I must be in the minority in this discussion.

I was introduced to NDT by Chuck Hellier. I consider Chuck to be one of my many mentors and good friend. I obtained my NDT training in the mid to late 1980's. At the time he was the owner and President of Hellier located in Niantic, Connecticut. I attended his training courses for RT, UT, MT, PT, and VT.  Chuck maintained a staff of well qualified instructors that did a great job of teaching the subject matter and he maintained a lab area where the students could put the lessons learned into practice. The training has served me very well over the years. There are occasions when I still refer to the course notes that are always within arm’s reach.

The cost of attending quality training isn't inexpensive and it is only going to go so far in providing the student with information in the limited time allocated. For instance, if you follow the recommendations of SNT-TC-1A, the hours of classroom training for VT is very limited. There is no practical way of covering all the materials in sufficient depth in the time recommended by the guideline. Most companies and individuals looking for training look for the most inexpensive offering available. That means the individual is going to pay for the proper training and attend more hours of training than recommended by SNT-TC-1A or attend a course that trims the hours of classroom training to the minimum in an effort to save money. The same holds true in any of the other NDT techniques. 

It must be recognized that proper training in NDT is very similar to learning to weld. Classroom training is only one facet of the training. On-the-job experience working under the guidance of a qualified individual is an essential element of the learning process. This is one area that is often overlooked or ignored by employers and practitioners alike. There are variations of each NDT process that is dependent on the work being performed. Rarely is the application a text book scenario. Under ideal conditions there is a Level II or III involved that can provide the guidance needed to augment what the student learned in the classroom. 

In the case of welders, there are a few great welders, a lot of good welders, and too many poor welders. The same holds true with instructors. Hopefully the great instructors stay in the profession to pass their knowledge and wisdom on to the next generation. Even then, there will be some disgruntled students that didn’t care for the instructor, don’t care for the way the course was structured, or were simply in over their heads and not suited for the type of work.

As is the case in many aspects of life, you get what you pay for. The time and effort expended by the student is commensurate with the knowledge gained. In other words, if you try to get your education on the cheap, that’s what you’ll get. If you are attentive in class and do the reading and the homework, you will get the full benefit of the course.

Granted, a good instructor will be helpful and make the learning process easier. However, the hard work is done by the student that reads and studies the materials presented in class and pays attention when working in the field with a qualified Level II or Level III.

Ever since man learned to walk the face of the earth ethics has been a subject worthy of discussion and consideration. Just what are the ethical responsibilities of an Inspector? The subject of ethics should be included in every curriculum that deals with NDT. In short I say that if it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right. Good ethics is simply doing the right thing.

Inspectors are held to a higher standard that other employees in the corporate structure. In many situations the decisions made by the inspector can affect the safety and well being of other people. The inspector’s decision, based on the information gathered in the course of performing NDT, must be based on standards developed by other professionals. That is, the acceptance of tested material is based on the acceptance criteria found in codes and standards that are applicable to the work being tested. When the requirements of the standard are not met, the work is identified as nonconforming. For most work, the inspector’s personal opinion should not factor into the acceptance or rejection of the work being tested.  

A good employer is structured to isolate the inspector from outside influences, but inspectors rarely work under ideal conditions. It is sad to say that pressure applied by the customer (or the employer) to accept substandard product can almost be expected. It is the inspector’s responsibility to resist such pressures or influences. Not everyone is well suited to be an inspector. While an individual may have the technical ability, they may not have the backbone or moral fiber required as an inspector to resist external influences. Good inspection decisions based on code requirements are usually the inspector’s best defense, but an inspector that continually finds himself backed into a corner by a client or an employer to accept substandard work may be left with few alternatives other than to seek employment elsewhere.

As is the case with every other profession, there are some great inspectors, some good inspectors, and some that should really look for a different line of work. That, unfortunately, is the nature of man.

A certification is no guarantee that the individual will do every job properly, in accordance with a drawing, or in accordance with a code. The certification is simply a piece of paper attesting to the fact that the individual possessing the certification has demonstrated some level of technical competence. There is no implied warrantee that a mistake will never be made or that the individual in possession of said certification is honorable, trustworthy, or brave. 

The certification is only as good as the organization issuing it. A weak organization that issues a certification for a show of good effort is not as good as one that is issued only when a minimum score is achieved on an examination that offers an unbiased assessment of the individual's mastery of the subject. That is where a central certification program for inspectors, such as those offered by AWS or ASNT, plays an important role in our respective industries.

Any system devised by man is going to be imperfect. While we strive for perfection, it is rarely achieved.

Best regards – Al