A great way to further your welding career is by becoming a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) or even moving up to a Senior Certified Welding Inspector (SCWI). It's a great way to make sure that you make yourself valuable and earn the money that you deserve.
Every three years, you have to renew your certification. Every nine years you are required to go through recertification. You can do this by an examination, a recertification course, getting approved endorsements, or by showing you have 80 hours of continuing education. There are also some other requirements. If you do not recertify by the time your certification expires then you will lose your certification and you will need to be retested on all of the original exam parts in order to regain it.
It is fairly simple to recertify when you have reached the nine year mark through the American Welding Society (AWS). You can get more info here for recertification for either a CWI or SCWI nine year package. When you purchase an AWS exam and seminar package to recertify that will include the cost of the seminar and the certification test but doesn't register you for the test. The application processing time is generally around six weeks and your payment and completed application has to be received to see if you are eligible for the test.
One option for recertification is to take the 9 year recertification (part B exam). If you choose this option you will need to take a practical exam that lasts two hours. You will be required to review a book called “Book of Specifications” that is designed just for this test and it will be mailed to you for use as a study guide when the registration is complete. You can write in it because you'll get another copy to use during the test as you can't bring your own copy with you.
The career you are in might have you dealing more with management than a lot of hands-on inspections. The Part B Practical Exam evaluates you in practical aspects of weld inspection to validate that you have current skills. The following areas are covered: mechanical properties, weld procedures, weld inspection, weld qualifications, mechanical test, non-destructive examination, and weld discontinuities. You'll also have to decide if plastic sample welds meet specifications. There is a workshop offered before the exam that lasts one day and helps you to prepare.
If you are a SCWI you have to take a two part SCWI exam instead of the Part B exam.
Option two is recertification through continuing education. If you have stayed up to date by taking classes in inspection and attending seminars that relate to teaching welding inspection or relate to inspection then you need a minimum of 80 contact hours (PDHs). These have to be earned during the nine years prior to needed to be recertified. 20 have to be earned in the last three years before recertification.
Option three requires no exam. You can take a 9 year recertification course through AWS if you have not been able to attend classes through the years. This course lasts for six days and is intensive. It is a back to basics refresher course that starts with an assessment that will identify what needs to be covered. There is homework, directed studies, pre-course daytime studies, evening sessions, and more. There is also an interactive forum every day that requires discussion about real-world problems on the job. There is even a field trip that will take place at a local plant or a testing lab.
The fourth option is the CWI 9 year recertification by a supplemental inspection exam endorsement. This is a new option that is offered by AWS on NDT areas and codebooks. It can be taken any time during the nine year certification or at the end of it. Qualifying for and passing one of these exams will meet the requirements for recertification and the endorsements are listed on your endorsement card. For codebook endorsements you have to pass a two-hour Part C Open-Book Code Application exam. It can be on one of several different codes.
You can also get certified as an AWS Certified Radiographic Interpreter (CRI) and that endorsement will go on your card and will fulfill the requirements for your recertification. This is a five day seminar that makes sure you can understand the indications that are made on radiographic media and will prepare you for the CRI exam.
The fifth option is for those looking for senior certification welding inspector status. If you are a CWI in the ninth year of the certification cycle and want to be a SWCI then you will have to apply for recertification and for an SCWI exam. Your CWI status can be certified by one of the other options. If you choose option one you can take the exams at the same time. It is a great way to further your career.
