Page 3 - HIWT Fall 2011 World of Welding

hiwt@welding.org HOBART INSTITUTE OF WELDING TECHNOLOGY

Pass and Maintain d1.1 and d1.5 Weld
CertifiCations…for GMaW spray Process on Carbon

steel in one or more of the following areas…

By André A. Odermatt In response to market needs, HIWT started in January 2011
President to include an AWS certification as a requirement for the two
Hobart Institute of diploma programs: Combination Structural and Pipe Welding
Welding Technology Program and the Structural Welding Program. All HIWT
graduates can leave as AWS certified welders and can be
listed in the AWS National Registry of Welders. Public listing
or disclosure is at the option of the individual welder. AWS
certification credentials indicate that competence in a specific
area of welding has been demonstrated. This may open
doors to better paying jobs and makes the HIWT graduate
more employable. It may also lead to opportunities lacking
for someone not certified. AWS certified welders are issued a
wallet card as pictured here:
The title of this article was a job requirement description of a
recently posted job opening on our website. We are seeing an
increase in skill requirements by companies who are starting
to hire again:
• Read instructions from shop packet and work orders
• Read blueprints
• Interpret weld symbols
• Read measuring tape
• Pass and maintain welder certification
• Read and write properly to perform duties related to
required paperwork
• Be capable of learning to use a computer
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts Based on initiatives taken by the National Association of
• Prepare parts for before and after welding Manufacturers (NAM), President Obama spoke on June 8,
…these are just a few of the skill requirements companies are 2011 at Northern Virginia College, announcing that NAM
seeking when hiring for welding positions. created a Skills Certification System, providing industry-
accepted credentials to 500,000 community college graduates.
There seems to be a general trend in industry to increasingly The NAM credentials for welders are based on the same AWS
adopt an old principle in management: Delegate responsibility standards for certification that HIWT has provided as an
and authority to the lowest possible level of competence within option to students for more than twenty years and has required
the organization. It empowers employees by encouraging as part of their program since January of this year.
participation in decision making. Welders entering the
workforce today are faced with meeting requirements such as Only AWS accredited test facilities
mentioned above. are authorized to certify welders.
The Hobart Institute is such a
The American Welding Society (AWS) has developed various facility and has been certifying and
welding codes and certification programs that serve the needs qualifying welders and welding
of the welding industry. The Certified Welder (CW) program is procedures to structural, pressure
a test to welding procedures used in structural steel, pipelines, piping, production, and aerospace
sheet metal or other industries. A very popular standard on applications for over two decades.
which testing is based is the D1 Structural Welding Code. Therefore, HIWT students have the unique advantage of
HIWT students are qualified to take and pass such certification becoming AWS certified at the Institute which may also
tests prior to graduation and many former students have taken benefit them in the job market.
advantage of obtaining certification in a given process to a
certain code. (Continued on page 4)

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