Overview
The Power Engineering (General Program) provides strong practical skills and technical knowledge to persons desiring to enter the power engineering field. After completing this program, graduates are prepared to challenge the government examinations for an interprovincial 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency.
About the program
The Power Engineer program prepares students to operate, maintain and manage industrial power and process plants. These plants are associated with various industries such as pulp and paper, chemical manufacturing, food processing, electrical generation, petroleum refining, institutional mechanical systems and others. Because of the potential danger of explosions, power engineers must be highly trained and certified. Power Engineers operate, maintain and manage industrial power and process plants. These plants are associated with various industries such as pulp and paper, chemical manufacturing, food processing, electrical generation, petroleum refining, institutional mechanical systems and others. Because of the potential danger of explosions, power engineers must be highly trained and certified. Provincial regulations require plant personnel be certified prior to assuming positions of responsibility in the operation of fired pressure equipment.
Certification is based on plant experience and supervised exams administered by the provincial safety authority such as Technical Safety BC.
Who it’s for
This program provides strong practical skills and technical knowledge to persons desiring to enter the power engineering field. After completing this program, graduates are prepared to challenge the government examinations for an interprovincial 4th Class Power Engineer’s Certificate of Competency.
What grads can do
You will gain solid practical, theoretical, and technical knowledge in:
- maintenance of pressurized systems and boilers
- power plant operations and management
- instrumentation and control systems
- thermal engineering
- fluid mechanics
- industrial electronics
- technical communications
Check out Global TV visits Power Engineering at the BCIT Open House:
Why BCIT?
BCIT is the largest provider of Power Engineering education and training in the province of BC. The program uses the latest technologies in education to combine theory and practical lessons in a work like environment. The strengths of the BCIT Power Engineering programs are based on:
Great Faculty – Our faculty are dedicated to teaching. Many have extensive engineering, science, and industrial experience.
Excellent Labs – Hands-on experience with state-of-the-art industrial equipment and systems help you to understand the concepts that you learn in lectures and gives you job-ready, practical skills.
Fantastic Career Choices – We are proud of our graduates and the many interesting jobs that they do. A career in power engineering can bring you well-paid, secure, long-term employment with a wide variety of employers in petroleum refining, electrical generation, breweries, pulp and paper, institutions such as schools, hospitals, hotels and recreational facilities, chemical manufacturing, food processing. Power Engineers have the opportunity to increase their credentials throughout their career, progressing all the way to First Class Power Engineers.
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Entrance Requirements
Application processing
Applications are accepted throughout the year.
Entrance requirements
Applicants must meet all entrance requirements and will be accepted on a first qualified basis as long as space remains. When available intakes are full, qualified applicants are wait-listed.
Applicants must meet all entrance requirements prior to applying to this program. If you are uncertain or don’t meet the requirements we strongly recommend you complete any applicable Trades Entry Assessments before applying.
- English language proficiency: one of the following:
- Category 3 – English Studies 12 (50%) or equivalent or
- BCIT English Trades Entry Assessment
- Math: one of the following:
- Pre-Calculus 11 (50%) or
- Foundations of Math 11 (50%) or
- Workplace Math 11 (50%) or
- Other acceptable BC and Yukon courses or
- BCIT Math Trades Entry Assessment
Recommended for success
Applicants should have:
- Good command of oral and written English
- Sufficient physical strength and stamina to meet the demands of the work, good hearing, good eyesight, normal colour vision, manual dexterity and hand/eye coordination
- Good theoretical and practical mathematical skills and mechanical aptitude
Previous power plant experience and related training are assets
Potential students with medical or physical difficulties should contact Accessibility Services to arrange an interview (telephone interview if out of town) with the institute's rehabilitation specialist at 604-451-6963.
Trades Discovery
The Trades Discovery General and Trades Discovery for Women are full-time programs designed to prepare participants to successfully enter and complete a Trades Training program.
International applicants
This program is available to international applicants. A valid study permit is required prior to starting the program.
Please note that international students are not eligible to continue to an apprenticeship training program. To learn more about international student opportunities at BCIT, visit BCIT International.
Apply to program
To submit your application:
- Include proof of meeting all entrance requirements.
- Convert all transcripts and supporting documents to PDF files.
- Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.
Apply Now
Scheduled Intakes
August each year
*Scheduled intakes are subject to change
myCommunication
Within two business days of submitting your completed application, BCIT will send a message to your personal and myBCIT email addresses. All correspondence regarding your application will be posted to your online myCommunication account at my.bcit.ca. We will send you an email when a new message is posted. It is important to watch for these emails or regularly check your account online.
You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your application within four weeks.
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- Next up Costs & Supplies
Costs & Supplies
Tuition fees
Use our tuition estimator to find tuition and fees for this program.
For more information on full-time tuition fees, visit Full-Time Studies Tuition & Fees.
Books & supplies
Level 1: $940; Level 2: $940
(general estimated cost, and subject to change)
Students are required to supply their own coveralls. A supply of coveralls are available through the BCIT Bookstore. Please check the uniform authorization voucher [PDF] to determine the type of coveralls required for your program.
Financial assistance
Financial assistance may be available for this program. For more information, please contact Student Financial Aid and Awards.
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- Next up Courses
Courses
Class hours
0730–1430, Monday through Friday
Program matrix
Level 1: (18 weeks) | Credits | ||
---|---|---|---|
POWR 1100 | Power Plant Training 1 | 4.5 | |
POWR 1101 | Power Plant Oper and Systems 1 | 5.5 | |
POWR 1102 | Drafting | 1.5 | |
POWR 1103 | Power Plant Theory 1 | 4.5 | |
POWR 1104 | General Electricity 1 | 3.5 | |
POWR 1105 | Power Plant Maintenance 1 | 4.5 | |
POWR 1106 | Instrumentation 1 | 3.5 | |
POWR 1107 | General Mathematics | 4.5 | |
Level 2: (20 weeks) | Credits | ||
POWR 2200 | Power Plant Training 2 | 6.0 | |
POWR 2201 | Power Plant Oper and Systems 2 | 3.0 | |
POWR 2203 | Power Plant Theory 2 | 6.0 | |
POWR 2204 | General Electricity 2 | 4.5 | |
POWR 2205 | Power Plant Maintenance 2 | 6.0 | |
POWR 2206 | Instrumentation 2 | 4.5 | |
POWR 2208 | Heating/Ventilation/Air Cond | 6.0 | |
POWR 2209 | Applied Science | 7.0 | |
POWR 2210 | Business Writing | 2.5 | |
Total Credits: | 77.5 |
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
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- Next up Program Details
Program Details
This is a one-year full-time program, divided into two terms. (August to May)
Classroom activity consists of lectures, demonstrations, audiovisual presentations and exercises that provide practical working knowledge of plant systems. Power plant tours, extensive workshop and power plant laboratory experience is provided to reinforce theoretical concepts, develop manual familiarity and skills with power engineering techniques.
Program length
38 weeks, full-time
Grading
A minimum course passing grade is 60%.
Program delivery
In person: This program is delivered on campus.
Program location
Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC
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- Next up Graduating & Jobs
Graduating & Jobs
Job opportunities
Former graduates have secured employment in hospitals, chemical plants, oil refineries, breweries, pulp and paper plants, sawmills, schools, institutions and commercial building. Average salaries reported by students were among the highest when compared to other occupational programs.
Graduates of this program may be able to obtain employment as 4th Class Power Engineers in industry, and qualify for positions as plant operators and maintenance technicians.
Graduate employment outcomes
The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2021-2023 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2020-2022 graduates and for Degree 2019-2021 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.
To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
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- Next up Faculty, Advisors & Staff
Faculty, Advisors & Staff
Faculty
Dr. Mike Safoniuk, PhD
Department Head
Tel: 604-431-4929
Email: mike_safoniuk@bcit.ca
Frank Cichon, Power Eng 2nd Class
Chief Engineering for Educational Equipment
Tel: 604-431-4931
Email: frank_cichon@bcit.ca
Noel Bates, MSc, Power Eng 2nd Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-451-6730
Email: noel_bates@bcit.ca
Craig Carlyle, Power Eng 1st Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-432-8358
Email: craig_carlyle@bcit.ca
Harmesh Chander, BEng (Mech), Power Eng 2nd Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-432-8558
Email: hchander@bcit.ca
Alok Dhungana, MASc
Faculty
Tel: 604-431-4930
Email: adhungana@bcit.ca
Ritchie A. Diopita, BEng, Power Eng 3rd Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-453-4093
Email: ritchie_diopita@bcit.ca
Dylan Dishman, Power Eng 1st Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-451-7114
Email: dylan_dishman@bcit.ca
Harb Doad, Power Eng 1st Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-432-8776
Email: harb_doad@bcit.ca
Suzanne Doyon, Power Eng 2nd Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-456-1146
Email: suzanne_doyon@bcit.ca
Sunny Kim, BEng, Power Eng 1st Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-432-8880
Email: sunny_kim@bcit.ca
Alex Podut, MASc
Faculty
Tel: 604-453-4091
Email: alex_podut@bcit.ca
Sergiy Yatlo, MSc, Power Eng 1st Class, Marine Eng 2nd Class
Faculty
Tel: 604-432-8631
Email: sergiy_yatlo@bcit.ca
Staff
Sanja Boskovic, PhD Mechanical Engineering, PhD Educational Technology
Associate Dean
Tel: 604-451-6964
Email: sanja_boskovic@bcit.ca
Kelsey Sem
Administrative Assistant
Tel: 604-432-8259
Email: kelsey_sem@bcit.ca
Maryann Newmeyer
Program Assistant – Distance Education
Tel: 604-432-8390
Email: maryann_newmeyer@bcit.ca
Advisory committee
Dave Beauchesne
Refrigeration Operator, Howe Sound Pulp & Paper
Doug Davidson
Operations Manager, West Coast Reduction Ltd.
Paul Isberg
Chief Power Engineer, Teck Metals Ltd.
Rajesh Kamboj
Senior Safety Officer, Boilers & Pressure Vessels, Technical Safety BC
Kenric Lee
Director of Operations, Golden Properties Ltd.
Stephen McKinney
Operations Manager/Chief Engineer, Covanta Energy
Clayton Mullen
Senior Manager, Thermal Utilities, UBC
Dave Paulin
Area Director, Institute of Power Engineers
James Torcov
Senior Manager, Plant Operations & Regulatory Compliance, Thermal Energy, Corix
Nicole Victor
Operations Supervisor, Parkland Refinery
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