You avoid surprises, and know that regular repairs and maintenance will save you from having to fix bigger problems down the line. As an instrumentation technician, you ensure that a company’s measuring and control instruments are working their best at all times. Do you like to plan ahead? Do you naturally follow procedures and rules? If this aligns with your interests, a career as an instrumentation technician might be a good fit.
Industrial technicians repair, maintain, calibrate, adjust and install industrial measuring and control instrumentation. These technicians typically interact with process and equipment operators, suppliers and facilities personnel.
I'm interested in a career in
- Sub-sector Exploration and production, Oil and gas services, Oil sands, Pipelines
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary $53,000 to $88,000
- Education High school diploma
- Career Demand Stable
In this occupation activities may include:
- Calibrating components and instruments according to manufacturers’ specifications
- Installing control and measurement instruments on existing and new plant equipment and processes according to appropriate installation standards and practices
- Communicating with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to any problems * Inspecting and testing the operation of instruments and systems to diagnose faults using pneumatic, electrical and electronic testing devices and precision measuring instruments * Repairing and adjusting system components, such as sensors, transmitters and programmable logic controllers, or removing and replacing defective parts
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required, along with a four-year apprenticeship program in industrial instrument repair or a two-year college program in industrial instrumentation technology with several years of experience.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Confined Space entry
- H2S Alive®
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Asbestos safety
- Aerial lift training
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
Licensing
- Instrumentation and control technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories, except in Quebec.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified instrumentation and control technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a critical thinker who likes to plan ahead. You are comfortable using computers and following processes.
- Computer use
- Critical thinking
- Computers and electronics
- Installation
- Repairing
- Quality control analysis
- Attention to detail
- Operation monitoring
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Collaborative
- Sub-sector Carbon capture, utilization and storage, Emissions reduction
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education High school diploma
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Congratulations! The skills gained as an instrumentation technician in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the CCUS and emissions reduction sub-sectors of the cleantech industry.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Calibrating components and instruments according to manufacturers’ specifications
- Installing control and measurement instruments on existing and new plant equipment and processes according to appropriate installation standards and practices
- Communicating with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to any problems * Inspecting and testing the operation of instruments and systems to diagnose faults using pneumatic, electrical and electronic testing devices and precision measuring instruments * Repairing and adjusting system components, such as sensors, transmitters and programmable logic controllers, or removing and replacing defective parts
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required, along with a four-year apprenticeship program in industrial instrument repair or a two-year college program in industrial instrumentation technology with several years of experience.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Confined Space entry
- H2S Alive®
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Asbestos safety
- Aerial lift training
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
Licensing
- Instrumentation and control technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories, except in Quebec.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified instrumentation and control technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to cleantech include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours (CCUS | emissions reduction)
- Travel required (emissions reduction)
- Primarily outdoor work (emissions reduction)
- Physical work (CCUS | emissions reduction)
- Lower-risk tolerant culture (CCUS | emissions reduction)
- Safety-sensitive environment (CCUS | emissions reduction)
- Transition to a similar level (CCUS | emissions reduction)
- Rural location (CCUS | emissions reduction)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a critical thinker who likes to plan ahead. You are comfortable using computers and following processes.
- Computer use
- Critical thinking
- Computers and electronics
- Installation
- Repairing
- Quality control analysis
- Attention to detail
- Operation monitoring
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Collaborative
- Sub-sector Contracted and turnaround maintenance, Modular fabrication, Construction, Start-up and commissioning
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education High school diploma
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as an instrumentation technician in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to the contracted and turnaround maintenance, modular fabrication, construction and start-up and commissioning project life cycle phases of the industrial construction and maintenance in energy sector.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Calibrating components and instruments according to manufacturers’ specifications
- Installing control and measurement instruments on existing and new plant equipment and processes according to appropriate installation standards and practices
- Communicating with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to any problems * Inspecting and testing the operation of instruments and systems to diagnose faults using pneumatic, electrical and electronic testing devices and precision measuring instruments * Repairing and adjusting system components, such as sensors, transmitters and programmable logic controllers, or removing and replacing defective parts
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required, along with a four-year apprenticeship program in industrial instrument repair or a two-year college program in industrial instrumentation technology with several years of experience.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Confined Space entry
- H2S Alive®
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Asbestos safety
- Aerial lift training
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
Licensing
- Instrumentation and control technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories, except in Quebec.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified instrumentation and control technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to industrial construction and maintenance include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours (contracted and turnaround maintenance | modular fabrication | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Travel required (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Work away from home/in camps (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Primarily outdoor work (construction)
- Primarily indoor/office work (modular fabrication)
- Physical work (contracted and turnaround maintenance | modular fabrication | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Temporary/project-to-project work (contracted and turnaround maintenance | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Lower-risk tolerant culture (contracted and turnaround maintenance | modular fabrication | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Safety-sensitive environment (modular fabrication | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Transition to a similar level (contracted and turnaround maintenance | modular fabrication | construction | start-up and commissioning)
- Rural location (contracted and turnaround maintenance | start-up and commissioning)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a critical thinker who likes to plan ahead. You are comfortable using computers and following processes.
- Computer use
- Critical thinking
- Computers and electronics
- Installation
- Repairing
- Quality control analysis
- Attention to detail
- Operation monitoring
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Collaborative
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education High school diploma
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as an instrumentation technician in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to digitization and automation in energy.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Calibrating components and instruments according to manufacturers’ specifications
- Installing control and measurement instruments on existing and new plant equipment and processes according to appropriate installation standards and practices
- Communicating with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to any problems * Inspecting and testing the operation of instruments and systems to diagnose faults using pneumatic, electrical and electronic testing devices and precision measuring instruments * Repairing and adjusting system components, such as sensors, transmitters and programmable logic controllers, or removing and replacing defective parts
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required, along with a four-year apprenticeship program in industrial instrument repair or a two-year college program in industrial instrumentation technology with several years of experience.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Confined Space entry
- H2S Alive®
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Asbestos safety
- Aerial lift training
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
Licensing
- Instrumentation and control technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories, except in Quebec.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified instrumentation and control technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to digitization and automation include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Travel required
- Physical work
- Agile/flexible approach to work
- Temporary/project-to-project work
- Freelance/contract opportunities
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a critical thinker who likes to plan ahead. You are comfortable using computers and following processes.
- Computer use
- Critical thinking
- Computers and electronics
- Installation
- Repairing
- Quality control analysis
- Attention to detail
- Operation monitoring
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Collaborative
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education High school diploma
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Congratulations! The skills gained as an instrumentation technician in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to working in LNG facility operation.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Calibrating components and instruments according to manufacturers’ specifications
- Installing control and measurement instruments on existing and new plant equipment and processes according to appropriate installation standards and practices
- Communicating with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to any problems * Inspecting and testing the operation of instruments and systems to diagnose faults using pneumatic, electrical and electronic testing devices and precision measuring instruments * Repairing and adjusting system components, such as sensors, transmitters and programmable logic controllers, or removing and replacing defective parts
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required, along with a four-year apprenticeship program in industrial instrument repair or a two-year college program in industrial instrumentation technology with several years of experience.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Confined Space entry
- H2S Alive®
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Asbestos safety
- Aerial lift training
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
Licensing
- Instrumentation and control technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories, except in Quebec.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified instrumentation and control technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to LNG include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Work away from home/in camps
- Potential for relocation
- Physical work
- Lower-risk tolerant culture
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
- Career development fostered/supported
- Rural location
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a critical thinker who likes to plan ahead. You are comfortable using computers and following processes.
- Computer use
- Critical thinking
- Computers and electronics
- Installation
- Repairing
- Quality control analysis
- Attention to detail
- Operation monitoring
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Collaborative
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education High school diploma
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Good news! The skills gained as an instrumentation technician in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to working in petrochemicals and refining.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Calibrating components and instruments according to manufacturers’ specifications
- Installing control and measurement instruments on existing and new plant equipment and processes according to appropriate installation standards and practices
- Communicating with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to any problems * Inspecting and testing the operation of instruments and systems to diagnose faults using pneumatic, electrical and electronic testing devices and precision measuring instruments * Repairing and adjusting system components, such as sensors, transmitters and programmable logic controllers, or removing and replacing defective parts
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required, along with a four-year apprenticeship program in industrial instrument repair or a two-year college program in industrial instrumentation technology with several years of experience.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Confined Space entry
- H2S Alive®
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Asbestos safety
- Aerial lift training
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
Licensing
- Instrumentation and control technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories, except in Quebec.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified instrumentation and control technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to petrochemicals and refining include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Potential for relocation
- Physical work
- Lower-risk tolerant culture
- Safety-sensitive environment
- Transition to a similar level
- Career development fostered/supported
- Potentially unionized
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a critical thinker who likes to plan ahead. You are comfortable using computers and following processes.
- Computer use
- Critical thinking
- Computers and electronics
- Installation
- Repairing
- Quality control analysis
- Attention to detail
- Operation monitoring
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Collaborative
- Sub-sector Geothermal, Solar, Wind
- Environment Primarily outdoor work
- Average Salary Equal to oil and gas
- Education High school diploma
- Career Demand Stable
- Skills Upgrading None
-
Direct
Congratulations! The skills gained as an instrumentation technician in oil and natural gas are directly transferable to working in renewables. The average salary range in geothermal is similar to the average salary range in oil and natural gas, however, in solar and wind, the average salary range is likely lower than that of oil and natural gas.
In this occupation activities may include:
- Calibrating components and instruments according to manufacturers’ specifications
- Installing control and measurement instruments on existing and new plant equipment and processes according to appropriate installation standards and practices
- Communicating with equipment operators to detect equipment problems and to ascertain whether mechanical or human errors contributed to any problems * Inspecting and testing the operation of instruments and systems to diagnose faults using pneumatic, electrical and electronic testing devices and precision measuring instruments * Repairing and adjusting system components, such as sensors, transmitters and programmable logic controllers, or removing and replacing defective parts
Education
- A high school diploma (or equivalent) is typically required, along with a four-year apprenticeship program in industrial instrument repair or a two-year college program in industrial instrumentation technology with several years of experience.
Certifications
- Standard and emergency first aid
- Construction Safety Training System (CSTS)
- Confined Space entry
- H2S Alive®
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Fall protection
- Asbestos safety
- Aerial lift training
- Pipeline Construction Safety Training (PCST)
Licensing
- Instrumentation and control technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories, except in Quebec.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified instrumentation and control technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to renewables include:
- Shiftwork/variable work hours (geothermal | solar |wind)
- Travel required (geothermal | solar |wind)
- Primarily outdoor work (geothermal | solar |wind)
- Physical work (geothermal | solar |wind)
- Agile/flexible approach to work (solar | wind)
- Less formal organizational structure (solar | wind)
- Higher-risk tolerant culture (geothermal | solar |wind)
- Safety-sensitive environment (geothermal | solar |wind)
- Transition to a similar level (geothermal | solar |wind)
- Rural location (solar | wind)
Nature of work and environment conditions specific to oil and natural gas include:
- Travel likely required
- Shiftwork/variable work hours
- Primarily outdoor work
- Physical work
- Work away from home/in camps
You are a critical thinker who likes to plan ahead. You are comfortable using computers and following processes.
- Computer use
- Critical thinking
- Computers and electronics
- Installation
- Repairing
- Quality control analysis
- Attention to detail
- Operation monitoring
- Repairing
- Troubleshooting
- Collaborative
The renewables sector is further divided into sub-sectors:
Geothermal
- Average salary range: Equal to oil and gas
Solar
- Average salary range: Less than oil and gas
Wind
- Average salary range: Less than oil and gas
What does this mean for workers?
There could be differences in the expected salary range and varying work environments. Further research on the sector or consultation with a career advisor may be required.
