Iron Workers and IMPACT
The demand for skilled welders has skyrocketed due to a recent boom in construction and manufacturing industries and the large number of welders hitting retirement age. The American Welding Society (AWS) estimates there will be a shortage of 290,000 welding professionals by 2020. Inability to find skilled welders can hurt bottom lines when companies can’t meet the demand.
Welding is one of the most sought after core competencies in the construction industry. The Iron Workers (IW) and its labor management arm, IMPACT, are dedicated to preparing highly qualified and competent welders to fill the skills gap. Administered by the IW National Training Fund (NTF) and independently verified by the AWS, the Ironworkers/ AWS National Welding Certification Program has stringent guidelines for the accreditation of testing facilities and welder testing and certification.
The IW has a partnership with the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) that allows the NTF to train CWB Level I and II welding inspectors as well as AWS Certified Welding I nspectors (CWIs) at the Annual Ironworker Instructors Training Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The IW has 104 AWS Accredited Training Facilities and 157 training centers around the U.S. and Canada, with an army of 14,000 AWS certified welders in the U.S. and 6,000 CWB certified welders in Canada.
The IW certification program has 110 prequalified welding procedures and 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 photo identification card is issued every time an Iron Worker welder successfully passes a qualification test to allow for easy verification of skills. IW welding certification is transferable and allows 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 https://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 training and certification, so there’s no out-of-pocket cost to participants.
One of the most state-of-the-art IW training centers is located 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 Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and OSHA 500 Instructor credentials. They sharpen their skills every year by attending the Annual Ironworker Instructor Training Program.
There’s no lack of skilled welders if you know where to look. An army of skilled IW welders are here to help fill the gap.
For more information on IW welders, visit www.ironworkers.org or call (202) 383-4800.
