Electro-Mechanical Deductive Reasoning for Heavy Equipment Technicians

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

"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."

“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.”

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.

The course and instructor were really good, very well-formatted to keep on topic and moving forward. It was all-around excellent, really opened my eyes to ways of troubleshooting problems I had never thought of asking before, and moving forward, can use in all sorts of different troubleshooting.

“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.

“The information was good. There was lots of hands on, which was excellent. The instructor kept things moving at a good pace. He was knowledgeable about aspects of the course material. The equipment used worked well with the troubleshooting objective. Definitely learnt something.”

"The course did a great job in teaching me how to approach troubleshooting a piece of equipment that I'm not familiar with. It taught techniques and provided lots of practical and hands-on practice using those techniques. The classroom exercises were all very different from each other and all were similar...

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

"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."

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

"This was by far the most practical electrical course I have taken so far. The instructor was excellent and very knowledgeable in his field. I wish I had taken this course 20 years ago."

“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.”

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.

“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

"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...

"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.

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

“The instructor was very knowledgeable, able to convey the message to the students so they understood. Hands on problem were similar to real-world problems, good layered track approach didn't intimidate students. Gave students confidence to take a good approach to troubleshooting.”

“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...

“ 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 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...

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.

“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...

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

“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.”

“This was a very good course. It helps you to get in a proper mind set when you come up on a problem to troubleshoot. It teaches you that documentation is key to shorten your troubleshooting time. The instructor was on point and had a lot of knowledge to pass on.”

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.

I found that the course was good and it made me think about narrowing down the problem and planning it out before starting my troubleshooting. I liked the fact it was a small class ad it was easier to get help if you needed it.

“Everything was great; this course will help me very much to troubleshoot better.”

"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."

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

“ Very effective and efficient way of how to solve a problem…from start to finish”

“The course was very effectively laid out and the use of the training aids made the course much easier to stay engaged. The instructor was very knowledgeable and was able to steer you in the proper direction without making you feel stupid. Excellent course overall.”

“Interesting course, I enjoyed it.”

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

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

"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."

I enjoyed this class a lot. I liked the use of the different boards and how hands-on the class was.

“Great course and instructor was great. Will use to help analyze and troubleshoot issues in antenna systems that I work on.”

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

"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."

“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.”

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...

“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.”

“This course and the instructor were both exceptional and I highly recommend this course to anyone in the electrical trade.”

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.

"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...

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

“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.”

“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!”

“Course was very good, challenging and informative.”

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

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 thought the course was very well done. I liked the hands-on approach. The instructor was very knowledgeable. I would recommend to coworkers. We work on generator systems, kitchen equipment, industrial, overhead crane VFD’s, HVAC Systems on the base, overhead doors, fire pump diesel and electric.”

“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.”

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 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.

"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."

“This is an excellent course to build confidence in troubleshooting, building a solid base from which to troubleshoot. The instructor, Terry Yonkheym, sets a good pace, is knowledgeable and is easy to understand.”

"The instructor, Terry Yonkheym was very knowledgeable and came across well wth his presentation. He was very good at explaining the problems encountered and what to look for. Also, explained this course was about "how" to troubleshoot with the 5 step system. This technique should help to figure out...

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.

"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."

“The instructor was knowledgeable on course content. He kept everything in informal and made it fun. Emphasized the process on how to solve problems.”

“Very good to think of troubleshooting in a more effective manner and safer to record results and findings for information sharing’s and recording. WebCAT will send all people to course in electrical field.”

“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 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...

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

“Instructor was very knowledgeable and the course was great. The course was very hands on which made it easier to learn.”

“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 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...

“I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It had lots of hands on exercises, which is the best way to learn. Ed Rideout was very knowledgeable and obviously had a ton of practical experience. Great instructor!”

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.

"Great instruction, I learnt a lot of troubleshooting skills. It was a very informative course!!"

"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!!"

“Had a good time learning about troubleshooting. The instructor was good and answered all of my questions. He showed us how and where to begin troubleshooting so we didn’t have to go through the whole circuit. I would tell anyone to take this course as it was very helpful.”

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

“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.”

“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...

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

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

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

"This course was excellent overall. The equipment and tools provided were excellent. The instructor Ed Rideout, was clear and made you feel comfortable with the material."

“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.”

“Using logic and better testing (meter) techniques, I am now a much more effective and efficient trouble-shooter.”

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

“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...

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

“The course was well thought out, had good equipment, good pace, and relevant training material. The instructor was friendly and relatable, good instruction, good at presenting ideas in different ways to help with understanding.”

“The course was an extremely valuable tool to any electrician. Experienced troubleshooters can refine existing skills and less-experienced will gain knowledge that isn't the overly obvious unless taught.”

“I thought this course was a great approach to improving troubleshooting skills. Ed Rideout did a great job instructing, was very knowledgeable and easy to understand. I could see my skills improving as the week went on. The test sets used for the course were great, as well as the software. All in...

"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."

“The course demonstrated the importance of taking notes, which became apparent to prevent yourself from going in circles and checking equipment previously checked. Splitting the circuits into sections is something I will take away from the course and use extensively in the future. I view this as a...

This course was definitely beneficial to me. It opened my eyes on how to look at a circuit differently and use less steps to identify a problem. This training proved the importance of recording ALL information gathered about a problem, at the same time also knowing how the circuits should operate under...

“This was a great course; I had no experience on troubleshooting prior to the start of this course. Now I feel comfortable. I'm glad it was available for me and it will greatly help me in the future.”

“Very good course. I would recommend to my coworkers if they felt they needed to improve their troubleshooting skills, or develop proper skills. This course will take them to where they would want to be. This course had given me valuable skills and knowledge to make my job as a maintenance electrician...