Welding is one of the most sought-after core competencies in the construction industry. The American Welding Society (AWS) estimates there will be a shortage of 290,000 welding professionals by 2020. The Iron Workers (IW) and its employer-ironworker partnership, IMPACT, are dedicated to preparing highly qualified, competent welders to close the gap. Administered by the IW National Training Fund (NTF) and independently verified by the AWS, the IW/ AWS National Welding Certification Program (WCP) has stringent guidelines for the accreditation of testing facilities, welder qualification testing and certification.
An IW partnership with the AWS allows the NTF to train AWS Certified Welding Inspectors and administer the preparation course and exam at the annual IW Instructors Training Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The IW has also partnered with the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB), allowing the NTF to train CWB Level I and II welding inspectors in Ann Arbor.
The WCP is constantly adding new procedures to its curriculum to meet the changing needs of the industry. The program has 125 prequalified welding procedures and is in the process of adding 14 new procedures. The WCP recently added two new procedures for qualifying welders on boiler tube.
The WCP provides welder performance qualification records, making it possible to qualify welders in a variety of processes and positions to meet the needs of employers and demand in the industry. A welder certification card with photo identification is issued every time an IW welder successfully passes a qualification test to allow easy verification of skills. IW welding certification is portable, allowing IW welders to move from project to project and eliminating the need for requalification, which saves employers time and money.
The program offers convenient online verification at www.welderscertification.org, allowing employers and owners to view or print a participating IW welding certification and verify continuity at any time. It eliminates the need for endless paperwork and offers a fast and efficient way to transfer information. IMPACT funds the IW welder qualification and certification, and there's no out-of-pocket cost to participants if the welder keeps the continuity up to date.
The IW has 112 AWS-accredited training facilities, 157 training centers around the U.S. and Canada, and an army of over 15,000 AWScertified welders in the U.S. and 4,500 CWBcertified welders in Canada.
For more information on IW welders, visit www.ironworkers.org or call (202) 383-4800.
