Both!

I recently took a course and this is how I did it:

I enrolled in the course and got my books 1 month prior to the start of the class. My class ran for almost 30 days for 3 hours per night Monday thru Friday. The month before the exam I studied all the books I had. Really kind of took it easy and only read them at night for like an hour or so. Then the day my class started my routine and study habits changed. I went from reading an hour or so each night to waking up at 4am and reading until I had to be at work at 8am. Then I read and took practice exams during my lunch hour and both breaks. After work I went directly to my class (or seminar) and had the instructor do his thing. After class was done at 8pm I would go home and study until about midnight. On Saturday and Sundays I studied for like 12 hours a day. (Mind you it is one month of your time to excuse yourself from activities and family (if you are married with kids like me). My wife was very understanding and helpful so I had nothing to worry about but work and study. This carried on the entire month of Jan. 2014. The week before my exam on Feb. 1st I had some vacation time from work and took 5 days off. This way I could cram the last week before my test. I took my test on Feb 1st 2014 and passed my first attempt. The test is no joke but if you can commit yourself to the books and take all the practice tests you can then you will do just fine! The test is a solid 6 hours of questions with a lunch break and small breaks in between each of the 3 sections. Here is the payoff: I passed my exam and found out less than 1 week after taking the exam. (Tested on a Saturday and had my results on the following Friday). That Monday after my results came in I started applying and sending out my resume. I was welding full time for an oil and gas company and making $18.65 an hour. A few days into my job search I started to get discouraged because I too had over 12 years invested in my welding career but started to notice all the jobs pertaining to my new CWI field were wanting 5,10 even 15 years experience in inspection. Along with wanting me to already have other NDE certifications (such as UT, PT, MT). Well all I had was a CWI and a welding background. But I remained persistent and reached out to anyone and everyone I knew that might "know somebody" and ended up being hired by a local inspection company who fast tracked me and put me to work. Hard to believe that I tested on Feb 1st 2014 and here we are March 6th 2014 and this is my current standing: I am certified CWI, certified level 2 in UT, PT, and MT. I work in Kansas making $35 an hour and am working 60+ hours a week. I have a high per diem and I ended up with the job and pay I was told I could get once certified. I am willing to travel so the only down side to CWI is if you are not willing to travel then you are wasting your time. I am fortunate enough to have kids who are older and a wife that supports me all the way. I will be on this job as a 3rd party inspector for Kiewit for over a year.

That is my story. I wish I would have started this many years ago but at a tender age of 38 I think I started at just the right time. So be willing to travel, be willing to study hard, and don't give up on your job search and you too will have the same success. I wish you luck and if you ever need and help just let me know and I will do the best I can to help. Good luck and God bless!!!