Engineering internships · Online · Free
Free engineering internships: PLC, SCADA, panels and more.
Practise in your browser. No hardware to buy. Start any day.
By Wartens Ltd (UK), delivered through EDWartens.
EDWartens offers six free engineering internships online: PLC Programming, Control Panel Design and Wiring, Commissioning and Maintenance, Instrumentation and Process Control, SCADA and HMI, and Electrical Design. Each has eight short weeks, practice in your browser with no hardware, any start date and a length of 1 week to 24 months. The certificate is optional.
Last reviewed 17 Oct 2026
- Free to join
- No hardware needed
- 1 week to 24 months
- Certificate optional
The internships
Which free engineering internships are there?
| Internship | What you practise | Where you practise | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLC Programming Internship | Ladder logic, timers, counters, sequences, analog values and tidy programs | Free simulators (CODESYS, OpenPLC Editor, a browser ladder simulator) and the PLC lab in EDWartens Lab | 1 week to 24 months |
| Control Panel Design and Wiring Internship | Reading schematics, safe isolation, motor starters, 24 V DC wiring and fault-finding with a multimeter | The Panel Lab in EDWartens Lab | 1 week to 24 months |
| Commissioning and Maintenance Internship | Permits and lockout, checks before power, I/O and 4-20 mA loop checks, first drive set-up and site acceptance | The Panel Lab in EDWartens Lab | 1 week to 24 months |
| Instrumentation and Process Control Internship | Reading a P&ID, pressure, level, flow and temperature, 4-20 mA loops, calibration and control loops | The Panel Lab and LADX Mini | 1 week to 24 months |
| SCADA and HMI Internship | Tags, operator screens, alarms, trends and safe control from a screen | LADX Mini and the free Node-RED | 1 week to 24 months |
| Electrical Design Internship | Loads, earthing, protective devices, cable sizing and a design package | Eight self-checking design exercises with your own numbers | 1 week to 24 months |
No hardware
How does a PLC internship work online without hardware?
- Read the briefA client brief says what the machine must do, in plain words. The companies are fictional.
- Write the programUse ladder logic, Structured Text or SFC, the IEC 61131-3 languages.
- Run it on the plantWatch your program drive a simulated plant, in 2D or in 3D.
- Pass the automatic checkA factory acceptance test (FAT) runs on your program and gives a PDF report.
The Panel Lab, for wiring and fault-finding
The Panel Lab has ten levels. You lock out and prove a panel dead with a multimeter, wire it terminal by terminal, find faults and commission it. It has a 3D view of the cabinet and a tool kit with a multimeter, a clamp meter and an insulation tester.
The labs are part of EDWartens Lab, which is free with an EDWartens account. Practice is optional and works best on a laptop or tablet.
PLC Programming
What does the PLC internship teach, week by week?
| Week | Topic | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | PLC basics | See how a PLC reads, thinks and acts. |
| Week 2 | Ladder logic | Build start and stop circuits. |
| Week 3 | Timers | Delay things the right way. |
| Week 4 | Counters | Count parts and events. |
| Week 5 | Sequences | Run steps in order. |
| Week 6 | Analog and screens | Read sensors and show values. |
| Week 7 | Tidy programs | Write clear, named code. |
| Week 8 | Checks and a mini project | Test your work and finish. |
Pick by branch
Which engineering internship suits my branch?
| Your branch | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| EEE (electrical and electronics) | Electrical Design InternshipControl Panel Design and Wiring Internship | Electrical Design uses the loads, cables and protection you meet in class. Control Panel Design and Wiring then turns the drawings into a working panel. |
| ECE (electronics and communication) | PLC Programming InternshipSCADA and HMI Internship | Start with PLC programming for the control logic, then SCADA and HMI for networks, tags and screens. |
| EIE and instrumentation | Instrumentation and Process Control InternshipSCADA and HMI Internship | Instrumentation and Process Control covers loops, calibration and valves. SCADA and HMI shows how the readings reach an operator. |
| Mechanical and mechatronics | PLC Programming InternshipControl Panel Design and Wiring Internship | PLC programming controls the machine. Control Panel Design and Wiring shows what sits inside the cabinet. |
| Diploma (electrical, electronics, mechanical) | Control Panel Design and Wiring InternshipCommissioning and Maintenance Internship | The most hands-on route: wire and test a panel, then learn safe checks before power and fault-finding. |
Read more
Where can I read more before I start?
Open them
All six engineering internships
PLC Programming Internship
Learn ladder logic, timers, counters and sequences. Practise on free simulators if you like.
- 8 short weeks
- Weekly checks and a final quiz
- Stop and start when you like
Control Panel Design and Wiring Internship
Learn to read panel drawings, wire starters and drives, find faults safely and run a factory acceptance test in the Panel Lab.
- 8 short weeks
- Weekly checks and a final quiz
- Practice in the Panel Lab, if you like
Commissioning and Maintenance Internship
Learn to isolate safely, check a system before power, test I/O and loops, find faults step by step and plan maintenance, with practice in the Panel Lab.
- 8 short weeks
- Weekly checks and a final quiz
- Practice in the Panel Lab, if you like
Instrumentation and Process Control Internship
Learn to read a P&ID, choose and wire instruments, calibrate them, understand control loops and hand over a loop check, with practice in the Panel Lab and LADX Mini.
- 8 short weeks
- Weekly checks and a final quiz
- Practice in the Panel Lab and LADX Mini, if you like
SCADA and HMI Internship
Learn how tags, screens, alarms and trends fit together, how to control safely from a screen and how to test and hand over, with practice in LADX Mini.
- 8 short weeks
- Weekly checks and a final quiz
- Practice in LADX Mini, if you like
Electrical Design Internship
Learn to draw a single-line diagram, build a load schedule, choose protective devices and size a cable, with self-checking design exercises.
- 8 short weeks
- Weekly checks and a final quiz
- Design exercises, if you like
Questions
Engineering internship questions, answered
Is there a free PLC internship online?
Yes. The PLC Programming Internship is free to join and fully online. It has eight short weeks and you can take it over 1 week to 24 months from any start date. You practise in your browser or on free simulators, so you need no PLC hardware.
Do I need a PLC or any hardware?
No. The labs run in your browser and the simulators are free. You write programs and wire panels on a screen, and the lab checks your work automatically.
Is EDWartens Lab free?
Yes. It is a free browser lab for anyone with a free EDWartens account. The internship pages tell you which lab each internship uses, and practice is optional.
Should I do a PLC internship or a SCADA internship first?
Start with PLC Programming if you are new to automation, because SCADA screens show values that a PLC produces. Start with SCADA and HMI if you already know a little ladder logic and want to see how an operator sees a plant.
Can diploma students join?
Yes. The internships start from the first idea and need only basic electrical knowledge. Control Panel Design and Wiring, and PLC Programming, are the most hands-on places to begin.
What is the difference between the Control Panel and Commissioning internships?
Control Panel Design and Wiring is about drawing, wiring and testing a panel. Commissioning and Maintenance starts after that: safe checks before power, loop checks, fault-finding and handover on site.
Can I put the internship on my CV?
Yes, as training you completed. Name the internship, the weeks and what you built. A certificate is optional and paid, and anyone can verify it. It is not employment and does not promise work.
How long can I take?
Any length from 1 week to 24 months. You choose a start date and a length in the planner and can change them later.
Will it help with my college credit?
Credit is your university's decision. Show your department the verifiable documents and the page for colleges. We do not claim approval from any board or council.
More about the free internships
Start your engineering internship today.
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