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Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Moving to U.S. from CanadaQualification
- - By maddog Date 06-13-2005 03:08
Hello,
Just discovered this forum and I am thinking of moving to the States from Canada. In Alberta, Canada we are required to complete a government run Apprenticeship program to attain Journeyman Welder status. From there one can get into pipe welding. To be able to weld on pressure piping or vessels, one must pass the welding performance qaulification administered by the government. In Alberta this is called a "B" pressure ticket. Once this is attained a retest is required every two years. Of course there is job testing on most every site as well.
Is there a similar ticket program in the states or maybe it is different in each state? Just wondering so I can be prepared if I make the move.
Parent - By jon20013 (*****) Date 06-13-2005 12:26
Something a bit off the subject but I've heard from several Canadian's who wished to move to the states that they had to give up Canadian citizenship to do that... doesn't seem right to me but I've heard this so many times you might want to check into it first!
Parent - - By Jim Hughes (***) Date 06-13-2005 18:14
Hello maddog,
would you be able to explain in more detail when you say you are required to go through a goverment run apprenticeship? Does that mean you have no other options. What if you want to learn the trade through a company run program, is that possible? For instance in America you can go to work for a fab shop and learn the trade or a vocational school. One has alot of options. Is that possible their?
Parent - - By jon20013 (*****) Date 06-13-2005 19:24
Jim;

I believe most of the testing/apprenticeship issues maddog is talking about are administered by the Canadia Welding Bureau (CWB); the Canadian version of AWS. I know CWB has branch offices throughout Canada and actually do the qualifications/certifications which are typically done by industry here in the USA.
Parent - By maddog Date 06-15-2005 00:53
I beleive that the CWB administers a ticket for structural. The Alberta "B" pressure ticket falls under ASME codes and we have a body called the Alberta Boiler Safety Association that qalifies welders and is in charge of vessel safety and inspection.
Parent - By maddog Date 06-15-2005 01:02
We can work as an apprentice at a company or take a pre - employment course at a vocational school. If the pre- employment route is taken one must still continue on through the apprenticeship program and complete their schooling once enough hours are worked. One can go to school and take all three years back to back but they must have the alloted amount of work hours built up before they can get their journeyman ticket.
As far as I know though you cannot get your pipe ticket until you get your Journeyman ticket. You can get a provisional "C" ticket to weld in a shop prior to getting your Journeyman though. I beleive that you are only allowed to roll weld and can only use it at the shop that you tested for it.
Parent - - By aquaman Date 06-14-2005 01:01
are you moving because of the Canadian system? Tons Of excelent jobs in Alberta and British Columbia for welders

Im from British Columbia and here you dont have to do an apprentiship to attain journeyman status. You take the C level course at school wich is 7 months long, then start to work as a welder. After 5 months of work you get your "C ticket". Now you can go back to school for 4 months to do your B level training. Now you go back to work and after 8 month you recieve your "B Ticket". With your B ticket you can work as a pipe welder. The last training is 2 months long, and after 10 months of work you get your "A ticket"

so in total its 3 years combined training and work. Its kind of like an apprenticeship, but its not.

all the tickets you get are issued from Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commision.

After your first 7 months of training your ready to go for your all position CWB test for stick

Parent - - By Northweldor (***) Date 06-14-2005 11:45
To clarify what Maddog stated earlier, in Alberta, there are two routes to become a weldor. The school route, which is similar to what is described above (in B.C.), and the industry route, in which you simply get a job in a welding environment with qualified journeymen, and register with the provincial government apprenticeship program as an apprentice to one of these journeymen. Then you simply work for three years, with six weeks school attendance and testing in a government-supervised program each year, and the final year, you must pass the journeyman s qualification test. Then, you must take additional training / testing
to attain an B or A pressure qualification.

If you wish to work inter-provincially, this can be done by taking an additional exam to qualify for an inter-provincial ticket.
Parent - - By maddog Date 06-15-2005 00:46
Yes what Northwelder says is a good description of the Alberta system. You have to be in the Alberta apprenticeship program to attain journeyman status, school route or otherwise. I have had my Alberta Journeyman ticket for alomst 20 years and "B" pressure for 17and plan on moving because my wife has a great offer for career advancement in the U.S.
So in the U. S. different companies have different apprenticeship programs? So if you already have pipe experience you can go test and work on a jobsite. Are most jobs union?
Parent - By jon20013 (*****) Date 06-15-2005 12:43
Maddog; It is no longer common in the US for companies to offer apprenticeships (I assume there may yet be a few out there but none I am aware of). Typically, a welder will simply apply for work at a company and need to pass a welding test, or a series of welding tests before being hired. Several Unions offer apprenticeships but it may be somewhat difficult to get a dispatch from the Union Hall unless you have full work authorization in the US (another topic but that could take several months in itself!). Occasionally, there may be companies who offer "sponsorship" for people of foreign birth to work, but that is pretty rare and unless you're towards the top of the corporate food chain which I gather you''re not, I wouldn't count on it. I don't know if this helped, I'm not trying to discourage you but gaining work authorization is the first hurdle to overcome.
Parent - - By Jim Hughes (***) Date 06-15-2005 13:45
Hello Maddog,
no, most construction work here in America is open shop. Alot of them have very good apprenticeship programs. Fluor, Becon, TIC, Matrix, U.S construction, Kellog B&R, Zachery and others. I have worked for three of these listed as a pipefitter/welder and know from personal exper. With your exper. you should have no problem finding work.
Jim
Parent - By jon20013 (*****) Date 06-15-2005 14:21
Thanks for that update Jim. I'm glad to hear there's still apprentices out there!
Parent - - By maddog Date 06-19-2005 13:29
Hello Jim,
Thanks for enlightening me. If we make the move I will not have to work right away as my wife's job will keep us afloat, so will be able to look around and get all my ducks in a row.
Parent - By jon20013 (*****) Date 06-20-2005 12:05
Maddog; my wife is not a US citizen yet (has her green card). The process in obtaining a work authorization for her took us about 8 months. Attorney fee's were somewhere around $2500.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Moving to U.S. from CanadaQualification

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