Global

PLC and embedded programming for industrial automation: IEC 61131-3 in practice

A ready-made course you customise for your organisation, with a live session deck and two surveys. You only add the 8 details that are specific to your organisation.

See the live deckSee the full outline
Try the coursePreview the survey
Length
40 min
Lessons
6 lessons
Frequency
At onboarding of automation engineers
Last reviewed
21 Oct 2026
Ladder, function blocks and structured text
What would you do?

A 5-second on-delay timer feeds a lamp

Try it: this is one of 16 interactive activities in the course.

What's included

Three pieces that work together

Copy once, get everything. Learners prepare on their own, you answer questions live, and the surveys tell you what stuck.

Self-paced course

Short lessons with real workplace scenarios, not walls of text.

  • 6 lessons, about 40 minutes
  • Process, sorting activity, scenario, timeline and quizzes

Live session deck

An AhaSlides presentation to run after the course, in person or online.

  • 10 slides
  • Quiz, poll, ranking, word cloud slides
  • A closing slide for your contacts

Two surveys

Find out what landed, and whether people use it on the job.

  • Post-course feedback, about 2 minutes
  • 30-day check-in
  • Anonymous by default
  • Results feed your next refresher

Learning objectives

At the end of this course, learners can

Each objective and the lesson that covers it.

IDObjectiveSourceWhere it's covered
TO 340.0Achieve ≥ 80% on the final assessment-Whole course
SO 340.1Explain the PLC scan cycle and how it affects when outputs changeIEC 61131-3 [edition check before build]Whole course
SO 340.2Read ladder, function block and structured text for a simple control taskIEC 61131-3 [edition check before build]Whole course
SO 340.3Design a simple sequential control as states and transitionsBest practiceWhole course
SO 340.4Test a program and commission it safely, with stops and permits in place + your infoSite safety procedures; organisation commissioning standardWhole course
SO 340.5Document a program so the next engineer can maintain it + your infoOrganisation's PLC coding standardWhole course

Your part: what a template can't do for you

  • Your workplace details: fill in the 8 highlighted fields so the course describes your own policies, contacts and locations.
  • Records: record completion in your own LMS or record system.

Course outline

6 lessons, about 40 minutes

Minutes per lesson are an estimate, shared out by page count.

ContentInteractiveVideoYou customise
1

A conveyor that did not stop

3 pages

8 min
Before you beginNoteList
The overrunTextImage
What went wrongTimelineQuiz
2

PLC scan cycle and languages

3 pages

8 min
The cycleProcess
Which language?Sorting activity
CheckFlashcardsMatching quiz
3

Ladder, function blocks and structured text

3 pages

7 min
Read the rungTextQuiz
Timers and countersTabs
PredictScenarioQuiz
4

Sequential control design

3 pages

7 min
StatesProcess
Order the sequenceSorting activity
Fault handlingScenarioQuiz
5

Testing and safe commissioning

2 pages

5 min
Before power-upChecklistYour info
Raise it earlyProcessYour infoKey fact
6

Documentation and final assessment

2 pages

5 min
What to documentTableNoteYour info
PracticeQuizKey factNoteButtonYour info

Live deck and surveys

10 slides to run live, two surveys to close the loop

Pink slides are interactive. Both surveys are anonymous; pink questions are written for this course.

ContentTitle, agenda, "bring a rung you debugged
PollWhich language do you use most?
QuizIn one scan the PLC first… (Reads the inputs ✔ · Writes outputs · Ends · Resets)
Content · customiseScan cycle diagram and the commissioning checklist {{PLANT_SAFETY_PROCEDURE_LINK}}
RankingOrder a commissioning check: isolate, test E-stop, test start, test stop, test fault, sign off
QuizA latch rung has no reset. What happens? (The output stays on ✔)
Word cloudThe strangest PLC fault you met
ScaleHow confident are you commissioning safely?
Q&AAsk the trainer anything
Content · customiseClosing {{HELP_CONTACT}}, {{COURSE_URL}}, {{SURVEY_2_URL}}
Post-course feedback: 11 questions, about 2 min
  1. Overall rating 5 stars
  2. Relevant, realistic, right length, helpful activities agree/disagree grid
  3. What was most useful? multi-select
  4. Confidence before this course, and now 1-5 scale
  5. Confidence in scan cycle · ladder · structured text · sequences · commissioning grid
  6. Which languages do you use? multiple choice
  7. Which PLC topic do you want covered? short text
  8. I can stop a test without feeling judged. 1-5 scale
  9. One thing we should change or add open text
  10. Would you recommend this course? NPS
30-day check-in
  1. Have you used what you learned since the course? multiple choice
  2. How confident are you today? Compare with day 1 1-5 scale
  3. Do you know where to find the PLC coding standard and commissioning procedure? yes / no / not sure
  4. A moment where the training helped, or where you weren't sure open text
  5. Which topics should the next refresher focus on? ranking

Results show whether people use the training on the job, not just whether they finished it.

Make it yours

8 fields to fill in, and you're ready

Everything else is done. These are the details only your organisation knows; each one is highlighted inside the course.

  • Link to the site safety and permit procedure{{PLANT_SAFETY_PROCEDURE_LINK}}
  • Who to ask for help or to report a concern{{HELP_CONTACT}}
  • Link to the PLC coding standard{{PLC_CODING_STANDARD_LINK}}
  • Where completion is recorded{{LMS_OR_RECORD_SYSTEM}}
  • Link to the post-course and 30-day survey{{SURVEY_2_URL}}
  • Link to the self-paced course{{COURSE_URL}}
Show all 8 fields
  • List of approved tools and versions{{APPROVED_TOOLS}}
  • Link to the baseline survey{{SURVEY_1_URL}}

FAQ

Common questions

Can I run PLC and embedded programming for industrial automation: IEC 61131-3 in practice training online?

Yes. The course is self-paced and online, and the live deck lets you add a live session in the room or online.

How often is this training needed?

At onboarding of automation engineers, and before a PLC coding standard is adopted.

Who needs this training?

Automation and OT engineers, maintenance technicians and embedded or IoT engineers; run by plant engineering leads with L&D.

What records should I keep?

Record completion in your own LMS or record system, so you can show who finished the course and when.

Can I edit the content?

Yes, everything. Change the wording, swap scenarios for ones from your workplace, add your logo, or remove parts that don't apply.

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Last reviewed: 21 October 2026Templates are a starting point, not legal advice.

Ready to run it?

Open the live deck to see how the session runs alongside the course and both surveys.

See the live deck