Online · Free Core plan

PLC Programming Internship (Virtual)

Eight short weeks of PLC ladder logic on free simulators: notes, diagrams, a few videos and auto-tested tasks. Your PLC logic is tested automatically, like a factory acceptance test, and nothing is locked: every week is open from day one.

Plan your internship See the plan and prices See the eight weeks

Host team

Wartens PLC engineers

The Wartens engineers who program and commission PLC systems for clients, and who wrote the weekly notes and the automatically tested tasks. The projects follow their practice; who reviews your work depends on your plan.

Who it is for

Electrical engineeringElectronics engineeringInstrumentation and controlMechatronicsMechanical engineeringDiploma (electrical, electronics)Career changers

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

What you learn

The eight weeks, one line each

Short notes, clean diagrams and a few videos in a simple course page: a card at a time, a Try it exercise on a free simulator and a five question check each week.

Week 1What a PLC isBy the end you can explain what a PLC is, how inputs and outputs work, the order of the scan cycle and the basic safety rules.6 short cards · Try it in PLC Fiddle
Week 2Ladder logic basicsBy the end you can read and write simple ladder rungs, including AND, OR and the seal-in start/stop circuit.6 short cards · Try it in CODESYS · tested: Motor start/stop with overload protection
Week 3TimersBy the end you can use TON, TOF and TP timers and read a timing chart.6 short cards · Try it in OpenPLC Editor · tested: Forward/reverse motor with interlock and changeover delay, Star-delta starter
Week 4Counters and comparisonsBy the end you can count events with CTU and CTD and make decisions with comparisons.6 short cards · Try it in CODESYS · tested: Batch counter on a packing conveyor
Week 5Sequences and simple state machinesBy the end you can build a step-by-step sequence with a state number and run a traffic light.6 short cards · Try it in OpenPLC Editor · tested: Pedestrian crossing
Week 6Analog signals, scaling and HMI basicsBy the end you can read a 4 to 20 mA signal as a real value, scale it, and show it on a simple screen.6 short cards · Try it in CODESYS · tested: Tank filling pump with dry-run and overflow protection
Week 7Function blocks, Structured Text and tidy programsBy the end you can reuse logic in a function block, read a few lines of Structured Text and keep a program tidy.6 short cards · Try it in CODESYS · tested: Parcel diverter with travel delay
Week 8Troubleshooting, commissioning and the mini projectBy the end you can find faults in a systematic order, test a machine before handover and finish the mini project, ready for the final test.6 short cards · Try it in LADX Mini · tested: Duty and standby pumps

Longer plans

Project weeks

Eight weeks is the minimum. Pick a longer plan, up to 24 months, and every extra week is one PLC project brief.

The first 8 weeks are the course and every one of them is open from day one: nothing is locked, so you can go on continuously. Choose a longer plan and each extra week brings one more PLC project brief, taken from the 8 tested tasks with numbers drawn for you and for that week. Repeat passes use harder numbers. A week check passes at 60%, and you can finish early once the eight weeks, the mini project and the final test are done.

Plan lengths and project briefs
Plan length	Weeks	Course weeks	Project briefs
2 months	8	8	0
3 months	13	8	5
4 months	17	8	9
6 months	26	8	18
9 months	39	8	31
12 months	52	8	44
18 months	78	8	70
24 months	104	8	96

Tools and skills

What you work with

CODESYS

The free CODESYS Development System (Windows), with its built-in simulator.

Official page

OpenPLC Editor

Free and open source for Windows, macOS and Linux, with a built-in PLC simulator.

Official page

PLC Fiddle

A free ladder logic simulator in your browser, nothing to install.

Official page

LADX Mini

The Wartens ladder editor in your browser, where the automatic tests run.

Tools

LADX Mini (in your browser)CODESYS (free)OpenPLC Editor (free)PLC Fiddle (browser, free)LADX Mini (browser)

Skills on your transcript

PLC programming (IEC 61131-3 ladder logic)Timers and countersSequences and state machinesAnalog scaling and alarmsFunction blocks and a first look at Structured TextTroubleshooting and commissioning

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

A working day

A day on Core

Core

Any hours, any day

Any time: Open My Day: today's lessons and tickets are waiting
Learn: A few short course cards with a diagram or a video, and a short AI revision
Build: A Try it exercise on a free simulator, or the week's PLC task in LADX Mini
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

Plan and prices

Take the PLC Programming internship for free

Prices for 8 weeks, in your currency. Core is free. Start any day, and add optional extras such as a certificate, an engineer's review or a 1:1 mentor call whenever you want them, before you finish.

Core

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

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

Free

for 8 weeks, and at any length up to 24 months

Free at every length from 8 weeks

Engineer time: None included

Free, from 8 weeks to 24 months:

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
Eight short weeks with week checks, and a mini project tested automatically
A final AI viva on your own mini project and the course
Optional add-ons: the Internship Certificate (US$49), career letters and reports, an extra project with an engineer's review, a 1:1 Live Mentor Call (US$29)

The Experience Letter is an optional add-on, issued only if a Wartens engineer's evaluation of your finished record passes. Start any day; finish by your finish-by date, which includes grace weeks.

Plan your internship

Prices by length
Length	Core
2 months	FreeNo fee
3 months (13 weeks)	FreeNo fee
4 months (17 weeks)	FreeNo fee
6 months (26 weeks)	FreeNo fee
9 months (39 weeks)	FreePart time
12 months (52 weeks)	FreePart time
18 months (78 weeks)	FreePart time
24 months (104 weeks)	FreePart time

Prices in your currency. Core is free at every length, from 8 weeks to 24 months; what it sells are optional add-ons (certificates, letters, reports, a project, a mentor call and posted items), each priced in the planner with a sample to open first.
Any length can be booked, not only these. The planner shows the exact price, your end date and every working day before you pay.
Core over 26 weeks is part time only.

Price your exact plan

Everything Core includes, and every add-on, is on the internships page.

Questions

PLC Programming: questions

+Who is the PLC Programming internship for?

Students and recent graduates from Electrical engineering, Electronics engineering, Instrumentation and control, Mechatronics, Mechanical engineering, Diploma (electrical, electronics), Career changers. 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 (free), OpenPLC Editor (free), PLC Fiddle (browser, free), LADX Mini (browser) 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?

Eight weeks of exercises on free simulators, a PLC task most weeks and a mini project (duty and standby pumps) in week 8, all tested automatically. Every extra week of a longer plan, up to 24 months, adds one more PLC project brief with your own numbers.

+Who checks my work?

Nobody from staff: the AI review marks your hand-ins, week checks mark themselves and the PLC tests run automatically. If you want a person, add an engineer's written review of a project or a 1:1 Live Mentor Call.

+When can I start?

Any day, from the day after booking. 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.