of Project 1, with a build checkpoint and a demo.

Tools and skills

What you work with

Tools

LADX Mini (in your browser)CODESYSOpenPLC v4FUXA HMIRapid SCADANode-REDRoboDK (trial)ROS 2Factory I/O (where licensed)Git

Skills on your transcript

PLC programming (IEC 61131-3)Structured TextHMI and alarm designIndustrial communication (Modbus, OPC UA)Functional design specificationsFactory acceptance testingRobot cell programming

Simulators only. The AI mentor will not give instructions for live plant. No real hardware is needed.

A working day

A day at each level

Core

Any hours, any day

Any time
Open My Day: today's lessons and tickets are waiting
Learn
A few lesson modules with notes and practice, and a short AI revision
Build
A PLC task in LADX Mini, or the next part of your industrial project
Test
Run the automatic tests until every one passes
Ask
The AI mentor, whenever you are stuck
Log
File your logbook; the AI review checks it against the work you did

Pro

Flexible hours, a weekly call

Most days
The same flexible day as Core: learn, build, test, log, with the AI mentor and the AI review
Once a week
A live group call with your mentor, a named Wartens engineer
At key gates
Your mentor reviews your requirements, your factory acceptance test and your handover pack, and signs them off
Halfway
A 1:1 with your mentor
At the end
A live viva and your final evaluation

Elite

Full time, day shift

  1. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceCheck in (check-in opens 15 minutes before the shift starts; you are marked late 15 minutes after it)
  2. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceDaily stand-up with your squad
  3. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceLearning block: today's lessons from CODESYS and IEC 61131-3 Programming, notes and practice
  4. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceAI revision: 8 to 10 questions and one "explain it back"
  5. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceLunch
  6. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceWork block: your tickets, PLC tasks and the industrial project
  7. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceReview: feedback from your Team Lead, then fix
  8. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceMeetings (sprint planning on Monday, demo on Friday) or more work
  9. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceDaily report: tasks, hours and links to your evidence
  10. a time shown in your own time zone in your workspaceCheck out

The morning shift runs a time shown in your own time zone in your workspace. Part time runs about 4 hours a day, for example a time shown in your own time zone in your workspace on the evening shift: stand-up, learning, revision, about 2 hours of work and the daily report. Times are shown in your own time zone.

Levels and prices

Three ways to take the Industrial Automation & Robotics internship

Prices for 4 weeks, in your currency. Start on Core, upgrade to Pro or Elite any time and pay only the difference.

Core

Core Virtual Internship (self-paced, AI-assessed)

AI mentor 24x7, start any day, no human staff

US$119

for 4 weeks · US$30 a week

From US$49 for 1 week

Engineer time: None included

  • The AI mentor answers your questions at any hour
  • The AI review marks your logbook and every hand-in
  • PLC tasks tested automatically in LADX Mini, like a factory acceptance test
  • Your own industrial project with client gates, decided by the AI review
  • A final AI viva on your own project
  • Verifiable documents that say they are AI-assessed
  • Human help as add-ons: an engineer's project review (US$39) or Engineer verification (US$69)

No experience letter: upgrade to Pro for one. Start any day; finish by your finish-by date, which includes grace weeks.

Plan Core

Recommended for university credit

Pro

Pro Virtual Internship (mentored by a Wartens engineer)

AI daily, plus a named Wartens engineer every week

US$239

for 4 weeks · US$60 a week

From US$99 for 1 week

Engineer time: About 2 hours a month

Everything in Core, plus:

  • A named Wartens engineer and a mentor group of up to 15
  • A weekly group call and a mid-point 1:1
  • Your mentor signs off the key gates: requirements review, test / FAT sign-off and handover pack
  • A live viva and a written final evaluation from your mentor
  • Your mentor signs your logbook and evaluations
  • Experience letter if you earn it; a Letter of Recommendation on merit

Starts on a Monday, so your group's calls line up.

Most universities want a named supervisor to sign the daily diary and the evaluation before they count an internship for credit. On Pro, a named Wartens engineer does both.

Plan Pro

Elite

Elite Virtual Internship (team-supervised by a Wartens Team Lead)

A squad, a Team Lead, daily stand-ups, everything human-reviewed

US$479

for 4 weeks · US$120 a week

From US$289 for 2 weeks

Engineer time: About 5 hours a month

The full workplace:

  • A squad of up to 8 and a Team Lead
  • Shift attendance and a daily stand-up
  • Sprint planning, weekly demos and 1:1s
  • Every hand-in and every project gate reviewed by your Team Lead
  • A live viva, and mid and final evaluations from your Team Lead
  • Experience letter if you earn it; a Letter of Recommendation on merit

2 to 26 weeks for individuals. Starts on a Monday.

Plan Elite
Prices by length and level
LengthCoreProElite
1 weekUS$49US$49 a weekUS$99US$99 a weekUniversity batches only
2 weeksUS$69US$35 a weekUS$139US$70 a weekUS$289US$145 a week
4 weeksUS$119US$30 a weekUS$239US$60 a weekUS$479US$120 a week
8 weeksUS$189US$24 a weekUS$379US$47 a weekUS$819US$102 a week
12 weeks (about 3 months)US$239US$20 a weekUS$529US$44 a weekUS$1,099US$92 a week
24 weeks (about 6 months)US$379US$16 a weekUS$909US$38 a weekUS$1,919US$80 a week
52 weeks (a year)US$579US$11 a week, part timeUS$1,679US$32 a weekUp to 26 weeks
  • Prices in your currency. The price you see is the price you pay: no extra fee to unlock a document.
  • Any length can be booked, not only these; the price per week falls as the plan gets longer. The planner shows the exact price, your end date and every working day before you pay.
  • Core over 26 weeks is part time only. Elite runs 2 to 26 weeks for individuals; one-week Elite sprints are run for university batches.
Price your exact plan

Every difference between the levels, and the add-ons, are on the internships page.

Questions

Industrial Automation & Robotics: questions

+Who is the Industrial Automation & Robotics internship for?

Students and recent graduates from Electrical engineering, Electronics engineering, Instrumentation and control, Mechatronics, Mechanical engineering, Diploma (electrical, electronics). No experience is needed: the screening test after you book sets your starting level.

+Do I need to buy software?

No. LADX Mini runs in your browser, and the other tools (CODESYS, OpenPLC v4, FUXA HMI, Rapid SCADA, Node-RED and more) are usable for training under their licences. Where a commercial tool helps, we say so and use it only under your own student licence.

+What will I build?

Industrial projects, by plan length (1 to 6 weeks: 1; 7 to 13 weeks: 2; 14 weeks or more: 3). A plan under 2 weeks carries a shorter version of the first project. PLC tasks tested automatically, by plan length: 1 week: 2; 2 weeks: 3; 3 to 4 weeks: 5; 5 to 6 weeks: 6; 7 weeks or more: 8.

+Who checks my work?

On Core, nobody from staff: the AI review marks your hand-ins and decides your gates, and the PLC tests run automatically. On Pro, the same, plus a named Wartens engineer who signs off your key gates and holds your viva. On Elite, your Team Lead reviews every hand-in and every gate.

+When can I start?

Core: any day, from the day after booking. Pro and Elite: a Monday at least 5 days away, so your group starts together. The planner shows your end date and every working day before you pay.

More answers, including refunds, stipends and university credit, on the internships page.