Hillbilly,
Here is my take on the differences between the two.
AWS-CWI: Others have covered the "Part B" exam quite well so I will keep this part short. It is designed to see if a person can use a "code" they are not familiar with because if one so desires, the inspection opportunities are pretty wide open. Having attended Hobart's course I am surprised you missed or forgot about the part where they clearly explain this to you.
The difficulty of the test is quite obvious. If it is easy, any Tom Dork and Larry would be out there botching up inspections and possibly on some pretty high profile jobs where a failure as a result of incompetent inspections could mean millions of dollars and many lives lost.
Is AWS in it for the money?? Well of course they are. Nobody works for free, not me, not you, not John Wormellis, nobody.
AWS CWI is recognized by many industries and several other entities such as ASNT and the CWB offer reciprocation.
John Wormellis CPWI: I have heard this certification mentioned before but I have never seen it override AWS CWI.
Any certification that can be acquired by taking the test at the motel/home is quite suspect even by your own admission (not insinuating anything concerning your test).
I am not saying the CPWI is worthless at all but it is not comparable to AWS CWI, ASNT, or CWB.
Now I would sure acquire the CPWI certification if the opportunity arose but it is not on my list as of now due to the fact that my CWI has enabled me to acquire positions on pipelines, in refineries, in power plants, on structural jobs, B&PV shops ect.
I addition to that I have acquired my ASNT ACCP level II as well as my CWB certification as a result of having my AWS CWI.
I am pretty sure that AWS, ASNT and the CWB do not offer a reciprocation program for the CPWI and I am sure they never will as long as John Wormellis allows the tests to be taken unmonitored.
If I ever run across a situation where my other credentials are not accepted and I must acquire the CPWI it will not be a problem. From your description it sounds like a walk in the park especially considering that I could take the test in my motel room at my leisure with no one watching or timing me. EASY MONEY.
I see some big differences in the two certifications. I know what those differences mean to me as well as the people that I work for.
It is a good thing for you that it is enabling you to be successful and that is what counts.
jrw159