CWI Benefits

[vanci]

As a welding engineer I have been considering trying to become a CWI. Is this a good decision towards advancing in my career?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[gtaw]

If you are a degreed welding engineer I doubt the CWI credential is going to add a lot of benefit to your resume. However, if you are a welding engineer because your employer hung that shingle under your nameplate beside your cubical, it would add some some credibility to your status.

I'm not trying to be smart with my last comment. I have been introduced to a number of welding engineers over the years that had no engineering degree of any kind or they had very little if any experience, background, or knowledge of welding. They were assigned their position because the corporate management thought they needed a welding engineer and so they filled the position. In one case the only qualification the engineer had was that he owned a "buzz box", but freely admitted he didn't know how to weld. Someone gave it to him because he tinkered with cars. Someone in the company got wind that he had a welder, so "he clearly knew about welding".

Best regards - Al

 

[Mr168]

If you ever do any field engineering, yes. It puts some credibility in both the eyes of clients and crafts that you're not just a desk jockey, and that you actually know what you're looking at. I say "some" credibility though, in that there are plenty of CWI's out there who couldn't inspect a weld if it bit them on the nose.

 

[HgTX]

I've thought of getting the certification myself, not because I think I would be much good as an inspector but at least to make sure I have a reasonable grasp of what CWIs are supposed to know.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[Ron]

If you want to do any welding inspection to determine code compliance of the weld, you should be a CWI, without regard to your engineering status.

For many years I was a CWI, actually before and after I received my P.E. I was also an ASNT Level III, both of which I felt were necessary for the work that I did in conjunction with my P.E. during that time period.

If you want to walk onto a jobsite or into a fab shop as an engineer, you will increase your credibility if you also hold a CWI designation.

 

[DVWE]

Well said, Ron.

HgTx also makes a very good point.

I am both, and I can tell you from first had experience that a CWI is a good thing for a welding engineer to have, especially if your company pays for it.

 

[DrMetal]

This forum caught my attention in regards to gtaw's comments on the "buzz box welding engineer" ... does anyone know if it correct to tell a company or an individual these days that it is unlawful to use the word "Engineer" in your title or company name unless you have an Engineering degree from an accredited school, or in the case of a company name, must have at least one accredited Engineer employed? I used to see this discussion in the PE publications, but was never sure how or whether this issue was resolved. Some of this issue centered around the "Certified Network or Microsoft Engineer" title or similar in the computer software industry. Maybe this is a state by state issue?

 

[Mr168]

It is not unlawful if the services are not offered to the public in most states (i.e, all engineering is done internally within the organization), the engineer is in an exempt industry, or a plethora of other criteria depending on what state you work in. I don't have a PE, nor do the thousands of other engineers in my organization, and we're well within the law to use that title as long as we abide by those rules set forth by the state licensing boards.