To become a control and instrumentation engineer, you should first enroll in college and earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Instrumentation engineers design, construct, and maintain monitoring and control systems and machinery for a wide range of industries and processes. Following college, the next step is to gain relevant work experience and develop control and instrumentation engineering skills, such as machine design and control software writing.
In high school, students should focus on science, mathematics, and computer programming to prepare for a career as a control and instrumentation engineer. When choosing an undergraduate college, you should look into the engineering program to ensure that it offers both the courses you want and opportunities for learning in the business world outside of the classroom. Internships are an important part of a college engineering education because they allow students to gain valuable work experience that employers seek before graduating. It may also be beneficial to work part-time in an engineering firm or office to gain additional experience to add to your resume in order to be competitive when applying for your first full-time engineering job after graduation. Certification as a control and instrumentation engineer may be required in some areas, and it is typically a process that entails working a set number of hours in the field followed by a standardized exam.
Ability to write custom software applications and computer programs that enable a machine or system to function as needed to achieve a goal is one of the skills required of a control and instrumentation engineer. It’s also important to know how to operate basic machinery systems and the tools that are used to repair, install, and maintain industry equipment. In a team-based work environment, engineers collaborate with one another, so communication and teamwork are usually required skills for becoming a control and instrumentation engineer. Approaching a problem and drafting a solution is one of the core functions of any engineer’s work day, so problem solving is also a valuable skill.
On-the-job training provides the majority of the knowledge and specific skills required to become a control and instrumentation engineer. Because the field is constantly evolving and advancing, continuing education is an important part of being a control and instrumentation engineer. Many companies will help an engineer obtain higher levels of education while still working, such as a master’s or doctoral degree. Construction companies, telecommunications companies, manufacturing companies, and the aerospace industry all employ control and instrumentation engineers. Engineers may begin their careers working for a company, but later decide to become self-employed consultants who work for a variety of companies.