Wondering if am trying to do to much in to short of time.
My welding experience is limited, inspection experience limited
I am signed up for end of July seminar with CWI test at the end. I started the 6 course (50) online hours last week.
I order the manual for inspectors and WI handbook also download part B. My question is by not getting any code books, workbooks until day of seminar
Am setting myself up to fail by not having a chance to review all the material listed in the body of knowledge
Thanks any advice will be helpful
WELCOME TO THE AWS WELDING FORUM!!
End of July? Taking it in Phoenix (Scottsdale) by chance?
Any study you get ahead of time will really help. The books you have picked up are great for early study without spending the money to buy the books that they will give you at the seminar for the cost you paid.
Taking the online class also will sure help.
Now, NO, I don't believe you are setting yourself up for failure. If you had the time and money to buy the other books and go through them a time or two it would be of great benefit. BUT, you are working toward that goal in a very good way. Study of those books and the online class will help prepare you for the seminar so the material is not totally new, especially if you are taking the full Pre-Exam class which, by the PDH's listed, it appears you are. It would be nice to have the WIT book to read while going through the online courses as that is where the info mainly comes from. But, if you get it down from them and the books you do have you will do well.
He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent
I don't often disagree with Brent, but in this case I have to...
The CWI tests (3 in total) are difficult, even for people with lots of welding and inspection experience.
While the tests are multiple choice, which makes any test easier, many of the questions are worded in a way that gives more than one correct answer, of which you have to choose the most correct.
Also, the tests have a pretty tight time limit, so knowing the code book and how to navigate it is imperative to passing.
The test and seminar is expensive. If anyone is going to look at you cross-eyed for spending that kind of money and not passing the test, you should consider postponing until you've had more study opportunity, or really turn up the burner on your study regimen before the test.
I don't know the actual numbers, as rumors tend to be exaggerated, but it's said that the CWI exam has a near 70% fail rate, which I believe can be attributed to folks going in un-prepared.
Finding this site is a plus for you though. Use the search function to look up past conversations containing "CWI Exam".
Tim
Tim, you are correct. The first time I read his post and responded I missed that he didn't have any codebooks. Thanks for catching that.
OP, I thought you were referring only to the other study materials, WIT, WIT practice book, and others. You really need a code book. You need to get so familiar with it you know it better than your own address and telephone number. There are things you can get by without for the General Knowledge Part 'A' portion of the exam which we have already covered. And, you got the Part 'B' which you also need to get very familiar with. But you need your code book. Borrow one somewhere if you can't afford to buy it, but, YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT.
Thanks again Tim, glad you caught that.
He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent
It is my opinion based upon limited experience that reviewing all of the information within the BOK is needed. ESPECIALLY if your core knowledge and experience is "limited".
There is a thread at
https://app.aws.org/forum/topic_show.pl?pid=3315 that may have some reading as there are many others on the subject of preparing for the CWI exam.
In my opinion you should obtain the skills and knowledge BEFORE the certification. Study to become an inspector not certified.
I have always been a "Self Study" person for the CWI exams and it has worked, however I have observed many with little experience asking some odd questions during breaks between parts. Not saying you can't do it. There is nothing to loose really (other than saying "I passed the test 1st time" and some $$) but that's of no interest to many.
Below is text from the above linked thread
1) Study all you can about welding technology. Welding Handbook Volume 1
2) Understand the meaning of terms and definitions including those used for describing discontinuities. Welding Handbook Volume 1
3) Get a basic undertanding of metallurgy. Welding Handbook Volume 1
4) Receive a basic introduction to the capabilities of various welding
processes. Welding Handbook Volume 1
5) Receive a basic introduction to NDT methods, capabilities and
limitations. Welding Handbook volume 1
6) Be familar with the available codes and standards that are used and how they are applied and their jurisdiction. Welding Handbook Volume 1
7) Get a basic understanding of Safety Issues related to Welding and Allied Processes. Welding Handbook Volume 1
8) Get a job in the welding field using some or all of the information
above. Life
9) Get the code book you have been using at work and understand how it is laid out. Pick a code
9) Take the test on the code you use at work or any other code since the code portion is open book.
Of course from my experience in the field and from talking with others the
above method is not practical since it takes years of being interested in
the science of welding and many hours in the bathroom reading.
------
All of the above may not help you but I do highly recommend a copy of the "Welding Handbook Volume 1" to be located in a convienient location for random reading. In my opinion studying because of interest is much better than studying for a test. Retention is much better, years vs months.
I have never been through a formal course so I am not familar with the extent they cover all of the curriculum. But maybe this is of use.
Moto,
How was the test? I am planning to take in a couple months as well. What books did you use to study before test and what should I books should I purchase. Also what text did you get during seminar week.
Although not planning on the online course.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank You -
Jarhead
seminar starts in 3 weeks put my test off till October, feel I will be better prepared after I get all my books and manuals.
I purchased the certification manual, barrowed the WIT book and just started studying it some good info in both. I feel
am going to need some time with the D1.1 code book and part B
Good luck Mike
By 803056 
Date 05-27-2015 19:19
Edited 05-28-2015 04:15
I like the fact that you are studying well in advance of the seminar and examination. The online courses seem to be useful gaging from the comments I've heard from several people that have used them. The only issue is that one does not "own" the canned courses. You have a limited time to study and complete the exercises.
My preference would be to study prior to the seminar, take the AWS CWI seminar, delay taking the examination for two to four weeks. The delay is to allow one to study the course materials handed out during the seminar.
Many people attending the CWI seminar only want to cover the material that will be on the examination. The examinations cover the full breadth of the materials included in the study materials handed out in the seminar. The catch is, the examination is based on the Welding Handbooks, the course materials are a boiled down version of the Welding Handbooks. The purpose of the seminar is to tweak, to elaborate, and to expand upon on the study materials handed out during the seminar. The instructor does not know exactly what questions will be on the examination. Everyone knows what subject matter will be covered by the examination, there are a million and one ways the subjects can be covered by the examination questions. So, cover just what will be on the exam! How, when the instructors are not privy to the questions on your specific examination?
Good luck and study everything. Even if you don't have a specific exam question about the information you just studied, it will prove to be useful when you start your inspection career.
As for which code to use for the examination; use the code you are familiar with if you work where a code is used. To me, it makes very little sense to study a code that one isn't already familiar with or one that doesn't apply to the industry one would like to work in. The open code book examination evaluates whether one can locate specific information quickly. It is not interpretive, it simply determines if one can locate the information and apply it to a simple problem. It is detail oriented and requires one to find information using text, illustrations (figures), and tables. One must study the code to understand how to apply it. There are many inquiries here on the Forum that are fairly illustrative of how a question can arise and how to find the answer. They are probably excellent preparation for the examination.
Good luck - Al
Mike (an assumption on my part from your handle),
Let me back up a little here and tell you 'the rest of the story'.
Anyone who has been here very long will tell you I actually have a history of detailing every one of the references listed on the application pages for the CWI exams in the 'Self-study Suggested Reading' area. Including the ones you will get for free when you go to the seminar. That's what I did and I highly recommend.
Then as Gerald said, the Welding Handbook series is a great reference and the one he suggested is great for study prior to the exams. It is not listed as suggested study for self-study prior to the exam, but the content is exactly what is needed for the General Knowledge, Part 'A', portion of the exam. It is more complete and thorough than the WIT book and may open up some trains of thought that are missed otherwise.
With these books in hand, study several hours per day, every day for 6-12 months. Then, take the seminar. Now, you can take the exam the same week, but as Al and others have said at various times, wait a couple of months then take the exam. The problem sometimes is added travel and time away to do it that way.
As is often stated when someone asks questions similar to yours, the seminar is not a crash course to crank out inspectors. It is a refresher and update opportunity to see where you need to tweek past experience and education in order to make the best possible score to pass the exam.
It is true, I can pretty well guarantee that those you take the class with, 50% will fail. In fact, it would not surprise me if 60-70% fail. Most fail because they simply were not ready either by experience, knowledge, or both. Many will fail because they don't take it serious and party at night or go sight seeing or visit with family and/or friends in the area. And there are other reasons.
This is not an easy test, even after self study and taking the seminar. Anyone who comes on here and says otherwise, only passed because they had the needed background and/or aptitude to make it seem easy to them. Don't be fooled, it is not EASY. PERIOD.
Thus, I highly recommend staying at the hotel even if you live in the same town. Take the week off work. Don't talk to family. This is your life for the week.
Because of that stand, I have taken some heat previously. Makes it quite expensive. Well, you have to spend money to make money. How many times do you want to take this exam? How soon do you want to be able to say, I PASSED? How much money do you really want to spend? Re-taking the exam is not cheap all things considered.
The route you are going is better than what many will do. You can see it in their faces by the second day of the seminar. As long as you get a codebook, you are not setting yourself up for failure, but there may be even more things you could do to make it even better. Especially when, by your own admission you do not have a LOT of experience in either welding or inspections. So, start studying and keep with it. Hit it hard because the end of July is not that far away now.
Just my two tin pennies worth.
He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent
I will be taking mine in July (Jacksonville) or Aug in Charlotte. I started last nov/Dec with the AWO online class and to be honest I think it was a "waste". It does give a lot of information....actually WAY more than is I have heard is on the test. I spent about 2.5 months going through it and taking notebooks worth of notes but most was a lot more in depth than ive seen on any practice test.
I took WelderBrent advise a few months back and bought WIT, WIT workbook, Visual Inspection workshop book, API 1104 study guide(and code book) and I already had the Certification manual(which is an old edition). I have been concentrating on reading those and feel a lot more confident even though there are still areas I need to work on.
This guys classes are very good and centered around the actual material:
http://www.weld-procedure.com/freecwipartbhelp.html**** Caution - there is a guy on ebay that sells "practice questions" that are straight from the Certification manual and API study guide - he just copies them and binds them so don't be fooled by some of those ;)
This is going to sound disrespectful, which isn't my intention. But if you have limited experience welding and/or inspecting why do you feel like you are deserving of CWI status? Cramming for a test to be knowledgable that day so you can pass. What value would you bring someone who is ignorant, but looking for a CWI and doesn't know how to decipher the have's from the have nots regarding real experience and knowledge? How did you pass the QC-1 minimum criteria (you didn't mention anything about CAWI that I can tell) for application acceptance? You may have it, not calling you a liar, just didn't read any follow up info. I'm only mentioning this because it's getting tiring running into "CWI's" who really were not ready at all. Basically defrauding employers. Guys who've crashed for a test, in a hurry to get that magic piece of paper so they can make the rest of us look like a group of morons. Or better yet, testing for API 1104 when they will never work in that industry at all, but heard that it may be easier. This certification is becoming such a joke that I have to supplement job description criteria so contractors will stop sending in CWI's who've never actually inspected anything. Which kinda defeats the purpose of the certification to begin with. While others have given you encouraging words on test passing methods, I encourage you or someone in a position which I have described to act ethically and honestly while pursuing credentials/employment. Good luck in your pursuit. Please remember that while passing the CWI test with limited experiences, you should pursue entry level experiences before taking on responsibilities. This might be your intention, just my two cents...which is worth less than a penny. ****this is in the wrong placement - this is a response to the original post, this is not a reply to you specifically MWMW****
Just for the record, says in a follow up post here that he has worked for an engineering firm doing their special inspections for about 10 years. What else he may do there I don't know but sounds like the criteria for the exam has been met.
Brent
I get that. He may well meet the minimum requirements. My response was mostly geared to the situation of little experience pursuing "Certified" Welding Inspector status. Just reponding to the words they chose in the original post. We all know people who've submitted applications where their actual experience is no where near what the application says it was. I am not the AWS CWI police. Basically, if you have to "cram" for a test where you only need a C- to pass, are you really an adequate candidate to be a "Certified" welding inspector? Brush up some on rusty areas or learn something new, sure. How many seminars have you been involved with where at least some of the candidates are learning this information from scratch? They may have heard about welding before. Code of ethics section 11 comes in mind.
11.2.1 Undertake and perform assignments only when
qualified by training, experience, and capability.
This doesn't say training or experience or capability.
We actually think alike sir.
I tried in my response not to insert my opinion as to qualifications but to lead in order to develop proper skills prior to the exams.
I discourage many people who come to listen to my classes through our local section on 'Preparing for the CWI Exams'. Notice the word "Preparing". I do not teach the exam. I do not teach the portions of a code book to tab and highlight in order to study ONLY what is needed for study and to pass the exam.
I show people what the job is really about and tell them that most of them aren't qualified for the work even if they are qualified for the exam. There is a BIG difference.
Then, we go through what they need to learn in order to be truly ready for both the exam and the work.
You are totally correct with your quote from the Code of Ethics. But then, I can think of many other portions of that code that disqualifies many people as well and they are still out there. Not my job to turn them in. The market eventually weeds many of them out.
From scratch? YES, WAY TOO MANY. Not always their own fault. I know companies that walk up to shop personnel and tell them 'we need a cwi and you were chosen to go take the exam next month. Don't worry, there's a seminar first to teach you what you need to know to pass it and they will give you all the books.' Yeah right.
But, even when one is highly qualified, it is still the employer's duty to make sure you are 'qualified' to accomplish what is needed for the jobs you are working for them. Further training should never be skipped. If nothing else, a company's QC manual is often different from the applicable codes enough to need reading through.
And I also am a critic of engineering firms doing welding inspections just because they can. MOST are not qualified.
Mike, don't know if the current comments hit you or not, just take them as an opportunity for constructive criticism and learn everything you can to make sure you aren't one of the guys we are talking about.
He Is In Control, Have a Great Day, Brent
Brent,
Just for the record, none of my comments were directed at the advise you had given him. Good stuff as always. I was just taking a different route. If more of us had the commitment, knowlege and ethics you display then we would be much further ahead and the comments I made would be obsolete.
No problem. It just seems that lately there has had to be a lot of explaining going on the keep people from misunderstanding one another. Maybe 'we' are trying to hard to be technically correct and so everything we are saying is coming across as being negative and critical.
I'm just trying to make sure I haven't offended, misunderstood, or misguided anyone.
Brent
I sure hope I meet the min requirements and experience. LoL I have been in the construction trade for 35 yrs hold everything from general contractor lic ,IBC Residential Inspector and every structural certification(except welding) ICC masonry, reinforced concrete. structural steel & bolting, level 1 & 2 post tension inspector. In the last 10 year's I have been inspecting steel and high rise building floor & roof decking, joists, girders & beams. None of my building have failed yet lol. and yes I have experience in welding but nothing that would qualify me as a welder I can fab up and weld a desert car from the ground to race the Baja 1000 (only welds broke were from being rear ended at 60 mph)
I don't take any of my certs lightly I am very code and standard minded quantity and safety are on top of my priorities. My testing & prep are my weakest aspects. I like to learn from the field and experience. This is the problem I believe that the code, practices, procedures and qualifications in AZ are not enforced and met. Periodic is highly used, shops are not Inspected and half the engineers I work with are very uneducated in welding.
I do agree what was stated above a lot of good information in the online coarse but I feel the other information and advice in some of your guys posts is what I need. Will finish online by the weekend and focus on code books, manuals and any other prep material oh ya a passing C would be greeeeat.
Brent I will be looking for your coarse and would love to attend
Brent
Have not ran across any e-mails on CWI prep meeting any information you could forward me would be great.
Thanks Mike
