Electro-Mechanical Deductive Reasoning for Heavy Equipment Technicians

"This is a great course. I learnt lots about how to organize and prepare for troubleshooting. Well worth attending."

“I think the course was very well presented and helped emphasize the use of a meter and how to interpret the readings you get.”

“This was a well paired course with plenty of time and exercises to complete, very knowledgeable instruction for planning.”

“I found the course and the instructor challenged me in ways that revealed my weaknesses and provided the skills and system to overcome them. Well worth it!”

"I gained the ability to take my troubleshooting to the next level by doing it faster and safer. I believe I have the ability to troubleshoot any problem by applying the steps that I learned in this course."

“I would recommend this course to my co-workers. I learnt how to document everything and how to approach and solve problems in a different way.”

"I liked this class a lot. I liked the use of the different boards and how hands on the class was. The instructor, Joe Kiceniuk was very knowledgeable and clear on his points."

“I think that most of the materials presented were a great exercise in practicing trouble shooting skills.”

“I found this instructor to be very knowledgeable and engaging. He presented the course material in an organized manner, making it easy to follow. The concepts presented will be of great benefit to troubleshooting. I would recommend this course and instructor.”

“The instructor was knowledgeable about the content of the course, which helps explaining how to dissect and troubleshooting electrical problems and prints. This course is a valuable asset. It's provided knowledge on how to become quicker and more efficient at recognizing the problem in an electrical...

“The instructor was very knowledgeable in troubleshooting and course content very interesting and worthwhile course.”

“Course overall is very good. A lot of good, on topic information. Very beneficial to anyone having to troubleshoot systems. The instructor was excellent. Very versed at delivering the information at an in depth but widely understood method. His knowledge with the process of troubleshooting is very...

“The instructor let us know the focus of the course and really showed us the method which we were to follow. Easy to talk to and made you think through the problems.”

“I learnt more than I thought I would have learnt. I’ve learned that having more information and being organized is the key to the problem solving. Having a place to start is better than staring at the wall. The instructor was informative and explained things so I could understand them. Definitely...

“The instructor has lots of experience and demonstrated the information very well. I will make use of the information presented. Great course.”

"This is an excellent course. I learned a lot of valuable information, especially regarding the application of thinking and learning patterns. Draw out your problem area and focus on the underlying issue."

“This course made me look at the big picture, then find my way to the problem faster by not doing unnecessary testing and checks. Having to write a bubble around the problem area made it easy to reason and test my way through to find the problem quicker and easier.”

“This was a very good course that I will recommend to other electricians that I work with. The instructor was very personable and knowledgeable. This course helped me to analyze and understand circuits that I will come across without seeing them beforehand.”

“As a maintenance electrician, I think the course was great and should be made mandatory for all journeymen. I will continue to use a consistent systematic approach when troubleshooting. Our instructor was very knowledgeable on the material presented, very patient, and made the course fun and entertaining.”

“Was a good course. Enjoyed the challenges of troubleshooting with a different method. Would highly recommend.”

“ Good course content and lots of hands on to solidify the theory. This course will pay for itself in two weeks”

Although I have an established understanding of electrical systems in our field of work established from my experience, I enjoyed working through electrical bugs. Learning to troubleshoot electrical problems has sharpened my mind, and I am ready to apply myself.

“ Excellent, an invaluable troubleshooting tool.”

"I have gained the confidence in analyzing and learning how to find a problem, by not getting my mind stuck in one spot. Just that alone has already made me better at my trade. The amount I have learned during this course would have satisfied me by the end of the second day. So, having a full five days...

"I believe this course will help decrease downtime if we document, analyze and have a plan before we start arc testing."

"I liked this course as there were good fault/circuit boards to work on. I liked the heater simulator as it related to a lot of what I would do on a regular troubleshooting day. (A lot of propane furnaces, which are similar) Also, the timing circuit was great, a lot of knowledge came out of that one...

"Excellent course and knowledgeable instructor. Relaxed learning pace with no limits on fault findings. The test equipment and labs were easily understood and were easy to operate. Documentation provided was clear and accurate. It changed my process for fault findings."

“The instructor Ed Rideout, presented the course content in a clear efficient manner. New troubleshooting techniques were well presented and received. By the end of the course I had noticed overall improvement in circuit troubleshooting ability.”

"This course will pay for itself by the time I repair my first piece of equipment. Ed Rideout is an excellent instructor with a lot of actual hands on experience. Top guy, top course. Material was clear and relevant."

“This course was very informative and makes you think outside the box. It was challenging troubleshooting. The instructor was knowledgeable and showed you safe troubleshooting techniques. It was a positive atmosphere, effective meter placement, reduced troubleshooting times, visual troubleshooting...

“The course was useful in the sense that it teaches the importance of finding your starting point and staying calm while troubleshooting. The course would be best suited for apprentices, journeymen with little or no troubleshooting experience. There are lessons to be taken from it and about the mental...

“I fully enjoyed the course and I would highly rate this course for the rest of my coworkers. The equipment was excellent and there was a lot of troubleshooting areas which were great.”

“ How to analyze, document and test efficiently... this course is for anyone who works on electrical systems.”

"The best off-site training I have been to..."

Excellent course, Joe Kiceniuk did a great job presenting the material. This was a very good refresher for those of us who have experience troubleshooting electrical/electronics and excellent foundation for those us who did not.

It was a good course for learning how to troubleshoot systems with a process and direction in mind, by using that process, it becomes clearer what the cause of the problematic symptom is, and in turn to know what should be repaired/replaced. Lots of hands-on experience, troubleshooting was a great way...

“I think that after taking this course, I will become a faster and better trouble-shooter. The instructor was very well informed and came across so that I could understand it easily.”

“The instructor, Terry Yonkheym sure knows his stuff which helps a lot. I think in time I will surely benefit from this course (once I make what I learnt common practice). Class size was perfect and overall experience was good.”

“I found the method of troubleshooting presented to be very helpful in solving the problems during the course. After 2 days the time to solve each problem was reduced significantly. I will try to apply this method with similar problems on the job. I found the day 5 troubleshooting board to be most...

“This course was very beneficial, learning and brushing up on old skills. The testing boards/equipment is all set up very well. I would certainly suggest this to any and all colleagues. Two thumbs up.”

"The course was effective at teaching the importance of proper documentation of problems and how to narrow down a problem area."

The course was a good refresher. It had good analysis sharpening skills. Also, the switchboards, laptops, and programs helped break down circuits.

“The course was very helpful in developing a better technique to approach troubleshooting faults, thinking more about the test you are going to perform. I would recommend this course.”

“Good hands on training in a controlled setting. Trains you on an approach to troubleshooting. Proves that the importance of documenting your finding, shows how to divide and conquer the problem. Lots of different troubleshooting problems to work on so there is something for everyone.”

“This course was a great eye opener on how planning before troubleshooting, will save you a lot of pain and time. As anew worker to the industrial workplace it is a great way to boost my troubleshooting skills. The instructor was great and made sure we all got the points before we moved on and gave...

“Very knowledgeable instructor with a good attitude explains the hazard material thoroughly. The course teaches you an analytical approach for problem solving that can be applied basically to everything in life, recommended to everyone.”

The course was very informative and taught us a good way on how to troubleshoot. The teacher, Terry Yonkheym was good at getting his points across and always had time for each person.

"This course gets your mind working so you can look at a problem in a different frame of mind."

“The instructor did a great job, very informative, very helpful, lots of knowledge. This is one of the best courses I have ever been involved in; I learnt a lot from this experience.

"Excellent course. The content and the instructor exceeded my expectations, I have new tools in my toolbox. Most importantly, a new way of thinking. How to come to an issue? How to gather "helpful" info? How to zero in on the problem? The hands on was an invaluable learning tool."

This course is an excellent learning tool for troubleshooting. The way it was taught was excellent for getting though the information. For personal gain this was a very good experience. The hands on showed me a ton of new useful information. Ed Rideout was a great teacher, clear and thorough.

"This course was good and definitely changed my thought process. The hands on/practical portion I found to be the most effective. The computer programs were also very effective."

“The instructor was very knowledgeable about the course material. The content of the course was very interesting and valuable for my personal benefit as well as the company. I had very little exposure to prints and troubleshooting before the course and I feel now way ahead in this troubleshooting than...

“The first day I thought I should get a little more instructions, but I got into it and I started to see the objective, what the objective was to get me thinking and figuring out methods to improve my troubleshooting. In the beginning I was frustrated but as my troubleshooting improved, frustration...

HATCES “I would recommend this course for anyone who was looking to upgrade or start on their troubleshooting knowledge. The structured system taught is a very helpful tool to help pinpoint the problem efficiently. The instructor is very knowledgeable and will help you along without pointing out the...

“Very fun course with a wide variety of equipment. Good practice for troubleshooting, unfamiliar equipment also good practice for using your logic for solving unknown electrical problems. The instructor was very helpful and made the course very interesting.” Roch Lavergne, Norbord

“This course teaches you about mental state and how it affects your attitude when trying to troubleshoot. It plays an important role in analytical thinking that not many people would realize on their own. I would recommend this course/instructor to not only electricians, but millwrights, mechanics...

“I personally enjoyed this course. It helps me a lot when troubleshooting any electrical system. How to break down a circuit and where to pinpoint a problem, it was challenging at times, but that's the valuable part of the course. It really makes you think. The instructor was very informative and knowledgeable...

“This course helps to show how to focus on the problem and how to narrow down where in your circuit the fault is. The instructor was helpful in showing how to prove you have located the fault through testing. This will be helpful in my work on board HMC ships and submarines.”

Course was beneficial in that it shows if you take a complex problem and break it down, document the information you have and come up with a plan it makes troubleshooting the problem easier. Instructor, Joe Kiceniuk was knowledgeable and conveyed the intent of the course.

"This course will pay for itself the first time a critical motor is down. If it saves one hour of downtime that is $100,000.00"

Although I experience many similar troubleshooting scenarios at work, this course helps develop the proper way. Planning, diagrams and a proper course of action that could help me be more effective in the field. I found the last few days interesting as well as being related to electronic systems, some...

"The props and test equipment make it easier to understand and learn. Computer apps were an interesting challenge. Even with a lot of years experience it is helpful to see troubleshooting from another structured perspective."

“I thought he did a great job presenting the materials and how to properly and efficiently troubleshoot electrical systems. I think that I can use the information I got to help me diagnose problems I may come across at work. I learnt that a system should be analyzed and a plan made before proceeding...

"Very good tips on how to break down a problem into manageable steps. And on eliminating problem areas to break down problems. Good teaching."

"Very good. Good amount of hands on mixed with a good amount of theory. The workload was perfect, any more would have been rushed or not understood by the end of the day. My brain was tired. Any less would not have forced me to push myself. The hands on laptops were perfect."

“This was a really good course and instructor(Ed Rideout). I found great improvement in troubleshooting procedures and documentation. It also reduced number of steps to find faults by 50% to 75% (more efficient). I recognized different ways to troubleshoot (both open circuits and short circuits). I...

“Enforced the importance of good documentation, know what to expect from meter readings before the readings, understanding the problem, get all the available info, if stuck on a problem, take a short break.”

The course was interesting and the instructors were knowledgeable, approachable, and kept things interesting. Fault loading on the boards and the use of the computer programs helped build proficiency in the techniques.

Great instructors, very knowledgable, willing to slow down and go over the material as many times as it takes, very patient. Course Covers a lot of relevant info.

“ Documentation is the key to successful troubleshooting. Excellent job! I will be recommending to my supervisor that the other techs take this training”

"The hands on work was well organized and the computer word was a nice change from the norm, both of which made you think. This is a must have course for technologists."

“ A good variety of content, and a well informed and open instructor. I will be teaching this method amongst my apprentices and co-workers.”

"The contents of this course will be an invaluable asset to me and I would recommend that other technicians also take this course."

“This course gave me a better understanding of how to analyze problems and minimize time in troubleshooting.”

“The instructor is very patient and knowledgeable, offered assistance and gave time to help me understand the task at hand.”

“He was amazing from the beginning till the end for his in-depth knowledge of the course materials. He speaks in a tone that could be understood. If you call his attention on any topic, he spent time with you and made sure you got it. I loved the course.”

“The instructor explained the material very well; he was very knowledgeable of the equipment, material and software. He was able to break down problems to a level anyone could understand. I noticed improvement day to day in my troubleshooting abilities.”

I found the instructor to be very clear with the information in the course and very helpful with understanding the process of deductive reasoning. This course was very good at helping you work through the problem by writing down or documenting your steps

"This course was very informative and interesting. Good information which is reinforced by the hands on practice provided."

"Course teaches and dictates the importance of keeping focused on issue and document info. Plan a strategic execution of analyzing data, record info, isolate problem areas and control amount of excess testing with meter to minimize false readings.

"This is the first time I have been trained in a step by step approach to troubleshooting. I feel, this will make future troubleshooting and breakdown issues in the future a lot safer and problem solving a lot easier. Increased production, increased safety means...WIN, WIN!!"

I would recommend this training to others, another tool to add to the kit. The instructor, Ed Rideout was easy going and helpful. I also liked the....no question is a stupid question.

"The course was well presented and the instructor Ed Rideout gave good explanations and answers to the questions asked. He taught us how to look at problems in a different way and showed us other troubleshooting methods."

"I think this was a great course. I haven't done a lot of troubleshooting up to this point but certainly feel better prepared to do so now. Joe Kiceniuk is a great instructor and he is very knowledgeable."

“ If you want everyone playing on the same team to work correctly and in an efficient manner, do this training”

“Introduction was good, well-paced and concise. This course had the perfect proportion of lecture vs hands on. It had a good variety of troubleshooting diagnostic boards/software, an excellent course for apprentices.”

"Thought the course was very informative. It taught extra ways of thinking to use for problems. The instructor, Ed Rideout was very experienced and showed poise when asked to go over/show different ways of explaining a problem to the class."

"Terry Yonkheym was very patient with our lack of technical "expertise". This was a good course to show us methods to practice in future activities to analyze and plan a method to put into practice."

“This course was very beneficial in helping you to think about how to breakdown problems to reduce troubleshooting time. The idea of documenting everything so that others can pick up where you left off will help with cross shift issues.”

“My troubleshooting skills are better after finding a method to break apart electrical problems. This course shows you efficient ways to analyze information and plan tests.”

"Joe Kicenuik left lots of time to review all the classroom material. He was very helpful in answering any questions and was effective in explaining what troubleshooting techniques work best for each particular problem. This course will improve your way of approaching future problems in your job field."

“ I enjoyed it. It was very mixed. You were not overdoing just one aspect but always covering something new. I like the troubleshooting tools…thinking, observing, analysis, then test!”

“This course was a great learning tool and it's hard at times but it was great, good job.”

I did enjoy this course and liked reviewing what I already learned back in trade school. The instructors were very knowledgeable and helped me through parts of the course in which I was a little rusty.

“I was very happy with the course. I learned a lot. My troubleshooting skills have improved more than what I was expecting. The teacher was awesome and very knowledgeable.”

“The most useful and helpful electrical course I've ever done with Syncrude. Every electrician should take this course at some point in their career. Makes you think about the problem on a larger scale, then narrow down that your testing area.”

"The course was good, we were shown a different way to approach problems. The instructor, Terry Yonkheym was easy to understand and follow."

“Course was very good, definitely gave me another way to troubleshoot problems and make sure I document everything. Had very good examples and hands on was awesome, better than looking at a Power Point all day.”