Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
The Power Engineering Technology 2-year diploma program will prepare you for progression through the 4th Class, 3rd Class and 2nd Class - Part A ABSA levels by providing both theoretical and practical training.
The intent of the program is to prepare you to make both safety and efficiency a priority on the job. In the classroom, we will discuss foundational concepts of boilers, electricity, instrumentation, safety, codes and legislation, thermodynamics and physics.
By the time you graduate, you will have the knowledge, skills and confidence to:
- operate boilers
- operate turbines
- control and operate refrigeration and air conditioning systems
- maintain and repair boilers and auxiliaries, pumps, compressors, turbines, generators
- commission equipment
You’ll need to pass all courses and attend a minimum of 80% of the theory classes, 100% of the labs and 100% of the plant practicum to successfully complete the program.
Tools for success
To be successful in this program, you’ll need to demonstrate manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination and mechanical inclination for the operation of switches and control of monitoring instruments. Colour vision may also be required by some employers.
Attendance
Instruction at NAIT is intensive and involves training in specific skills and techniques that the graduate will need in industry. Each program prescribes specific attendance requirements. Students must communicate with their Instructors and Program Chair of any foreseen absences.
Students must attend at least 80% in theory courses, as per the program policy. ABSA mandates 100% attendance to pass the Power Engineering Labs, this time is used to calculate your steam time for the ABSA Certificate(s). The Power Engineering Advisory Committee made up of Industry members strongly supports the adherence to this policy. Students will receive a not complete in courses and will have to remediate the deficiency before successful completion and may receive a minimum pass grade for courses that this program requirement was not met in.
Both online theory courses and Power Lab attendance will be tracked to ensure that course attendance requirements are met.
Students receiving training allowances or other forms of financial assistance are expected to be aware of and comply with the conditions of their sponsorship, which generally require regular attendance. The student is responsible for providing attendance requirements directly to the sponsoring agency to ensure continued financial assistance.
Practicum/co-op/work experience
The Plant Practicum (POWT2395) portion of the Power Engineering Technology program is designed to provide you with industrial experience. Only qualified students (who have completed and passed all Level 1 courses successfully AND have successfully completed the ABSA, 4th Class A & B papers) may be assigned to industrial plants where they will be exposed to the many phases of power engineering.
- Length: 480 Hours/13.25 Weeks (nominal)
- Salary: Paid and Unpaid Placements
- Relocation: Possible
Please note: You will be charged the tuition fee for both the paid and unpaid plant practicums. This fee covers, staffing costs related to the plant practicum, room usage for interviews, industry information sessions, etc.
Courses and Advanced Credit
Current and recently admitted students can find information and updates about their program on their My Program page in the MyNAIT Portal. To monitor your course progress and the courses still needed to graduate, visit your Academic Progress Report.
Advanced Credit
You may apply for advanced credit once you have been accepted into the program. Advanced credit can be Transfer Credit (for completed post-secondary courses) or PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition).
Transfer Credit
In addition to the common guidelines outlined on the Transfer and Credit Options section, your program has other advanced credit requirements that are applied to each request including:
- You must have completed the course or program no more than 7 year(s) ago unless a formalized articulation agreement is in place
- You must have a minimum mark of C in the course(s) or program
Any POWT related courses that are to be looked at for advance/transfer credit can be considered but not necessarily granted due to the need to have the student be successful in learning the ABSA accredited standardized curriculum being used and the impact it has on being successful in passing the ABSA examinations. There can be a better possibility of granting advance/transfer credits for 'academic' courses such as physics and mathematics subject to the minimum requirements of the course(s) in question and equivalencies to the existing NAIT courses (e.g. PHYS 1146 or PHYS 2446 or MATH 1141).
Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition (PLAR)
Please see below for the list of courses that available for PLAR credits in this program. Please click on the specific course for more information on the evidence that is required for each course.
Please refer to the Credit for Work and Life Experience page for more information on how to apply for PLAR credits.
Read more about advanced credit or contact us about applying for credit for this program.
Courses
This content is specific to the selected Sep 02, 2025 intake.
Expand each course below to see details about credits, requisites, scheduling, and more.
Term 1
PHYS1187Applied Physics and Fundamental Mathematics
This course will provide students an opportunity to understand physical principles, laws and mathematical relationships that are fundamental to Power Engineering. Students will solve physics problems relating to mechanics, statics and dynamics, analyze properties of solids and fluids, and be introduced to basic technical math topics involving algebraic expressions, exponential and logarithmic functions and equations, along with fundamental geometry and trigonometry.
POWT1105Electricity, Thermodynamics, and Chemistry
The course discusses electrical principles, magnetism, D/C and A/C generators, thermodynamics of steam, and chemical treatment of power and heating plants. Various equipment in a power or heating plant utilizes electricity to operate it. In addition, operators need to have basic knowledge of steam and chemical treatment of the water.
POWT1106Instrumentation Systems
Running a power plant requires safe and efficient operation of its equipment by proper instrumentation and control systems. The plant may include boilers, piping and their auxiliary equipment. Getting familiar with the programming logic and plant control logic becomes an asset to being a knowledgeable power engineer.
POWT1122Safety and Workplace Communication
Power Engineers are employed in Operational Plants that work 24/7 - 365 days a year. Safety and Environment legislation are the "License to Operate" for these plants. This legislation is an integral part of a Power Engineer's scope of practice and responsibility.
Work integration learning concepts and skills will be discussed and professional employment documents will be created and tailored to the field of Power Engineers. Power Engineering communication avenues will be explained and may be practiced including: radio communication, work requests, safe work permits, lock out and tag out of energy sources and process flow diagrams.
POWT11444A Power Lab
In this course students will develop teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills to ensure safe and efficient operation of the Power Lab.
Students in 4A Power Lab will learn how to produce process flow diagrams, operate and test water treatment systems, get a basic understanding of burner management systems, identify boiler fittings, operate boilers, and the associated auxiliaries in a safe and efficient manner.
POWT1333Introduction to Boiler Systems and Administration
This course provides students with core theoretical knowledge that they need to understand for their hands-on activities within the Power Lab. It will introduce students to different boiler designs and construction. Then we will examine burner systems, draft systems, and explain their operation. Finally, we will study legislation, codes and standards that are common for the management of boiler operating systems.
Term 2
POWT1211Industrial Plant Operations
The Power Engineer is the principle operator and manager of all pressure regulated vessel systems both fired and non-fired. Knowledge of the design, construction, maintenance, trouble shooting of all safety devices is imperative for the safe operation of equipment and fittings. This course will explain internal and external water treatment with associated control parameters. It will also describe components of condensate systems, cooling water systems and how to apply treatment. It will also describe recirculating closed loop treatment systems.
POWT1234Refrigeration and Power Lab Maintenance
This refrigeration course is an introduction to refrigeration principles and operation. Students will learn to explain and distinguish between various refrigeration systems. They will also learn to explain refrigeration compression systems. The course includes a practical lab component where students apply hands on skills to different maintenance applications in the Power Lab. These include: gauge glass installation, construct a heat exchanger to specifications using different techniques and skills.
POWT1235Building Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Heating ventilation and air conditioning is used to provide comfort in an industrial and commercial setting. Principles of operation, maintenance, design, safety devices, hazards and construction are introduced and explored at a Third Class and Fourth Class level. Students will learn the operating principles of air systems and compressors.
POWT1241Prime Movers and Auxiliaries
This course focuses on Prime Movers, namely steam turbines, gas turbines and industrial internal combustion engines. Topics include types and modes of operation of this equipment. Prime Mover Plant auxiliary equipment that is covered includes compressors and compressed air systems, pump types and their operation, as well as cooling towers. The types of rotating equipment bearings and lubrication methods will be delivered. Fourth and Third Class material will be covered in this class.
POWT22444B Power Lab
In this course the student will continue to develop teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills for the safe and efficient operation of the pressure regulated equipment and auxiliaries in the Power Lab. The students will learn to start up and shutdown the air handling unit and the hot water boiler. The students will further learn to start up and shut down boilers, pressurize and depressurize steam headers and run the turbine generator including synchronization to produce 15 Kw’s of power and then de-synchronize and shut down the turbine generator, boiler, and associated auxiliaries in a safe and efficient manner. The students will demonstrate their understanding of Lock out Tag out procedures and execute a practical application to a boiler feedwater pump.
THRM2201Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics is one of the fundamental disciplines of Power Engineers. This course is designed to provide the student with fundamental concepts which include conservation of energy, types of energy, transitory energies, internal energy, Mechanical Equivalent of Heat, Specific Heat Capacity, temperature systems, sensible heat vs latent heat, 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics, and thermodynamic properties of steam. Introduction to Gas Laws including calculations involving end-state properties during Isobaric, Isothermal, Isometric, Polytropic, and Adiabatic Processes; work as area under a curve on a P-V diagram and calculation of work quantities during various types of Expansion/Compression Processes.
Term 3
POWT2395Third Class Plant Practicum
All eligible Power Engineering Technology Diploma students will participate in a paid or unpaid plant practicum in the spring, fall or winter terms in order to satisfy 480 hours of the ABSA-required 3rd Class steam time. The purpose of this course is to provide industrial power engineering experience in the field required by the Power Engineering Provincial Regulations. Students will write personal learning goals during the first month of their practicum, keep a daily logbook and write a reflection based report on experiences, learning goals, and logbook notes. The student's supervisor will evaluate the student and provide an attendance record. The student and supervisor will complete the appropriate components on the ABSA forms. Students must have a valid Fourth Class Certificate registered with ABSA or in the jurisdiction that they are working in to be successful in this course.
Term 4
ENGL1340Communications and Research Foundations
This course will build students’ technical communication skills. Students will write and present a technical report proposal relating to a significant industry related topic. Students will apply critical thinking and effective time management skills to conduct applied research and documentation. Students will focus on appropriate style, correctness in writing, and proper formatting of the report body as well as the front and back matter.
MATH1107Technical Mathematics, Calculus, and Statistics
This course will provide students an opportunity to build essential math skills that are fundamental to Power Engineering. Its aim is to review and extend topics in linear algebra, functions, exponentials, logarithms, and trigonometry, and introduce students to the topics of differential calculus and statistics.
POWT2315Power and Process Plant Simulations
This course will develop the student’s knowledge of fundamental engineering and operating principles with various plant systems and the purpose, design, and administration of industrial plant sites. This includes describing the configurations, components, purpose, processes, control, and application of cogeneration systems, heat transfer equipment, and wastewater treatment systems. A lab component of this course allows students to perform simulated cold start-up and operation of heat exchangers, pumps, and single and multi-boiler operations.
POWT2333Third Class Boilers
This course will describe and explain the material regarding boilers required to write the Third-Class Boilers exam at ABSA, 3B1.
This includes the designs, construction, and operation of boilers. It goes into details of boiler parts, heat transfer components, boiler fittings, feedwater controls, combustion controls, temperature controls, and common boiler maintenance and operating procedures.
POWT23443A Power Lab
This course provides hands on operation of the process equipment in the Power Lab. This includes boilers, feedwater systems, pumps, steam turbines, pressure vessels, and other auxiliary equipment. Topics covered are boiler inspection, boiler and control system troubleshooting, confined space entry, equipment lock out and tag out, and the operation of boilers and auxiliary equipment. A valid Fourth Class Certificate registered with ABSA is required to take this course.
POWT2351Advanced Prime Movers, Pressure Vessels, and Process Simulations
Utilizing steam or gas energy for the prime movers takes place to produce the mechanical work. The steam plant operators must get familiar with the pressure vessels, piping, and the welding process. This course explains the prime movers, pressure vessels, and the welding. It also deals with the different process simulation models.
Term 5
PHYS2446Advanced Physics
This course will provide the student an opportunity to learn and use the physical principles, laws, and mathematical relationships relating to static, linear, and rotational systems using the kinematics equations, momentum, and Newton’s 3 laws of motion; work, energy and power in both linear and rotational systems; centroids and center of gravity for various geometric shapes both static and rotating; shearing forces and bending moments for simple supported beams and cantilevers, and beam design; properties of solids including stress, strain, Modulus of Elasticity and restricted expansion for solids; and fluid properties for both static and dynamic systems.
POWT2425Advanced Operations
In preparation to challenge the Second-Class ABSA 2A1 and 2A3 papers, this course will provide students with the knowledge required to explain steam generation, specialized boiler designs, advanced pump systems, advanced boiler water treatment, non-boiler water treatment systems and management, safety and maintenance programs used in plant/industrial environments.
POWT24443B Power Lab
This course is used to provide a connection between advanced theory courses such as Thermodynamics and Physics and the practical application of that theory in a practical hands-on lab environment.
This includes the analysis of flue gas and calorimeter results to determine boiler efficiencies, gas turbine driven power generator efficiency analysis, steam turbine and generator efficiency analysis and boiler plant black start simulation using a diesel generator.
POWT2466Materials and Codes
A Power Engineer Technologist must be able to understand mechanical properties of materials to ensure safety and serviceability of pressure equipment in a facility. From the initial crystallization of a metal through to its final product form, knowledge of material types, predicted performance, and expected life cycles is essential. The student will learn how mechanical properties are determined. The ability to manipulate these mechanical properties through heat treatment and mechanical working will be explored. A look at the types, control, and prevention of various corrosion mechanisms will also be discussed
This course will also provide students with skills and knowledge to calculate advanced pressure vessel design criteria. These include safety valve capacities, stayed and unstayed surfaces and required compensation for vessel openings. The student will be able to employ industrial codes and legislation as they pertain to the construction and installation of plants
POWT3902Applied Research
This course will allow students to apply the practical and theoretical knowledge they’ve gained during their studies and demonstrate a clear understanding of the Power Engineering Technology Program academics. Students will select a significant technology topic related to the field of Power Engineering where practical technical investigation is warranted. Students will research, design, test, analyze, conclude, present, and defend their formal Technology Report on the topic they have chosen.
THRM2401Advanced Thermodynamics
Advanced thermodynamics are used by Power Engineers to analyze, and troubleshoot complex systems. Thermodynamic Systems will be covered in this course including topics on the Laws of Thermodynamics, Ph and Mollier Diagrams, Calorimeters, Carnot Cycle, Heat Engines, Boiler/Turbine/Pump/Compressor Steady Flow Energy Equations, compression/expansion processes, air compressors, internal combustion cycles, convection, and radiation heat transfer.
Scholarships & Awards
NAIT awards over $6 million in scholarships and bursaries to more than 4,000 students each year, with the support of donors and the government. A variety of awards are available, including ones for academics, community involvement, equity/diversity grants, bursaries for financial need, program-specific awards and more!
Learn how to apply for awards
International Applicants
This program accepts international students.
PGWP Eligibility
This program does not meet eligibility criteria for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), following Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) field of study requirement. Students who applied for a study permit before November 1, 2024, are not affected by the new field of study rule and may be eligible for a PGWP.
While graduates are currently ineligible to apply for a PGWP, NAIT still welcomes international students to this program to gain valuable knowledge and skills to pursue your career goals, whether in Canada under another type of permit or in your home country or other international markets.
Co-Op Work Permit
Mandatory Co-op: This program has a mandatory work-integrated learning component. International students must apply for a co-op work permit and have it approved before the start of their work placement.
Learn more about PGWP and explore eligible NAIT programs.
Pathway to Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Eligibility and $10,000 Award
International students who complete the Power Engineering Technology program and meet all GPA entrance requirements can transition into NAIT’s 2-year Bachelor of Technology in Management (BTech) degree program and recieve a $10,000 award to support your studies. Graduates of the BTech program are eligible to apply for a PGWP.
Learn about the BTech International Pathway
