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 Ironworkers/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 (CWIs) and administer the prep course and exam at the Annual Ironworker 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. Advanced Welding Technologies, a new training course, has been added to this year's Ann Arbor training. The courses will focus on two processes: GTAW and FCAW-G. Participants will have the opportunity to be certified in one or both processes and learn how to weld carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum.
The WCP has 110 prequalified welding procedures and is in the process of adding 14 new procedures. It provides Welder Performance Qualification Records (WPQRs), 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 a photo identification is issued every time an Iron Worker welder successfully passes a qualification test to allow for easy verification of skills. IW welding certification is portable, allowing ironworker welders to move from project to project, eliminating the need for requalification. It 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 ironworker's 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 107 AWS Accredited Training Facilities and 157 training centers around the U.S. and Canada, and an army of 14,000 AWS certified welders in the U.S. and 4,600 CWB certified welders in Canada.
One of the most state-of-the-art IW training centers is in Houston. The IW Apprenticeship and Training Center in Houston recently made substantial capital improvements to expand welder training. The facility invested in brand-new cutting- edge welding equipment and conducts on-site weld testing. It has also increased the number of welding classes offered to both apprentices and journeymen who wish to obtain or upgrade certification. Statewide Training Coordinator Greg Schulze and Apprenticeship Director Frank Morman are highly qualified instructors with AWS CWI and OSHA 500 Instructor credentials. They sharpen their skills every year by attending the Annual Ironworker Instructor Training Program.
For more information on IW welders, visit www.Ironworkers.org.
