You know it's not likely you'll ever get a response from AWS staff on that question in this forum. I agree the fees for CWI renewal have gotten way out of hand in recent years and some action is needed. I recommend you contact your District Director and write to the Board of Directors. Maybe if they hear it from enough members, they will recognize there are more than just a handful of CWI's that are upset about the gouging we are getting. I chose not to renew my CWI certification when it expired last year because of the unreasonable fees. I expect more people will do the same until only those that either get reimbursed by their employer or have no other choice but to pay it to continue working as a CWI will be left, or some other organization comes up with a similar certification to take its place (e.g.,ASNT, ASME, DOT, AISC, etc.).

Marty

I asume the inflated prices we have now is to weed out all the want-to-be CWI's that should never have gotten their cert's to start with. The first thing the instructor tells you in class is "I will teach you to pass this test." My biggest beef is how someone with NDE back ground can become a WELDING INSPECTOR. The company I worked for will not any CWI's with an NDE background, because if you have welding problem they can only tell you what's in a book.

Pipewelder:
I am a Director at Large, a CWI, and also a member of the Certification
committee, the Qualification committee, and many other AWS committees. I understand the concern you put forth in your post, along
with the concern in the replies you received. The board, and AWS
staff are just as concerned as you are. In fact at the fall board mtg.
held in Oct. we recinded a previous vote to increase membership dues,
and voted to freeze them at their current level. As far as the cost of the CWI test, or any other AWS product we are currently working on
restructuring the AWS income base to allow your society to offer
affordable programs, and products. Please bear in mind that the cost
of programs, mail, overhead, materials etc. keeps going up for AWS as
inflation takes its toll. The reduction in our main source of income,
the annual welding show, due to a weak ecomomy has also led
us to investigate restructuring. Your CWI is a valuable certification
in that it opens up many avenues to inspection work, typically results
in a pay/ rate increase, and is a testimony to your abilities.

Scott Chapple