Program Length
- 32 Weeks
Credential
- Certificate
Location Offered
- Nanaimo
Become a fourth class power engineer
Are you an analytical thinker with good troubleshooting skills?
The Fourth Class Power Engineering at VIU is a condensed program that prepares you for a well-paid career in Canada or anywhere in the world. The skills you gain in the program are in-demand. Our strong relationships with industry means you make industry connections before you graduate. And you learn the current industry requirements.
Experience to prepare you for your power engineering career
Your 12-week practicum, also known as a “firing time,” is very structured to ensure you’re career ready. You can treat your work experience as an extended job interview to kick start your career. Many VIU students are offered full-time work with their practicum site.
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Hands-on power engineer training
Practicum
Get real-world experience working in the industry
In-class training
Put theory to work on current power equipment in the classroom
VIU Geo exchange
Learn to work in the mineshafts under the campus that are used to create energy.
What jobs can I do with Fourth Class Power Engineering?
As a Fourth-Class Power Engineer you’re likely to work in a large community with large infrastructure. Power engineers work in sectors like health care, education or hotels. In this program you also gain transferable skills that will help you become a process engineer or instrumentation mechanic.
Power Engineers do many different types of work, including operating:
- power generating stations
- solar power plants
- refineries
- nuclear power stations
- food processing plants
- water treatment plants
They also find work in:
- pulp mills
- oil fields
- steel production facilities
- breweries
Power Engineers also operate Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in universities and large city centers.
About the Fourth Class Power Engineering program
In this program you gain a full understanding of the complexity of a steam plant. You graduate able to operate, maintain and manage industrial power and processing plants.
You gain theory in the classroom and put it into work in the shop and in your practicum.
When you complete the program, you will have the knowledge and hands-on experience to challenge the Technical Safety BC standardized exams for an interprovincial Fourth Class power Engineer’s Certificate of competency.
You will also graduate with the technical knowledge you need to work as a process operator.
Courses and Concentrations
| Term 1 | Credits |
|---|---|
| PENG 100T - (Boilers, Boiler Systems, Codes and Standards) | 2.2 |
| PENG 101T - (Elementary Mechanics and Dynamics) | 1.7 |
| PENG 102T - (Elementary Chemistry and Thermodynamics) | 1.2 |
| PENG 103T - (Power/Heating Plant Safety and Environment) | 1.0 |
| PENG 104T - (Material, Welding, Piping, Valves, Energy Plant Controls and Instrumentation) | 1.3 |
| PENG 105T - (Plant Communications | 1.0 |
| PENG 106T - (Electricity) | 1.3 |
| PENG 130T - (Power Engineering Review and Exams) | 1.0 |
Total Term 1 Credits | 10.7 |
| Term 2 | Credits |
|---|---|
| PENG 120T - (Work Practicum) | 9.0 |
Total Term 2 Credits | 9.0 |
| Term 3 | Credits |
|---|---|
| PENG 107T - (Prime Movers, Pumps and Compressors) | 1.7 |
| PENG 108T - (Power/Heating Plant Operation and Maintenance) | 1.5 |
| PENG 109T - (Water Treatment) | 1.5 |
| PENG 110T - (Refrigeration and Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) | 1.3 |
| PENG 111T - (Auxiliary Building Systems, Heating and Cooling Systems) | 1.3 |
| PENG 112T - (Types of Plants & Gas Process Operations) | 2.0 |
| PENG 131T - (Power Engineering Review and Exams) | 1.0 |
| Total Term 3 Credits | 10.3 |
All program courses must be successfully completed before certificates will be issued.
Admission Information
The program is designed for students with little or no previous experience in power engineering or process operation.
Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements for admission to the program:
- Grade 12, or equivalent, or mature student status, with the following minimum course requirements:
- Foundations of Mathematics 11 (C+), or Pre-Calculus (C+)
- Physics 11
- English 12
- Successful completion of assessment testing.
- Personal profile.
- See also Trades general admission requirements.
- Applicants may be interviewed to ensure suitability to this program.
Notes on Admission
- A mechanical and electrical aptitude is desirable.
- Communication skills, good vision, manual dexterity, and decision-making are an asset.
- Those with good reading and comprehension skills, basic science, mathematics, and study skills have the most success in the program.
- It is suggested that to achieve higher levels in the Power Engineering profession, students must have computer skills, chemistry, and Mathematics 12.
- A medical certificate may be required prior to work practicum placement. Applicants should be in good physical health, have sufficient physical strength to meet work demands (capable of lifting 20 kg/44 lbs.), good hearing and eyesight, and normal colour vision. Employers may also require a driver's license and/or criminal record check.
- Enrolment in this program is limited. Students who meet or exceed the minimum admission requirements may not necessarily be admitted to the program. During the selection process, preference will be given to applicants with previous post-secondary experience, related commercial/industrial experience and superior achievement level on assessment testing.
- Students should be aware not all practicum placements are in the mid-Island region. Travel may be required for practicum placements. Some practicum placements are awarded on a competitive basis.
Program Regulations
To maintain progression in the program, students must obtain a minimum grade of 50% per course and a program average of at least 65% to complete the program and receive a certificate as mandated by Technical Safety BC. Students must attend a minimum of 90% of all classes, and 100% in all lab activities, tours, and the Work Practicum.
If a student, for any reason, is unable to complete the work practicum placement provided, he/she will be required to obtain that training on their own, in a placement acceptable to the school and acceptable to BCSA, before writing Part 'B' of the Technical Safety BC 4th Class Power Engineering Standardized Examination.
Domestic Fees
Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees
When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.
When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.
Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.
| Fees | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | 10,158.29 |
| Lab fee | 497.34 |
| Student Activity fee (8 months x $20.37 per month) | 162.96 |
| Student Services fee (8 months x $22.49 per month) | 179.92 |
| VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $38.87 per month) | 310.96 |
| Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) | 285.00 |
| Books and supplies (approximate costs) | 1,700.00 |
| Total | 13,294.47 |
Additional fees may be required for a Criminal Record Check and/or a TB test prior to practicum placement. Please note, practicums may be in a different location than a student's primary residence, therefore there may be a financial need for housing for the 12 weeks of the practicum.
The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.
All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.
Domestic (Canadian)
| Program Start Date | Accepting Applications | Campus | Options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ongoing | Nanaimo | October 13, 2026 (Waitlisted) | |
|
Anticipated intake for someone applying today:
Information Session:
Power Engineering/Process Operator - 4th Class information session
Application Fee:
$46.06
Accepting Late Applications:
No
Waitlist:
Yes
Testing Required:
No
Admissions Officer:
Name: Donna Kist Phone: 250.740.6400 Email: Donna.Kist@viu.ca
Area Contact:
Email: tatdeansoffice@viu.ca
Comments:
Industries on Vancouver Island are currently seeking qualified Power Engineers/Process Operators - 4th Class.
Meet the chair of the program and learn more about this exciting career training.
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Frequently asked questions
Power Engineers support critical industries like healthcare and education.
Power Engineers make sure the power and heat stays on. They monitor, operate and maintain equipment for our comfort, survival and enjoyment in our daily lives.
Global warming is a critical issue facing humanity, and power engineers are part of the solution. Fourth Class Power Engineers learn how existing energy systems operate and how sustainable energy systems can slow global warming.
Power engineers are hired at many hospitals, an LNG plant, canneries, pulp mills, several breweries, a combined cycle power plant, a number of large laundries, plastics and food processors, the Air Force base and other employers.
While we do not guarantee practicum placements, there are many practicum locations on Vancouver Island as well as some on the mainland and in other provinces. Some are paid work experiences. You can treat your work experience as an extended job interview to kick start your career.
The chief engineer where you do your practicum has a checklist that is guided by Technical Safety BC (TSBC) and ensures you get the on-the-job experience you need. This is later approved by the TSBC. This process ensures you’re confident in your understanding of the industry when you complete the program.