FAQs
What is Operating Engineering and why is it important?
Operators that have control over boiler, fired heaters, and other equipment that produce or utilize steam are required to be certified Operating Engineers in the province of Ontario. This certification is granted by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) in the province of Ontario. Further information about the TSSA and the Operating Engineers Act can be found at www.tssa.org. Often you will find that the name Power Engineer is used for this title as well, due to the relationship of the careers to power generating facilities. There is a move in the province desiring to change the name to this, but it still is currently Operating Engineer.
There are 4 levels of Operating Engineers, with 4th Class being the lowest and 1st Class being the highest. Depending on the MW rating of the plant, the level of Operating Engineers is determined. For example, a large power plant facility that uses combustion to produce steam would typically require a First Class Operating Engineer as Chief Operating Engineer, and the shift operators would require Second Class certification. Even chemical plants and refineries often require certified operators if they run fired equipment. Most require their operators to have 4th Class certification upon hire and to achieve 3rd Class certification as a minimum for their career.
Lambton College’s Chemical Production and Power Engineering Technology program is a hybrid program. It combines the Operating Engineering required knowledge with the additional knowledge of how to operate chemical plants, refineries, and other processing types of plants, in addition to the power plants, due to the certification. This maximizes career opportunities.
How do I become an Operating Engineer?
To become an Operating Engineer 4th Class, during the time spent at Lambton College, students are expected to register to write the two exams for the 4th class; Part A and Part B. This is done by contacting the TSSA to register for the test facility in your area. The learning materials, which are also used for the Operating Engineering courses in the CPET program, are available via the college bookstore (a deposit is required) or the web site www.powerengineering.ca or also by a link from the TSSA web site. The materials are covered during the first 4 academic terms of the CPET program, but students must realize that they will need to study this material in advance of these exams due to the volume of material on each exam. These two exams form the first requirement for the certification, with practical time being the next component.
How do I gain the practical time experience required for Operating Engineering?
Students must also gain practical time. The current requirement for practical time is 12 months of full-time working time in a registered plant. The co-op work experience can count towards this if in a TSSA registered plant. For each job obtained that counts towards the practical time, the students must get a testimonial form completed and signed by the chief operator to attest to the time achieved and the type of plant where employment occurred.
The on-ground (regular day time) program is approved for a 9-month practical time reduction for the 4th class, but the online program does not receive this reduction.
What does a career with a CPET diploma involve?
As a CPET graduate, you would be entering a career as a process operator/Operating Engineer. These positions are almost always shift work positions, with most plants now utilizing 12-hour shifts. In any given month, you will work certain day shifts and night shifts and be part of a shift “team.” The following is a brief description of the types of duties you would be expected to perform on the job:
Work Safety
Of primary importance in
industry is the need to perform each action in a safe and rational
manner. The college and the plants provide safety training and the
proper use of personal protective equipment.
Environmental Protection
All operators are trained to
control their units to minimize environmental impact. Graduates are
familiar with the laws with respect to the environment, and plants
strive to perform at levels that produce emissions levels far less than
the government standards.
Start and stop process equipment as required.
This involves lining out
pipe lines from source to destination, opening and closing appropriate
valves, checking equipment for proper lubrication levels and other
system checks, and then starting the equipment or introducing flow
through the equipment
Routine checks on equipment
Every shift there will be
certain required routine readings and checks through the unit that must
be performed, but operators are expected to make more frequent checks,
particularly if an area of the plant requires some additional attention
due to operating changes or problems. Due to the nature of process
units, operators must occasionally climb ladders on towers and be
capable of walking high platforms with open steel grate floors.
Collection of Process Samples
Operators will collect
liquid and vapor samples to be analyzed by the plant lab and, most
often, also run some routine tests in a small lab adjacent to the
control room to ensure that the products they are making are on
specification.
Preparation of Unit Equipment for Safe Work
Operators on shift are
responsible to isolate the fluids and electrical streams to plant
equipment and clean and flush process fluids from it so that it is safe
for maintenance personnel to work on it. The operators sign a permit
that verifies that the equipment is safe for work. When the work is
completed, they then restore the equipment to operations as required.
Control Panel Operations
Everyone likely has a view
of what a control room with control panels looks like. The operators
control the operations of the plant from this control center by making
the necessary control changes on a computer keyboard, while viewing
graphics of the actual process on screens. Keep in mind that for
operations in the control room, operators typically must go out into the
unit to open and close valves etc. to facilitate the changes and to
check that things are working properly.
Liaison with other shifts
At the end of each shift,
the operators meet briefly with the shift leaving to explain how the
plant is performing, and keep continuity of information. Operators must
also document all changes made in a plant log book to have written
communications.
Skill Demands
Students are required to have both fine and gross motor control to operate various pieces of equipment. Students should possess adequate vision in order to read instruments and take measurements, and must be capable of climbing vertical ladders and walking platforms with open gratings. Some students with disabilities may require academic accommodations to equalize opportunities to meet the academic demands of this program or a course within it.
Post-Graduate Employment for International Students
International students who successfully complete their program of study at Lambton College may be eligible to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit Program (PGWPP). The PGWPP allows students to gain valuable Canadian work experience.
A work permit under the PGWPP may be issued for the length of the study program, up to a maximum of three years. A post-graduation work permit cannot be valid for longer than the student's study program, and the study program must be a minimum of eight months in length. The length and approval of the PGWPP is determined solely by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Students must meet the eligibility requirements to apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit.
More information about the PGWPP.
Please note: Immigration regulations are legislated by the Federal Government of Canada and are subject to change at any time without notice. Students are responsible for ensuring that they are in compliance with all Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada regulations at all times during their studies and while in Canada. Lambton College staff are not authorized to provide advice or guidance on immigration-related matters. Prospective applicants and current students should consult the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website or contact the IRCC Call Centre at 1-888-242-2100 to answer or clarify any immigration-related questions and/or information.