Choosing a career path is never easy, so over the last year we’ve been breaking down all of the options the welding industry has to offer to help you determine what path is right for you. This month we’ve looked at the responsibilities required of a Certified Welding Supervisor. The series continues this week as American Welding Learning speaks to certification expert and 30-year industry veteran Jackie Morris to find out exactly why you should consider taking on those responsibilities.
- Demand: A good Certified Welding Supervisor can have a significant positive impact on a company’s productivity, safety, and quality control. That means demand is high among business owners to hire them. Given how competitive the job market is now, getting certified is quickly becoming one of your best options for increasing employment opportunities and earnings.
- Salary: Speaking of earnings. Certified Welding Inspectors can make anywhere between $40,000 and $100,000 a year. Sure, a CWS has more responsibility than the average employee, but that extra responsibility usually comes with a larger paycheck.
- Incentive Bonuses: Quality is essential in any facet of the manufacturing industry. As a CWS, you’ll be the first line of defense against falling standards. Many employers will encourage you to work hard at raising those standards by offering lucrative incentive bonuses.
- Travel: One of the best parts of being a CWS is the opportunity to travel. Not all supervisor jobs will have you on the move, so don’t be deterred if you prefer to stay grounded. However, travel is definitely a perk for those who have always wanted to see more of the country and meet new people.
- Networking: Sometimes new opportunities are more a matter of who you know, rather than what you know. The duties of a CWS often provide occasions to meet colleagues in other fields and industries. Even certification training is an excellent place to make connections with other professionals.
So if you’re looking for a competitive edge in the job market, seeking to expand your skill set, or just want a job with good pay and lots of opportunity for networking and travel, becoming a CWS may be right for you. Join us next week when our special guest Jackie Morris shows us just why CWS are so important to the welding industry.
Until then, we invite you to visit AWS Learning where you can find online courses, virtual conferences and other digital tools for advancing your welding career.
Have a certification option you’d like us to talk about in this series? Let us know in the comments below.
Sir I want to start my career in welding .I have done mechanical engineering and looking for a course which not only give me handsome salary but also gives satisfaction to me …
Please tell me how I can start my career I’m welding technology field….
Thank you..
It really depends on the career path you’d like to follow. For example welding engineers require a degree while CRIs can aquire the necessary skills through vocational schools and on-the-job training. I suggest finding that you use the Internet to research the nature of the different career opportunities in welding (job profiles, salary, employment statistics, etc.) and then check out the qualification specification to find the education, experience, and training requirements that are required to get certified in your chosen field. For example, for a CRI it’s AWS B5.15:2Specification for
the Qualification of Radiographic Interpreters (https://app.aws.org/certification/CRI/B5.15-2010.pdf) and for a CWI it’s AWS B5.1:2003 Specification for
the Qualification of Welding Inspectors (https://pubs.aws.org/content/free_downloads/AWS_B5.1_SPECIFICATION_FOR_THE_QUALIFICATION_OF_WELDING_INSPECTORS.pdf). After that, you can assess how much extra education or training you will need to acheive your goal. You can also contact your local AWS Section. They will be able to give you practical advice.
I’ve met with Mr.KNAPP AT THE AWS MEETING AND TALKED AGAIN WITH HIM ON THE PHONE ABOUT THE CWI SEMINAR / TEST. ALSO ,WAS REFERED TO STEEL INSPECTORS OF TEXAS TO CONSULT WITH MS. HULSEY THE PRESIDENT.IM ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR AND COMPLETE THE SEMINAR AND IF I PASS HOLD CWI LEVEL 1.MY CONCERN HAS BEEN FINDING EMPLOYMENT WITHOUT PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE.WILL THE AWS HELP ME FIND WORK
Later in 2015 AWS will launch an interactive website that will help match job seekers with available job opportunities in the welding industry.