Went to take a weld test and I was asked if I have a WABO cert. yes I do. I was asked is it a structural cert? I said yes, but my mind got to wondering, is it. I should know the answer to this question. I have read, and reread the 27-13 and I think my cert is structural, but I thought all WABO certs were good for structural work.
For those outside of Washington state: WABO is an acronym for the Washington Association of Building Officials. It is a private group dedicated to education and advancement of the discipline. They established a system of welder qualification agencies and welder credentials back in the 70's - early 80's.
While WABO is interested in "all things" building code-related, the welder program concentrates on AWS D1.1, D1.3, D1.4, and D1.8. As such, it looks at structural applications for steel, sheet metal, and rebar.
The welder qualification program is pretty successful. It's especially nice for students and educators--we can help our welding students earn an important industry credential. For practicing welders, however, it represents another requirement that the individual must meet and renew at their own expense.