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Automation is often discussed in alarmist terms\u2014at least, when it comes to employment. A headline-grabbing 2018 RBC report found that at least half of Canadian jobs will be impacted, if not altogether eliminated, by automation.<\/p>\nAutomation is often discussed in alarmist terms\u2014at least, when it comes to employment. A headline-grabbing 2018 RBC report found that at least half of Canadian jobs will be impacted, if not altogether eliminated, by automation.<\/p>\n
But the report also suggested that skills that machines are not (yet, at least) adapted to will become increasingly valuable in the job market\u2014namely things like complex problem-solving, critical thinking and social perceptiveness. And it just so happens that all those skills fit neatly into the job description for automation technicians. Becoming one of the relatively few professionals who know how to build and repair automated systems is one good way to stay ahead of this seemingly unstoppable wave.<\/p>\n
When you hear the word automation, you may visualize a robot arm on a manufacturing line, sorting items or putting car parts together. You\u2019d be partially right, but that\u2019s far from the full picture. Automation is essentially the use of technology to complete a task with minimal human interference, and while that may include robots, it also applies to software running on other types of machines, from smart lights to control systems inside self-driving cars. And it\u2019s working its way into industries beyond manufacturing, including health care, mining and law enforcement, all of which need more people who know what they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n
Specifically, they need specialists who have the hands-on skills to operate and repair automated machinery alongside some understanding of the programming languages that run them. The best part? You don\u2019t need an engineering degree to join this rapidly growing field. Thanks to strong employer demand, college-level programs that provide this particular combination of skills are popping up all over the country, and grads can expect to make between $50,000-$90,000 per year, depending on geography, industry and experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always liked tinkering with machinery,\u201d says Alex Dunn, an industrial automation integrator at PowerOn Control Systems, which specializes in custom automation systems for companies in industries ranging from water treatment to packaging and metal processing. \u201cMy favourite part of the job is the satisfaction,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen you walk away from a frustrating problem you\u2019ve been working on for days and everything starts running as it should, it feels really good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dunn graduated from Sheridan College\u2019s three-year electromechanical engineering technician program, which focuses on automation. \u201cIt\u2019s a key element of what we call Industry 4.0, or the fourth industrial revolution,\u201d says Amjed Majeed, dean of Sheridan\u2019s school of mechanical and electrical engineering technology. \u201cWhen you apply automation to industry, you increase productivity and accuracy, as well as safety.\u201d The college is currently developing a degree-level program in automation and robotics to be launched in 2023. Kwantlen Polytechnic, Cambrian, Centennial, Conestoga and Algonquin colleges have also opened automation programs, a wave that\u2019s largely been driven by industry requests. These programs are fairly new; most have been launched in the past five years.<\/p>\n
Many grads from college diploma programs work on the operations and repair side of the equation, rather than design, which is often handled by engineers. That\u2019s not a hard and fast rule, though. \u201cWe have designers who have come out of universities and colleges. We don\u2019t discriminate,\u201d says Andre Dumais, president of Ionic Mechatronics, which specializes in industrial automation. \u201cMechatronics\u201d<\/em>\u00a0is a term worth noting\u2014it refers to an interdisciplinary field that involves electrical and mechanical systems, robotics and computing.<\/p>\n Dumais is keen to hire college grads because of their hands-on training. \u201cThe college grad is typically a tactical, practical person,\u201d he says. The Ionic Technology Group set up an annual $1,500 scholarship program for Cambrian\u2019s mechatronics program, in honour of Steve Matusch, the company\u2019s late founder. \u201cCollege grads tend to have more experience with programming and robotics, whereas that\u2019s typically a small part of university programs.\u201d<\/p>\n Since automation exists at the intersection of electronics, mechanics and programming and spans a huge (and growing) variety of industries, people who work in the field are interdisciplinarians by nature. \u201cYou have to have a good knowledge of electrical fundamentals and mechanical systems, but you also have to be able to think on your feet and respond to customer needs,\u201d says Werner Scherzinger, a professor in Cambrian\u2019s mechatronics program. High tolerance for stress doesn\u2019t hurt either. \u201cI don\u2019t do much physical labour,\u201d says Dunn. \u201cBut there are a lot of long hours, and at the end of the day, if something\u2019s not running and you\u2019ve got a bunch of eyeballs on you that are like, \u2018Okay, every second this isn\u2019t working is catastrophic for us\u2019\u2014you have to be able to deal with that.\u201d<\/p>\n Good news if you get bored easily, though: novelty is a big part of the job. \u201cThere\u2019s so much learning and relearning, so many different parts to work with,\u201d says Dunn. \u201cIt feels like you\u2019re always being pushed to work with something you\u2019ve never worked with, and you\u2019ve got to figure it out quickly. It really comes down to persistence.\u201d<\/p>\n Source: Liza Agrba<\/a> (www.macleans.ca<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Automation is often discussed in alarmist terms\u2014at least, when it comes to employment. A headline-grabbing 2018 RBC report found that at least half of Canadian jobs will be impacted, if<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":738,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n