How Long Did It Take You To Complete Your Power Engineering Certifications?

Lately throughout the Power Engineering Facebook communities Power Engineers Anonymous & Brotherhood Of Power Engineers, I’ve noticed one question has been asked numerous times. “How long did it take you guys to complete your (4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st Class) Power Engineering Certifications.”

Looking through the comments, it is interesting to see how greatly the length of time to complete each certification varies. From Power Engineers powering through their exams in an impressively short period of time.

To the Power Engineers who were/will be affected with the recently introduced regulation in Alberta. This regulation being that after seven years your steam time and exams begin to expire, if you don’t complete your certification within the new seven year window.

Let me know in the comments below if your jurisdiction has a similar seven year window for exams and steam time?

Below I’ve provided a summary of how long it took me to complete my Power Engineering certifications. Along with numerous polls for each class of Power Engineering for you to fill out how long it took you.

It’ll be interesting to see what the average length of time to complete each certification ends up being.

How Long It Took Me To Complete My Power Engineering Certifications

4th Class Power Engineering

While working on my 4th Class Power Engineering I completed an online approved distance learning course offered by NAIT. This reduced the required firing time to obtain my certification from 12 months to 6 months.

Due to previously accumulating the required steam time for my 4th Class, I actually completed it in 4 months and 4 days. Starting September 6, 2010 and completing it January 10, 2011.

For simplicity in the polls below I stated the the total elapsed time to complete my 4th Class Power Engineering was 6 months to a year. Without previously accumulating the steam time it is not possible to complete it quicker than 6 months.

3rd Class Power Engineering

For my 3rd Class Power Engineering I completed another approved online distance learning course offered by NAIT. This educed my required firing time from 12 months to 6 months. I completed my 4th Class Power Engineering on January 10, 2011 and my 3rd Class Power Engineering August 2nd, 2011. Taking a total of 6 months and 23 days to complete my 3rd Class Power Engineering. 6 months to a year.

2nd Class Power Engineering

2nd Class Power Engineering was no different than 4th and 3rd Class Power Engineering. I again completed online approved distance learning courses offered at NAIT for Part A and SAIT for Part B. The only reason I went to SAIT for Part B was because at the time NAIT did not offer an approved online course for Part B.

Completing these courses reduced my required firing time by 9 months. Therefore reducing the total time from 24 months to 15 months. I completed my 3rd Class Power Engineering on August 2nd, 2011. My 2nd Class Power Engineering on February 5, 2013. Making the total time to complete my 2nd Class Power Engineering 1 year, 6 months, and 3 days. 1 – 2 years.

1st Class Power Engineering

The online distance learning course I completed through SAIT for my 1st Class Power Engineering was by far the most difficult program to complete out of them all. To obtain the 12 month firing time reduction I had to complete twelve 30-45 page essays along with eight final exams. Completing the course reduced my required firing time from 30 months to 18 months.

Due to the regulations changing on December 1, 2013 for the first time I was able to write my Part A & Part B exams before obtaining the required steam time. Making the total time to complete my 1st class 1 year, 11 months, and 24 days. 1 – 2 years.

Before December 1, 2013 you had to complete your steam time and have it approved before you were able to write your Part B examinations.

After December 1, 2013 you can now write Part A or Part B examinations regardless of whether your steam time has been completed and approved.

4th To 1st Class Power Engineering

The total time to complete my 4th to 1st Class Power Engineering was 4 years, 4 months, and 23 days. 0 – 5 years.

To find out more information about approved online distance learning courses to reduce your required firing time check out: Power Engineering Distance Learning Courses