CWI Training By Gerald Taylor & Linda Taylor For AWS Certified Welding Inspectors & The CWI Exam
UBMI Publications
June 25, 2010
www.realeducational.com
To become an AWS Certified Welding Inspector an individual must take and pass the AWS CWI examinations. There are 3 examinations: the Part A, which is a closed book exam covering fundamentals of welding and welding inspection, the Part B, which is an open book exam using a book of specifications, tools commonly used for welding inspection, plastic mold replicas of welds and a laminated photo sheet consisting of 4-6 pictures regarding non-destructive examination and the Part C, which is another open book exam over a document selected by the applicant from a list of codes or standards authorized for testing. The passing score for the AWS CWI tests is 72%, not average, but on each test.
To be successful in taking the AWS certification exam most individuals will need some welding inspector training. Welding inspector jobs entail more than just visual inspection of welds and looking at welding procedures therefore the examinations for the certified welding inspector include documentation, safety, metallurgy, interpretation of codes and standards, use of inspection tools and several other topics as well as welding inspection. When selecting a training provider for the CWI examinations, it may help to consider the following:
1. Is this a "preparatory course" or is it a "seminar"?
Seminars are not necessarily designed to prepare attendees to achieve a certain objective. Seminars are designed to pass on information and their success is not measured by whether you pass or fail.
2. Who is teaching the course?
Hired instructors do not have the same motivation to keep attendees (the customers) on target for success and view their job as done satisfactorily no matter what the outcome of the attendeeīs pursuit of certification. Some instructors are hired based on their credentials surpassing others without regard to whether they possess instructional expertise to relate information to various attendees and levels of knowledge.
3. Does the preparatory course address and spend adequate time on all aspects of the examinations: welding fundamentals, practical application and using the open book documents?
Applicants for the AWS certification program should be aware the examinations to be taken are not based on knowledge they may acquire in their experience in the welding industry. Some of the knowledge from the field may not agree with information found in the source documents used to develop the CWI exams. Be careful not to under estimate the amount of information needed and the time it takes to learn the topics for the exams.
4. Ask yourself how long it has been since you were a student, taking examinations?
Study habits and test taking skills may be fresh in the mind of a college student but may not have been used in a while by those working for a living. Allow yourself extra time to get back in gear with longer training time and more repetition. This is extremely important for those who are a little rusty.
Considering the task at hand, passing the AWS CWI exams, is a tough goal to achieve. Giving consideration to those few items listed above and possibly many more, seek out a training provider that is motivated to see their students achieve their goal, measuring success of the preparatory course on the studentīs success. Look for instructors who can relate to their students, not always reminding their students of the instructorīs credentials or status. Select a training program that provides thorough instruction for all parts of the examinations and gives practice exercises, both written and practical application, to reinforce learning. Most important is to be ready to apply yourself to the task. Those who do not put forth the effort are not likely to succeed.
By: Welding Inspector Training Experts Gerald Taylor and Linda Taylor
To learn more about auditing welding procedures please email: info@realeducational.com or call 800-489-2890
www.realeducational.com
To become an AWS Certified Welding Inspector an individual must take and pass the AWS CWI examinations. There are 3 examinations: the Part A, which is a closed book exam covering fundamentals of welding and welding inspection, the Part B, which is an open book exam using a book of specifications, tools commonly used for welding inspection, plastic mold replicas of welds and a laminated photo sheet consisting of 4-6 pictures regarding non-destructive examination and the Part C, which is another open book exam over a document selected by the applicant from a list of codes or standards authorized for testing. The passing score for the AWS CWI tests is 72%, not average, but on each test.
To be successful in taking the AWS certification exam most individuals will need some welding inspector training. Welding inspector jobs entail more than just visual inspection of welds and looking at welding procedures therefore the examinations for the certified welding inspector include documentation, safety, metallurgy, interpretation of codes and standards, use of inspection tools and several other topics as well as welding inspection. When selecting a training provider for the CWI examinations, it may help to consider the following:
1. Is this a "preparatory course" or is it a "seminar"?
Seminars are not necessarily designed to prepare attendees to achieve a certain objective. Seminars are designed to pass on information and their success is not measured by whether you pass or fail.
2. Who is teaching the course?
Hired instructors do not have the same motivation to keep attendees (the customers) on target for success and view their job as done satisfactorily no matter what the outcome of the attendeeīs pursuit of certification. Some instructors are hired based on their credentials surpassing others without regard to whether they possess instructional expertise to relate information to various attendees and levels of knowledge.
3. Does the preparatory course address and spend adequate time on all aspects of the examinations: welding fundamentals, practical application and using the open book documents?
Applicants for the AWS certification program should be aware the examinations to be taken are not based on knowledge they may acquire in their experience in the welding industry. Some of the knowledge from the field may not agree with information found in the source documents used to develop the CWI exams. Be careful not to under estimate the amount of information needed and the time it takes to learn the topics for the exams.
4. Ask yourself how long it has been since you were a student, taking examinations?
Study habits and test taking skills may be fresh in the mind of a college student but may not have been used in a while by those working for a living. Allow yourself extra time to get back in gear with longer training time and more repetition. This is extremely important for those who are a little rusty.
Considering the task at hand, passing the AWS CWI exams, is a tough goal to achieve. Giving consideration to those few items listed above and possibly many more, seek out a training provider that is motivated to see their students achieve their goal, measuring success of the preparatory course on the studentīs success. Look for instructors who can relate to their students, not always reminding their students of the instructorīs credentials or status. Select a training program that provides thorough instruction for all parts of the examinations and gives practice exercises, both written and practical application, to reinforce learning. Most important is to be ready to apply yourself to the task. Those who do not put forth the effort are not likely to succeed.
By: Welding Inspector Training Experts Gerald Taylor and Linda Taylor
To learn more about auditing welding procedures please email: info@realeducational.com or call 800-489-2890
www.realeducational.com
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