Controls Trainer Brings the Future of Controls and Automation Training to Your Browser
Practice real-world industrial skills on simulated equipment, reinforce safe work procedures, and document your team’s progress.
LANSING, Michigan — October 21, 2026 — Controls Trainer (controlstrainer.com), an online training platform for industrial maintenance and controls technicians, gives manufacturers and individual learners a way to practice industrial skills in a browser, reinforce safe work procedures and document training progress.
Controls Trainer lets technicians practice on simulated control panels and machines instead of live equipment. Learners wire and troubleshoot motor control circuits, work with PLC ladder logic, commission a VFD conveyor, and diagnose faults across ten progressive levels, from a guided motor starter to an integrated fill, cap, inspect and reject production cell.
Safety practice is built in: learners isolate equipment, apply lockout/tagout and verify zero energy on simulated panels before troubleshooting. The lessons are built around NEC (NFPA 70), NFPA 70E, NFPA 79 and OSHA's lockout/tagout standard (29 CFR 1910.147).
“A lot of plants aren't short of people as much as they're short of confident troubleshooters. New techs need repetitive practice with motor controls and PLCs, and the line is the worst place to get it. Controls Trainer gives them that practice in a browser, where a mistake costs nothing.”
Training for teams and individuals
Company plans: Assignments, due dates and reminders; a skills matrix with a printable, signable report; progress reports; manager roles by group; and new-hire assessments. Team (1–20 seats) is $299 per user per year, Business (21–249 seats) $249, and Enterprise (250+ seats) starts at $199, quoted. Companies can start a free 30-day pilot online.
Levels 1 and 2, free: A guided motor starter lesson and a packaging-conveyor troubleshooting lesson, playable right away in the browser.
Individual plan, $299 per year: All ten levels for one person, plus a personal training workspace that tracks progress and active training time, lets the learner pick up where they left off, shows certificate renewal dates and prints a training record to share with an employer. Certificates can be shared on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Reddit, and anyone can verify one online.
Documenting safety training
Documented safety training gives manufacturers evidence of their investment in workforce development and risk reduction. As part of a broader workplace safety program, those records may help support discussions with insurance carriers about potential premium savings. Eligibility and pricing depend on the carrier, policy, and company’s risk profile.
Completion certificates are valid for 12 months from the date a level is passed and are renewed by passing it again. Controls Trainer certificates document completion of a training level. They are not a professional license or OSHA certification, and they complement site-specific procedures and employer authorization.
Controls Trainer runs on a desktop or laptop browser; no PLC hardware or special software is needed.
About Controls Trainer
Controls Trainer is an online, browser-based training platform for industrial maintenance and controls technicians, created by John Clore. It offers ten hands-on levels of simulated wiring, PLC, motor control and troubleshooting practice, with completion certificates and training records for individuals and companies. Controls Trainer is independent of equipment manufacturers. Learn more at controlstrainer.com.
