TPC Training Review: PLC Courses, Seminars, Prices and Alternatives
An honest look at TPC Training for maintenance and PLC learning: who it is for, its online courses, 2-day PLC seminars and published prices, what reviewers say, and the alternatives worth comparing.
Short answer: TPC Training is a long-running US provider of industrial maintenance training, founded in 1969 and now part of Certus. It sells mainly to employers training maintenance, electrical, mechanical and operations teams. It offers online courses on its Fusion learning platform, 2- and 3-day public seminars (in cities and live online), and onsite training.
For PLCs, its published prices on October 25, 2026 were:
- $85 for the online Programmable Logic Controllers course
- $1,495 for each 2-day PLC seminar
It is a good fit for companies that want a structured, documented maintenance curriculum with CEUs. It is weaker for individuals who want lots of hands-on PLC programming practice at low cost.
Reviewed October 25, 2026 from TPC Training's own website, order pages and public review sites (sources at the end). We did not take a TPC course. TPC's seminar prices are listed on its order pages and its online-course prices load in the browser, so check them before you buy.
Ownership disclosure: PLC Programming and PLC Simulation Software are run by the same team. Our product is one of the alternatives below, with its prices and limits stated.
What TPC Training is
TPC's about page describes it as "a Certus company." Its timeline shows:
- 1969: founded
- 2014: acquired American Trainco
- 2015: launched "TPC Trainco"
- 2021: acquired by American Safety Council
- 2023: American Safety Council became Certus
Its homepage says "TPC helps industrial organizations develop skilled maintenance, electrical, mechanical, and operations teams." The site sells to training departments, though individuals can also buy single courses.
Formats
- Online courses on the Fusion® learning platform. Fusion offers scheduled reports, HRIS integration, single sign-on, sub-tenants and integrated testing (TestMaster), and its "Foundational Learning" library is listed with "Unlimited Access." TPC doesn't publish subscription pricing; you request a demo.
- Public seminars of 2 and 3 days. TPC says these run "all over the country," and its 2026 schedule lists both city dates and "Live online" dates.
- Onsite training. TPC says "All of our PLC classes are also available as on-site training at your facility."
- Simulations. TPC's online-maintenance page lists electrical and HVAC simulations.
TPC's PLC offerings and prices
| Offering | Format | Length | Price (as listed Oct 25, 2026) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programmable Logic Controllers | Online, self-paced | 7 lessons | $85 | Operating principles of PLCs, inputs and outputs, programming, maintenance and troubleshooting, system expansion and data networks; no prerequisites |
| PLCs for Non-Programmers | Seminar, in person or virtual | 2 days, 16 PD hours | $1,495 | Speaking "the PLC language," reading and interpreting ladder logic, troubleshooting PLC systems and components |
| PLC Programming and Applications | Seminar, in person or virtual | 2 days, 16 PD hours | $1,495 | Relay-type and bit instructions, addressing, timers, counters, compare, compute and program control; addressing examples for Allen-Bradley SLC 500, PLC-5 and RSLogix 5000/Studio 5000, Siemens Step 7 and Modicon; LogixPro simulations |
TPC says it brings "PLC hardware and software into the classroom for a hands-on learning experience." Its cart notes bulk discounts by quantity.
CEUs. TPC says it is accredited by IACET, the International Association for Continuing Education and Training. Its CEU page defines one CEU as 10 contact hours, earned on select online courses by scoring 70% or more on the post-test.
Live mini-lab
Try it: press START, then STOP
A stop-dominant seal-in rung: START latches the motor output through its own contact, and STOP breaks the circuit.
Watch the output lamp: it stays on after START until you press STOP.
Free to start · runs in your browserOpens plcsimulationsoftware.com — same team
What TPC does well
- Breadth for maintenance teams. Electrical, mechanical, PLC, HVAC and safety topics from one provider, with an LMS built for reporting.
- Live instruction. Two-day seminars with an instructor and classroom hardware suit people who learn best by asking questions.
- Employer paperwork. IACET CEUs, professional-development hours, onsite delivery and team reporting are what training departments need.
- Low-cost online entry. At $85, the online PLC course is an inexpensive structured introduction.
Where it falls short for PLC learners
- Seminar cost for individuals. $1,495 for two days, plus travel for in-person dates, is a lot for someone paying their own way.
- Limited repetition. Two days, or a seven-lesson course, is enough for concepts. To read and fault-find ladder logic fluently, you need many hours of practice.
- Legacy platform examples. The programming seminar outline names SLC 500 and PLC-5 next to Studio 5000. That is useful in plants that still run older controllers, but check the outline against the platforms your site uses.
- Few public reviews. On October 25, 2026, Trustpilot showed one review, a 1-star review saying the content is outdated. The BBB lists TPC Trainco with an A+ rating, not accredited, and no reviews or complaints. That is too little data to judge either way.
Alternatives to TPC Training
| If you need… | Consider | Format and price (as published) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily hands-on PLC practice with feedback, at low cost | PLC Simulation Software (our product) | Browser; free tier with no expiry; Pro $29/month or $249/year; Teams $199/seat/year (5-seat minimum); Class plan for schools $49/student/year (10-student minimum) (product facts) | Lessons in nine learning dialects, graded machine scenarios, wiring and fault-finding labs. Not real hardware, not a vendor IDE and not IACET CEUs. |
| A large online video library on automation | RealPars | $60/month, or $50/month billed yearly; 7-day trial | See our RealPars alternative review. |
| Official Rockwell instructor-led training | Rockwell Automation and its distributors | Multi-day courses; for example, Studio 5000 Logix Designer Level 3 listed at $3,200 for 4 days by one US distributor | Platform-specific and deep; the most expensive route. |
| School-based equipment and curriculum | Amatrol | Quote-based | See our Amatrol alternatives guide. |
| Low-cost trade basics on mobile | SkillCat | Subscription | HVAC-centred; see our SkillCat review. |
A common combination is a TPC or vendor course for the structured concepts and the CEU record, plus a simulator for the daily repetitions between sessions.
Who should choose TPC Training?
- Good fit: maintenance managers training a team who need reporting, CEUs and live or onsite instruction.
- Good fit: individuals whose employer pays for a 2-day seminar.
- Partial fit: self-funded learners. The $85 online course is a reasonable introduction; add hands-on practice somewhere cheaper.
- Poor fit as your only resource: anyone preparing for a PLC or controls job who needs to program and troubleshoot fluently.
Frequently asked questions
Is TPC Training legit?
Yes. TPC Training is an established US provider, founded in 1969 and now part of Certus, and it states IACET accreditation for its CEUs. Public reviews are sparse, so ask TPC for references or a demo if you are buying for a team.
How much does TPC Training cost?
On October 25, 2026, TPC listed its online Programmable Logic Controllers course at $85 and each 2-day PLC seminar (PLCs for Non-Programmers and PLC Programming and Applications) at $1,495. Subscription and Fusion platform pricing is quote-based.
Does TPC Training offer PLC certification?
TPC offers course completion, professional-development hours and IACET CEUs on qualifying online courses. These are training records, not a vendor certification from Rockwell or Siemens and not a licence.
What is a cheaper alternative to a TPC PLC seminar?
For concepts, a low-cost online course. For hands-on practice, a PLC simulator with checked exercises, then free vendor software for the platform your plant uses. Compare options in our best PLC training programs guide.
Sources
- TPC Training homepage, about TPC, Fusion platform, online maintenance training and CEU credits
- TPC online course: Programmable Logic Controllers
- TPC seminar: PLCs for Non-Programmers and PLC Programming and Applications
- TPC PLC training overview
- Trustpilot: tpctraining.com and BBB: TPC Trainco
- RealPars pricing
- Agilix Solutions: Studio 5000 Logix Designer Level 3 course listing
Related reading
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Ownership disclosure: PLC Programming IO and PLC Simulation Software are operated by the same publisher.