Electro-Mechanical Deductive Reasoning for Heavy Equipment Technicians

"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 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...

“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...

“This course was valuable in terms of learning documentation and a methodical approach to troubleshooting. It was practical and engaging and provided valuable tips and practice in implementing the method. I would have liked a little more coaching on how to divide the circuits and theory. However, after...

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.

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

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

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

“ 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!”

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

“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.”

“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!”

"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"

“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.”

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 was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and understanding of the student’s different levels of experience. The course was probably one of the best I've done to date. I feel more confident when approaching equipment to repair with either experience or little experience working...

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 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.”

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

"This course is an excellent tool for anyone who will be doing troubleshooting on equipment or a plant."

"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."

"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."

"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."

“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.”

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

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

"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."

“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.”

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

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

I enjoyed the course. It refreshed things that I have not had to troubleshoot in a long time. I will recommend this course to everyone in my shop. Thanks for the knowledge Joe Kiceniuk.

I think the course was useful because it taught me how to plan my troubleshooting. It was a lot of hands on tasks which was good. It gave me a lot of testing experience and the ability to experiment, going about problems in a different way. The instructor, Terry Yonkheym was knowledgeable and kept the...

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

"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...

“This course is the best I've ever done. Lots of hands-on which is the best and fastest way to learn. This course is making me feel more comfortable in troubleshooting; the instructor was a great teacher and a nice person.”

"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...

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...

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

“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.”

“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!”

"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...

“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.”

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

"I enjoyed the troubleshooting and especially the methodology"

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

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

“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...

“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.”

"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."

“I really enjoyed my practical class. Thank you for sharing your expertise, I hopefully will be able to implement it further into the field. Thanks.”

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.

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

“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...

“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.”

“Interesting course, I enjoyed it.”

"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!!"

"Course is hard for the first coupe of days, but in the middle of the course it starts to get easy or better. I have learnt lots and will take it to my work place. The instructor, Joe Kiceniuk is very good, easy going and very smart. I had fun, thanks for the course Canada Training Group."

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

"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."

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Wish I had been given the opportunity to take this training years back. Learning in the classroom, rather than learning in the field, costs the company less down time. This easily pays for the training. Thanks for letting me attend. I will be promoting this to have our 9 control techs take the training.”

“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...

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

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

“This is an excellent course for giving troubleshooting procedure. Shows how to breakdown and analyze a problem so with minimal tests you are able to find the problem. The instructor, Terry Yonkheym was very knowledgeable and has extensive knowledge in the troubleshooting and electrical systems. Recommended...

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

“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.”

“Very good training, very much like back to the trade school. Best training I have been on in a long time. It really helped with logical process for troubleshooting. Example, more analysis less testing.”

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

"This course was fun and challenging at the same time. Instruction was clear, done in a comfortable environment."

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.

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.

“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.”

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

“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 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."

“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 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.”

"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 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...

"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."

“Course was very good, challenging and informative.”

“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...

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

“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...

“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 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...

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

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.

"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."

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

“I found this course to be very precise and to the point, teaching an effective and expedient means to troubleshoot a system that is more or less universal. I found the method this course taught to even be effective on systems I was not familiar with; using this method I was able to successfully troubleshoot...

“The instructor was very knowledgeable and well prepared. He used real time examples to illustrate points. He kept the flow going not allowing us to get side tracked from our goals. Each day started with a review and reinforced course objectives. A great course, highly recommend it.”