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Up Topic American Welding Society Services / Certifications / CWI retest
- - By Link Date 05-17-2016 21:34
Hello.I recently took the CWI retest. That was my first retest. I passed parts a  (fundamentals) and c (D1.1 code book). With a high enough average I only have to retake part B. My question is aws says I need 40 hours of documented training to retest a second time. What qualifies as training? Do I need to take the week long seminar? Please tell me what options would be best? I greatly appreciate the help!
Parent - - By TheNumber8 (*) Date 05-17-2016 23:11
I can tell you from personal experience I retrained one of my fellow employees and signed off the paperwork after he went to the seminar and failed the Part-B himself. We basically had 1-2 hour training sessions over a period of time and I assigned homework.  The way I understand it is that a candidate can obtain additional training from multiple resources.  IE; an SCWI/CWI providing instruction or a seminar or a course provided through a legitimate organization.

r/
David
Parent - - By Link Date 05-17-2016 23:53
David,
Thanks for the information. Does the aws provide me with paper work for documentation for someone to sign off on? Sorry for all the questions. I have emailed aws but have not received a response.
Parent - - By welderbrent (*****) Date 05-18-2016 00:25
Link,

WELCOME TO THE AWS WELDING FORUM!!

Documented additional training can come in various shapes and sizes.  You can do as David said with someone else verifying the training.  You can take another CWI Seminar of which your certificate of completion is your documentation.  You can take some of the online classes through AWS or other organizations which usually issue some form of certificate for completion with classroom hours stated on it.  Your employer can attest to additional 'on the job' training qualifying for CWI qualification from QC-1/B5.1. 

I will check but the last I knew AWS did not have a standard form for this.  That would be hard to get filled out from some of the online course instructors. 

Sending a request for information to AWS can be tricky.  Some items take a while to get to the correct department if you didn't send it to a specific person in the first place. 

He Is In Control, Have a Great Day,  Brent
Parent - - By Link Date 05-18-2016 01:09
Brent,
Thank you for the reply. You seem to be very knowledgeable. Before i took my first test I took a series of classes at a local college that was written to cover what the aws requires. Was also taught by a CWI. I will do some digging to see if I can retake those classes.. Also. Where can I find study material for part B? Thanks again!
Link
Parent - By welderbrent (*****) Date 05-18-2016 01:50
Looks can be deceiving...I 'SEEM' to be many things but I am usually NOT what I appear...?? 

Many classes, regardless of who is teaching them, are currently falling short of totally preparing one for the exams.  With all of the Code changes in D1.1:2015 as well as the changes in the Book of Specifications, weld molds, and adding the new Book of Exhibits to the Part B exam, the test is far different than anything most of the current CWI's and SCWI's are experienced with.

So, you take a class, they say, 'this is what you will need to know for the exams'; WRONG.  It isn't even there anymore or it has changed.  So, be careful about classes preparing you for the exams.  Take a class that teaches you how to inspect and goes through the code books in detail.  With that background you will be able to pass the exam AND will be a better QC/QA person. 

With the proper background, experience, and advance study the seminar will round you out and prepare you for some particulars that are not able to be reached by self study.  The failure curve gets steeper and steeper for those who: do no pre-study, are not familiar with a code book, do not take the seminar, have no inspection experience.  The more you are prepared ahead of time, the higher your chances of success. 

There are very few GOOD study materials available outside of the seminar for the Part B.  You should have some of those if you took the seminar.  If not, take it this time. 

Brent
- - By Link Date 06-01-2016 21:38
Hello all,
It's been a while since I've been on the forum. I really want to retake the part B. I'm thinking about taking the seminar. Sounds like the seminar has new weld replicas and tool kits. Before I spend the money on the seminar. Does anyone know of an alternative way or course? I just dnt understand why I would take the seminar that covers all three parts of the test when all I need is part B. Please help! Thanks
Parent - - By welderbrent (*****) Date 06-01-2016 22:26
Link,

As stated recently in another thread concerning this issue, the week long seminar breaks down into 3 separate parts, each consisting of two days (more or less).  Sun, Mon for codebook.  Tue & Wed for WIT, and Thur & Fri for Part B. 

Just take the two day part B and you will be far ahead of the game.  No, while they are still working on their programs and running their people through an AWS seminar trying to fine tune their systems, no one else truly has a decent program in place as attested to by several who came on here complaining back in late winter/early spring.  They claimed they could teach you all you needed but they were not truly even in the ball park.  They are gaining on it, but, I wouldn't bank on it.

I'll see if I can repost the link that leads you straight to the sign up for different parts of the seminar.

Brent
Parent - - By welderbrent (*****) Date 06-01-2016 22:34
Link,

Here is my post in the other thread:

"When you go to the main AWS website, go to this link:  https://app.aws.org/registrations/     from there, go down and click on the appropriate boxes and you will come to one that is titled 'seminars'.  That one will list the breakdowns of the seminar week.  You can take the whole thing or it has the two available code book sections, the WIT section, and the Visual Inspection Workshop.  You want that Visual Inspection Workshop. 

With the new info they will have on the New Part B book, the Book of Exhibits, weld molds including pipe, and different inspections tools, you can't go wrong getting in and seeing what they have and how they approach it."

Brent
Parent - - By Link Date 06-01-2016 23:42
Brent
Thank you so much for the link.I will get on that ASAP. As far as 40hrs of documented training. I'm guessing I can use the seminar and my employer can attest to on the job training. Correct?
Thanks
Parent - By welderbrent (*****) Date 06-01-2016 23:54
You can accumulate hours for additional training several different ways.  You could take the whole seminar week, that's a gimme for hrs.  You can go through your employer or and other training opportunity that meets the requirements of QC1 for additional hours.  If you do the two days for Part B, then your employer would still need to attest to an additional 24 hours approximately of training.  Many employers will fill out paperwork without truly doing anything that helps the test taker to understand what they are expected to know.  But, not our problem.

If people/companies want to keep sending in their money and taking their time to take a test then go for it.  People say it is all about the money to AWS, how about for the companies and people who just keep cheating the true application of the rules in order to try and short cut their way to being a CWI?  I could give you some scary specifics on people who have taken the test 5-6 times in less than two years before finally passing.  And they still are not QUALIFIED to be a CWI.  I won't use them and don't even want to be around them.  You should hear some of the STUPID things they come up with. 

Just venting, not saying that is you.  But take it as a caution.  Make sure you are truly ready this time.  Don't throw more money down the rabbit hole trying to achieve something you are not quite ready for.

Part of this job is Honesty, Integrity, and Character in addition to knowledge and skills and talents in the inspections arena.

Brent
Up Topic American Welding Society Services / Certifications / CWI retest

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