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Bobby:  Alright, so some guys are asking how do you get that first job?  I think that the easy answer to that is there’s going to be two tests. Right off the bat the two tests you’re going to take are the drug test and then a weld test. At KWI, we’re happy to say that we’ll get you prepared for both of those. We drug test our guys- we mouth swab, we urinalysis, we hair follicle, and then we will weld test the heck out of you too. So, you’re going to be prepared for all of that. But Dalton what do you think? drug tests?

Dalton: Yes- You’re going to take a drug test and you will take a weld test. For the drug test you’re going to go to an offsite center and they’re going to have somebody standing there watching up. Yeah, for my first experience I’ll never forget it, I could couldn’t pee at all.

But yeah, so I went and took the drug test first because why is the company going to waste their time and money on a QC that’s making $40 an hour? So usually, I say 90% of time, they’re always going to have you take the drug test first. That way they’re not going to be waste material and time on guys who are hot. So then after you pass the drug test, you will take a weld test if you’re good on that- you got the job!

Bobby: Now those next couple days can be different depending on the company- how long those day one orientations are and the onsite stuff can shrink and grow depending on that company. Those drug tests can be a barrage of different things.  You can probably find ways around a few of them if that’s your lifestyle. You can get on the internet and find ways to get around a few drug test, but eventually you’ll get found out.  At KWI welding school we do mouth swab, urinalysis and hair follicle.  The oral mouth swab is hot right now, especially with the police departments, because it’s the here and now.  Those mouth swabs work for a much tighter frequency and catch traces even before the drug metabolizes in your system. The king of tests is probably the hair follicle though.  Have you ever had a hair follicle?

Dalton:  I had a hair follicle. Yeah, so they can go back six months? They can even go back seven years? Just depends on what they are wanting.

Bobby:  Yeah, I think there’s a big rumor mill on the hair follicle for it being a moving target as far as what actually happens and how far it goes back. If you get to the internet, who knows what it will tell you, but what will be true is that it’s going to go back further than your urinalysis and much further than oral mouth swab.

Dalton: Another thing you know, just because you’re they’re going to take a hair follicle test and you shave all your hair off your body. It doesn’t matter. They’ll take fingernails. I’ve seen people get so nervous about a drug test that they shave all your hair off their body. But it didn’t matter because they just got some finger nail clippings.

Bobby:  Not to mention they’re awfully suspicious that you as bald as a baby, so that’ll definitely be a way to ruin your name or get you run off. But yeah, the hair follicle. So, pulling that typically what are they going to do? They’re going to maybe pull a patch of hair or they can shave a patch of hair.

Dalton:  If you got hair, they’re going to pull a dime size amount. Maybe not quite a dime size, but a good amount of hair.

Bobby:  Hair follicle tests go back further than urinalysis and further than that oral mouth swab.  But that’s nothing KWI welding school prospective students have to worry about, right?  Because we’re in the business of recruiting guys who are not doing those hardcore drugs that are showing up in that hair. Hair follicle is very common on the nuclear power plants. We’ve got a lot of KWI students that are in the nuclear side.

Of topic their references are very extensive, we get a lot of phone calls where they call on a KWI graduate for a nuclear campaign. And wildly enough, they don’t want to hear what we have to say. They ask for two references from KWI that know this student as well. It’s almost a family tree of references. Obviously, that student is going to give good references. The company doesn’t want to talk to the good reference they listed, they want to talk to one that’s two or three removed. That’s just some some free advice there on references and whatnot.  Do good things and you’ll get good things said about you.

Why go to KWI weld school?  Think of it this way- We drug test tough and stringent, which means that we’ve probably scared off or culled out a lot of that high school crowd that you knew was smoking dope in your high school parking lot or maybe was experimenting with harder drugs. There’s an epidemic going on right now as far as drugs, pills, meth and cocaine. So, picture those high school students or types of people- not at KWI, because we drug test so much on it. At orientation, we oral mouth swab, during the program you’re going to get a random urinalysis test and scheduled analysis test while you’re here. Our students are put into the CCS drug toxicology database, so that plants, companies and contractors understand and know that you’ve got clean piss tests. And then we are going to pull hair.  In month five and months six when you’re with us, we’re pulling hair so that we feel good recommending you to companies and contractors as you graduate. Now that everybody knows that KWI tests hard during weld school– all those guys that are about that life probably aren’t coming to KWI, so we just essentially culled out a bunch of those individuals and you’re welding with guys that are passionate about welding. They’re here to work, to make themselves great welders, great individuals, and iron sharpens iron. So that’s kind of people who you want to be around.

Dalton:  Another thing about that. I don’t want to be around anyone on drugs, right? I want to be around people that are clean and that’s going to show up to work every day. You can go a lot into detail about that, you know. I don’t want to travel, with anybody who’s going to be on drugs. I want to run with people who are dependable. Drugs will impact their work life, their personal life and if you’re around them they’ll impact you.  You don’t want to ruin your career hanging around individuals who don’t respect their bodies enough to not do drugs.

Bobby: You want to travel with a good crew. You are the average of the five people you hang out with the most.  So, who do you want identify with? And at KWI, our students are top notch, good caliber students, all looking to make a name for themselves in the industry. When you come here, your peers are going to challenge you, they’re going to raise the bar and keep you striving.  It’s good to be around people who give you some competition to keep you hungry.  Check out other welding schools, but we’re confident you’ll find that we have the highest standards.  You want to train like your career depends on it, because it does.

Bobby Pease: Hey, so there’s three quick things that companies and contractors looking for when they’re hiring. It’s got to be that attendance rate, work ethic and the ability to lean forward and just be a self-starter, to hit the ground running. So, KWI has built a rewards package based on again what industry and companies and contracts looking for. And this is the rewards package and were wearing some of those as well. The first thing you could probably earn at KWI, if you complete our 6-certification package in less than 24 weeks, is a hand-painted Outlaw Leather welding hood. We call that the golden arm hood. And that is our way of rewarding hard work.

Ashley Applegate: Yeah, the next thing we’re going to do is reward those students who complete our program, zero tardies zero absent so 100% perfect attendance and you’re going to earn your choice of Up In Smoke welding apparel. Maybe you want to get to the Thorax hoodie, or the Novas with the kevlar sleeve, welding shirt Up In Smoke. Yeah, and then probably attendance.

Bobby Pease: Yeah, and perfect attendance is huge. I’ve said it 100 times, I’d take a C plus welder with an A plus attendance rate over the vice versa any day of the week, because if you’re not showing up to work, I don’t care how good you are, you’re not here to make the weld. Perfect attendance is vital. The last thing we call is the Triple Crown. You know we’re in Kentucky so you win those three derbies. You know the triple crown award here. If you make it through the program and you are golden, if you make it to the program and you have perfect attendance and you’re wearing one of these Up In Smoke pieces of apparel and after you graduate within three months, you report back to the schoolhouse 30 days of verifiable employment experience, we’ll send you free of charge this Heavy Hitters 250 AMP Tig-Rig.

Ashley Applegate: That’s right. And you don’t have to work one job for 30 days, you can work two, two-week outages but it is third party verified and that means a lot. The reward package, telling our students upfront, hey you start doing a good job from the get-go there’s some stuff coming your way. A lot of goodies. Big value on these as well.

Bobby Pease: Yeah, I think everything on the table is worth at least 150 bucks and then go north from there. So, everything is again and these are prizes going back to the students. So yeah, we’re rewarding hard work and these are not cheap items here. These are industry respective, awesome piece of gear that you’d want to take to the field with you.

For more information on these awesome products:

Heavy Hitters Custom 2-piece tig torch packages offer the best of both worlds by providing flexibility and a longer life span.

300+ amps? No problem!

Built with performance in mind, you can weld hotter for longer without damaging the integrity of the assembly. With less internal resistance via our unique method of finishing connections, you can count on Heavy Hitters staying cool when everything else starts warming up!

Thanks to the modular design, if by some chance you damage your rig by “hitting it with a grinder, running it over, catching it on fire” you will have the ability to repair it in the field and finish your job.

This package is designed and intended to last for longer than you do!

If you wish to take the next step in your welding career with a superior product, that is made right here in the USA, then get yours right away!

Buy one today!

The Up in Smoke Welding Thorax Fleece Pullover model was designed specifically with welders in mind. 14 oz Carbon X fleece is made with the perfect blend of fibers for strength, warmth, and comfort.

We sourced environmentally conscious leather from a world class leader in both green initiatives and hide tanning. The quality of this leather will help keep your range of motion on the cold winter days. Strategically placed leather on the side of your hood, upper torso and arms to help protect from burns, and prolong the life of your garment. By placing the leather only where you need it, it aids in cutting down the weight and bulkiness of the garment, while still delivering the protection you need. The redesigned sleeves give more room in the elbow region for better range of motion. Sleeves are 1/2″ longer than previous model. Hood and sleeves are lined with Mount Vernon Mills twill for comfort. This makes the hood and sleeve lighter and less bulky. Front chest leather has been extended down another inch for more protection. Heavy Kevlar and Nomex stitching to tolerate the abuse these garments endure, as well as four rows of stitching across the chest

Buy one today!

The Up In Smoke NOVUS Welding Shirt is designed to be used in the summer. The shirt is constructed with light weight North American Mount Vernon Mills FR twill, while the high wear areas utilize Carbon X Repel. This model is the lightest weight garment in our product line. Sleeves incorporate a natural bend at the elbow for ease of movement. Strategically placed Carbon X material on the arms help protect from burns and prolong the life of your garment. It has a snap closure. The sleeves are also lined with Mount Vernon Mills twill for comfort, as well as providing an extra layer of protection on your arms. Carbon X Repel is significantly lighter then leather. Its lighter weight increases comfort and decrease’s the amount of muscle exertion that builds up over the course of a work shift. Carbon X Repel sheds molten metal, certain chemicals, flammable liquids, and other molten substances while providing extraordinary protection against extreme heat and direct flame. Sparks and spatter simply roll off the material. Tall collar, two front pockets, and eight American made YKK snap closure. The rear tail of the shirt is extended for added protection.
Heavy duty Canadian made FR and Kevlar thread is used to tolerate the abuse these garments endure. It is made in North America and designed for welding in warmer climates.

Buy one today!

The Outlaw Leather Hoods Outlaw Leather Golden Arm hood cannot be bought; it has to be earned. We do, however, sell KWI’s very own hood comes with a logo on the top of the hood and on the bib, to support and rock a brand you love. The Outlaw Leather Hoods are a Fibre-Metal brand with a shade 10 lens. The leather is a French Calf type and is 6 1/2 inches from the rivet. It has a window width of 2 x 4 1/4 this includes clear cover plate. Outlaw Leather makes everything handmade.

Buy one today!

To watch this dialogue live, click the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dx77TJWwKs

Bobby Pease: Alright, let’s talk Accredited Testing Facility. So, the Kentucky Welding Institute is absolutely an accredited testing facility and has been since its inception.

Ashley Applegate: Right. Now, AWS recognizes us to the stringent processes to become that ATF, that accredited testing facility. There’s a lot that goes into play, a lot that happens here. But basically, what it means, big picture wise, you receive wallet card certifications for those weld tests you pass at the Kentucky Welding Institute.

Bobby Pease: Now I’m confused, Ashley, because there’s a lot of schools out there that are calling their kids certified. And they hold up a piece of paper that looks like this.

Ashley Applegate: So, this says qualification, not certification. Hey, I can put a stamp on the on the bottom of this. And there we are, I can make you qualified right now. No matter what.

Bobby Pease: So, there we go. Look at that. Look at that. And some schools even have their logo up here. It’s not even from the American Welding Society, they’re not using the same document. Which is true of companies, you’ll have your own documentation. But you’re not certified unless it’s on the American Welding Society piece of paper here, done at an accredited testing facility, that paperwork sent down to Miami, Florida, and then sent back with a wallet card like this.

Ashley Applegate: And the next thing has to happen. It’s got to be in front of a certified welding inspector, a CWI. But that CWI cannot be your instructor. It’s got to be a third party, CWI. So, they can work at KWI but they may not certify on your shift. Maybe you certify for a different instructor on your shift. So, it does a lot of stuff for you, the student. Number one I’m getting, I am getting you ready for what it’s like to take a real weld test. But number two, I’m not the guy I’m used to. It’s not the guy that taught me how to feed or back feed, whatever you’re doing, it’s a different guy that I’m not used to. So, it got a little bit of nerves coming into that.

Bobby Pease: Yeah, absolutely. So again, you can get qualified from any other world school, probably any of any other ones who can just make these up, no big deal. Write a WPS or don’t. Testing in on a 3/8 bend test or 6G on schedule 80, whatever. And if they’re a CWI, they can throw a stamp on there and make it look official. But they’re not going to give you this card, they can’t give you this card and I wouldn’t put it on your resume if you’re if your instructors calling you certified and telling you that. But you don’t have an AWS certificate, certified welders’ card with a number on it, then I would caution you not to call yourself certified not to advertise yourself certified because technically, that’s not true.

Ashley Applegate: This has to come from AWS, hands down.

Bobby Pease: Yeah, and all our instructors are certified welders, matter of fact, they’re taking all the same weld tests that we require our students to take, is that correct?

Ashley Applegate: Yeah, that’s a good point. Well, I’m glad you brought that up. The job interview to work at KWI is to throw down. All the instructors have to pass those tests.

Bobby Pease: There you go. So, if you’re giving us a piece of paper, saying you’re qualified and then calling yourself certified again, watch out for that. If you want to be certified as a welder, then Kentucky Welding Institute is an accredited testing facility and we stand ready to help you get into this welding industry. Secondary educators have pushed college as the only avenue to success. Currently the average age of a welder is around 55 with less than 20% under the age of 35. The American Welding Society (AWS) is warning us of a welder shortage of upwards of 375,000 by the year 2023. To get your skills sharp and make your resume marketable you need to research Pipe Welding Certification Programs. The comprehensive pipe welding certification package offered in KWI’s Certified Pipe Welding Program has the résumé building essentials that can help you launch your welding career. We have the trained professionals ready to start you from scratch or pick up where your previous training and experience left off, and take you to the next level. As an AWS Accredited Training Facility, KWI’s pipe welding training can certify you with our standard 6 certification packages. Being an ATF also enables KWI to test for outside contractors hiring welders, write new procedures as needed, and certify you to additional procedures like chrome, Inconel, copper nickel, super duplex, branch and bell hole or the fairly new RMD procedure. What other weld school does all that? If welding is a career that has your interest, KWI is the pipe welding certification school poised to help forge you into the successful certified combination pipe welder you aspire to be.

To watch this dialogue live, click the link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNAaegWeb9U&t=55s

In the trades companies are continually fighting to keep accidents and injuries from happening.   In fact, companies are scored with an EMR (experience modifier rate) which is a number used by insurance companies to determine the likelihood that a company will experience a worker’s comp claim.

On new construction or maintenance work contractors bid with host companies for work.  In many cases a contractor will NOT be allowed to even bid a job if their EMR is too high.  In short, host sites don’t want risky, unsafe contractors on their projects causing accidents and pulling them in the spot light of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).

The mission of OSHA is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.  OSHA began as an Act signed into law in 1970 by President Richard Nixon.  The Act then made way for the Administration as we know it to take shape and help American workers through safer working environments and conditions.  While this Act helped motivate companies to start looking at their operations in a much safer manner, safety has evolved into so much more than just avoiding fines from OSHA.  In fact, most companies have a suit that crunches the numbers on how much an accident or injury costs the company.  Most of us think of an injury and we think lost pay and hospital bills, but to the company the costs run much deeper.  There’s the hit on the workers comp so premiums may rise, the cost of HR filing paperwork and follow up on the injury, hiring someone to cover the hours lost, training the new person in the injured persons absence, and if equipment was involved then replacing the equipment, and on and on.  I know, I know that sounds very unemotional when an accident means someone is hurt, but the bottom line is that if we are motivated in several ways to be safe then it’s a win-win.  Companies don’t want OSHA fines or the costs involved with accidents and employees don’t want hurt. 

The Kentucky Welding Institute is a welding school that knows what industry desires.  They need employees who have been trained on the OSHA 1926 Construction Safety Standards.  And KWI doesn’t just train and we don’t stop at an OSHA 10 card; all graduates receive their OSHA 30 card.  The OSHA 30 card is the top shelf in safety training.  As a graduate your resume will communicate to hiring companies that you know and understand how to be safe on their job sites.  Now there are options for getting an OSHA 30 card.  Most include 30 hours of power points and long lectures that leave you dozing off, but KWI’s welding training includes hands on OSHA 30 safety training.  

An OSHA 30-hour card does mean that you’ve literally been through 30 hours of safety training.  At KWI, we take the subparts of the OSHA 1926 Construction Standards and bring them to life! During fall protection training we get in harnesses and hoist you up so you know what if feels like to hang if you slip.  When you cover fire protection we go outside, light fires and students all get to use fire extinguishers to knock down the flames.  KWI instructors do live trainings on scaffold building, forklift operation, self-contained breathing apparatus, ladders and use rigging and signal an actual crane while flying objects to location.  KWI is the weld school that believes that getting your hands dirty is not only a lot more fun, but it is actually a better way of experiencing the safety standards and developing the skills necessary to perform on the job.  So, if you’re looking for a welding school consider the resume boosting, experience building, skill honing certification package that KWI offers and come train with us.

If you know about NCCER then you understand why KWI was eager to adopt their curriculum and join their membership as an Accredited Training Facility. If you do not know about the National Center for Construction, Education and Research (NCCER) then read on and discover how attending KWI’s pipe welding certification program is a smart choice for your welding career.

NCCER was created in 1996 to revolutionize training for the construction industry. 11 of the nation’s leading contractors including Bechtel, Fluor, TIC, Brown & Root and Zachry came together to solve the nations skilled labor shortage. With the support of over 125 construction CEO’s, association and academic leaders NCCER sought to standardize training and create a credentialing program for a safe and productive workforce. Included in the first 5 craft curriculums introduced was a personal favorite of ours, welding. When you graduate from KWI’s pipe welding program the curriculum you complete includes transcripts that are loaded to your NCCER Blue Card. This card or your NCCER number can be used by companies and contractors to reference and verify your training transcripts and completed performance profiles. Companies endorse NCCER’s standardized training because hiring a welder with Welding Level 3 transcripts means that the welder has completed both written and performance testing in all 4 of the major welding processes (SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, and FCAW) on plate and pipe and the 3 major thermal cutting processes (oxy-fuel, plasma, and carbon arc cutting).  With NCCER you don’t tap out at head knowledge, but you are also required to perform skills applicable on the jobsite in order to add the coveted craft credentials to your NCCER Blue Card.

To become an NCCER Accredited Training Facility (ATF), KWI survived NCCER’s application process, audit team, and stringent train the trainer courses.  As an ATF, KWI is held to the highest standard of educational excellence through strict guidelines, thorough lesson plans, a mastery of content knowledge and continuing audits of practice and record keeping. KWI has grown with NCCER since the schools start in 2015. From starting as an ATF with 1 instructor, KWI now has 2 Master Trainers, 9 trained NCCER Welding Instructors and has expanded crafts taught during the Certified Pipe Program to include welding, pipefitting, boiler making, rigging and signal.  All of this means that you are in great hands and both your training and resume will be packed with real world experience. In addition, KWI is an Accredited Assessment Center (AAC) testing site which allows KWI to verify knowledge and performance in order to award the NCCER Silver Card. The NCCER Silver Card essentially verifies journeymen level knowledge and skill and with many companies and contractors translates to additional pay per hour. A quick look through the Industrial Projects Report (IPR) will show numerous companies in support of NCCER and their eagerness to get NCCER Silver Card welders with the hourly rate bonuses for them.   Furthermore, KWI has recently become an NCCER Gold Card test site for Rigger and Signal certification. In 2018, OSHA mandated that all crane operators in construction be nationally certified and re-tested every 5 years. KWI believes that eventually this mandate will be the same for Rigger and Signal personnel so giving you the opportunity to become a certified Rigger or Signal Person gives you an edge when it comes to beginning your career and staying employed in the welding industry. While you may not want to be employed as a rigger or signal person, welders are often used to help rig for and signal crane operators.

Now that you understand why companies respect and seek NCCER trained welders it is easy to see that training at KWI’s NCCER training center is the smart choice if you are considering a career in welding. If you’re considering a welding school that doesn’t offer NCCER training, then understand that their curriculum isn’t nationally standardized with a training and certification cycle that companies and contractors recognize and respect. Why risk your future on anything other than the best? Train at a facility who can award NCCER Blue, Silver and Gold Cards- train with KWI.

When planning your future, it is important to consider the changes that lie ahead. In 2018, OSHA mandated that all crane operators be nationally certified. Before this mandate crane operator qualification was up to the state or local laws and there was a wide variance on what qualified an operator to man a crane. Crane operators work closely with riggers and signal persons. Sometimes riggers and signal persons are standalone crafts hired for that sole purpose, but most times they are add on responsibilities of workers with a focus, like welders. If OSHA believes crane operators should be nationally certified and that rigging and signaling these heavy loads is just as important, how long before OSHA mandates that all riggers and signalers be certified as well? 

KWI can get you certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). NCCCO is one of the leading national certifying bodies in the US and KWI has the hands-on training and the practical examiners to get the rigger and signal certifications in your wallet. At KWI we break down the examination for you helping you understand exactly what you will need to know both in the field and for the certification. In fact, KWI has an actual crane on campus that you will train with to make that hands-on portion that much more real world.

As a rigger you will need to know the tools of the trade. KWI will have you training with shackles, synthetic web and round slings, chain slings and all rigging and hardware you will commonly find on the job. During training you will learn how to determine OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) accept and reject for use parameters in order to know what is safe for use. Knowing how to apply the appropriate slings and tie the required knots will also be a skill you will have an opportunity to master. Finally, KWI will put all your knowledge to the test with scenarios designed to evaluate your ability to select and properly use rigging and hardware to suspend loads. During classroom time KWI instructors teach and demonstrate the content knowledge needed to make you a safe, responsible rigger and pass your NCCCO written exam.

As a signal person you will be responsible for communicating important movements to crane operators as they fly loads around the job site. Knowing the appropriate hand or voice signal is crucial in keeping the job safe and getting the load in the correct location. KWI has its own virtual training program allowing you to interact with a crane and practice all OSHA hand and voice signals. KWI instructors are also NCCCO practical examiners, so you will be trained by professionals that know exactly what is required both on the job and to pass the national certification exam. 

The Rigger and Signal certification exams both require a written portion that tests your content knowledge.  Each test contains 60 questions and is administered with a 60-minute time limit. If you are not a test taker, rest easy. KWI’s seated classroom curriculum comes complete with paced instruction for both the rigger and signal examinations and we have digital resources available for you to view, study and practice anytime you want.  Both certifications also require a practical exam where you demonstrate your skills for rigging and signaling. The signal practical is 20 scenarios ranging from hand to voice signals. The rigger practical is a 60-minute timed examination with 4 parts: accept/reject, hitches, scenarios, and knots. 

We know you want to weld for a living and KWI is first and foremost a premier welding training institution. We are so much more though as we mold you into the complete employee that industry is seeking.  Trust us to pack your resume with American Welding Society (AWS) welding certifications and industry respected certifications like NCCCO to make you an employable welder. 

There is a lot of confusion on the difference between certification and qualification. According to the American Welding Society certification is only awarded through a very specific channel and process. On the other hand, qualification is done largely by companies and contractors who qualify their employed welders to perform specific welding on the job.  When selecting a welding school, should you select one that certifies you or qualifies you? 

Welding is done to a code, which is a written standard for welding. Examples of welding codes include AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, and the API 1104. There are numerous others, but these are a few very popular codes used in the industry. You will not find a requirement for certification of welders in any of these code books, however, they all require the qualification of welders through a performance test. Each company or contractor tests their welders in, as a way of verifying the skills of a welder on a specific set of parameters including weld process, electrode type, base metal type, base metal thickness, weld position, and others. After qualifying for a company, the welder can perform welds within the range for which they tested but should not perform welds outside the parameters. For example, a welder who tested stick on carbon should not be permitted to weld tig on stainless. Qualification tests are written up as a WPS (Weld Procedure Specification) and the results of a welder’s performance are captured on their WQTR (Welder Qualification Test Record). This is often referred to as “weld papers”. This is not a permanent license to weld, in fact; papers can be pulled if the welder’s performance suffers or when a welder has not welded for that company for more than six months. A company’s QC (quality control) or CWI (certified welding inspector) is responsible for testing in welders, maintaining the WQTR, and pulling papers due to poor welding or expiration.

While certification is not required in any code book, it is an extremely powerful calling card for any welder. Landing a welding job can be done through word of mouth, call backs, resume’s, profiles, and job search sites. In most cases, the task of “manning up” the job is handled by the HR (human resource) department. Picture an individual in an office flipping through resume’s and calling those which they believe could pass the weld test and perform on their project. A company manning a weld job fights a couple of inherent issues. Let’s say we need fifty welders for a project we are manning up for this fall. In order to get fifty welders who can pass the weld test, pass the drug test, and won’t drag 2 weeks in, we’ll probably need to have 75 applicants come in to weld test. HR does not want to keep fighting the issue of finding quality applicants, so they search for things like experience, prior work with their company, and industry certifications that communicate verified knowledge and skill in the industry. The only way for a welder to become “certified” according to the American Welding Society is through an ATF (Accredited Testing Facility) by a CWI (Certified Welding Inspector). Becoming a CWI is strenuous in and of itself, but the strict standards to which the AWS holds an ATF are second to none. So, while companies still weld test certified welders to qualify them for their project, there is a lot of respect for those who hold AWS Certified Welder (CW) cards. The CW card speaks to a welder’s ability to undergo rigorous testing procedures by a facility that has been vetted by the American Welding Society.

Summarizing the difference between qualification and certification is not exactly like comparing the minors to the majors. All companies are still required to qualify a welder for the specific welds on their project. However, the American Welding Society guards its certification of welders through strict guidelines only allowing CWI’s associated with an ATF to award the coveted Certified Welder Card. This card is a powerful asset in helping float their resume or profile to the top of the call list when the HR department is manning up a job. That is why the Kentucky Welding Institute is an Accredited Testing Facility for the American Welding Society. So why don’t all welding schools certify their students? To be honest it is an expensive task. Maintaining the AWS ATF status has annual fees and audits on top of the cost of correctly maintaining base and filler metals to high standards. In addition, it takes experienced, skilled, and intelligent people to pass the CWI exam; KWI currently has 5 CWI’s on staff. Plus, each certification submitted to the AWS in Miami, Florida costs a fee. For these reasons, most ATF’s charge around $300 per weld certification test, pass or fail. KWI feels your career is worth the expense. The real question is if these other weld schools are not ATF’s certifying you to the AWS standard then what are they doing with your money?

The pipe welding certification program at KWI is packed with the most common weld tests given by companies and contractors across the nation. In fact, the combo monster, stick monster, stainless monster and schedule 10 tests represent a large portion of entry level weld tests for an uphill welder and that is why they are included in your pipe welding certification program at KWI. Get this- If you complete the base pipe welding certification package and still have time left in your pipe welding program KWI will continue to certify you at no additional costs. The way we see it, it’s the most American thing we can do, reward hard work and dedication. Custom welding certifications like copper nickel, Inconel, chrome, super duplex, branch and bell hole or RMD can all be added to your AWS Certified Welder Card. Your future is important to you and KWI stands ready to help you with industry knowledgeable and seasoned instructors focused on making you the successful, employable welder you desire to be.

For more information on the difference between qualification and certification visit the American Welding Society at www.aws.org or read their white sheet on this topic at https://awo.aws.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/AWS-White-Paper-Welder-Certification-vs-Qualification.pdf

For a long time, secondary educators have pushed college as the only avenue to success.  In recent years and with much publicity from celebrities like Mike Rowe, high school graduates have realized that there is money to be made in the trades.  Currently the average age of a welder is around 55 with less than 20% under the age of 35.  The American Welding Society (AWS) is warning us of a welder shortage of upwards of 375,000 by the year 2023.  If you are a graduating high school senior or an individual looking for a career change and you like working with your hands, this is great news.  High demand, high paying jobs are popping up across the US needing skilled labor to complete the projects.

The comprehensive certification package offered in KWI’s Certified Combination Pipe Welding Program has the résumé building essentials that can help you launch your welding career.  We have the trained professionals ready to start you from scratch or pick up where your previous training and experience left off, and take you to the next level.  As an AWS Accredited Training Facility, KWI can certify you with our standard 6 certification package.  Being an ATF also enables us to test for outside contractors hiring welders, write new procedures as needed, and certify you to additional procedures like chrome, Inconel, copper nickel, super duplex, branch and bell hole or the fairly new RMD procedure.

In addition to the robust welding certification package, you’ll earn industry respected certifications from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO), the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI), the Transportation Workers Identification Card (TWIC), the Coalition of Construction Safety (CCS) and Basic Plus.  This arsenal of wallet packing certifications is designed to get the HR offices calling your number to line up a weld test.  

Training for NCCCO certifications in rigging and signal involves an in-depth classroom study of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) and OSHA standards that govern companies and contractors as they rig, fly and conduct crane operations on jobsites.  Hands on training includes hitches, knot tying, rigging application and signaling a live crane all in preparation for the NCCCO exams.  NCCER is the country’s most recognized curriculum standard.  Hands on and theory-based instruction will earn you transcripts from NCCER in welding, boiler making and pipefitting.  Companies and contractors demand zero lost hours and develop rigorous safety training plans to accomplish this. Our safety training is second to none at KWI.  As a graduate, you will earn an OSHA 30 card, MSHA 24 papers and your Basic Plus certification.   Finishing off your resume with a TWIC card verifying your nationwide background check and a CCS Toxicology card proving your drug free speaks volumes to HR departments looking to man up their projects.    If welding is a career that has your interest, KWI stands poised to help forge you into the successful certified combination pipe welder you aspire to be.  So, bring your grit and grind and we’ll have the knowledge and certifications you need to accomplish your goals.  Come meet our instructors and walk our training facility today at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kentucky-welding-institute-tour-tickets-65195062186