The district sales managers of Miller Electric Company are among the first in the nation to participate in the new American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Welding Supervisor (CWS) program at the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology.  Working with welding distributors, manufacturers, and educators, these executives recognize the value of training and certification to improve productivity and reduce costs. 

Also leading the way are the four technical instructors at Hobart Institute who have all obtained the AWS welding supervisor certification.  Elmer Swank, Chuck Ford, Nelson Morales, and Russ Shurtz are prepared to share their knowledge and expertise with you.

Some of the participants of the course shared these comments:

“The course was well done and very informative.  I wish it had been available 20 years ago!  I highly recommend this course to anyone involved in the welding industry.”

“I believe this course is definitely needed for all welding supervisors.”

“I gained valuable knowledge in areas where I was lacking.  I would like to see welding distributors take advantage of this class.” 

“The course exposes you to diverse topics that are all relative to the welding field.”

“The subject matter covered will directly influence my ability to better serve my customers.”

“Outstanding!  The amount of information and knowledge gained exceeded my expectations.  I would recommend it for anyone looking to expand industry knowledge on any career path.”

“The instructors are very well-informed and did a great job relaying the information.”

“The CWS course at HIWT is a must in today’s welding workplace.  Too many companies rely on uninformed people to make critical welding decisions that have a significant impact on the cost, efficiency, and quality of their welding operations.”

The AWS CWS program was launched as a result of a study, conducted by AWS and the National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP),that found training of welding supervisors reduced weld metal volume, reduced arc time per weldment, reduced rework and scrap, and reduced work effort and motion and delay time.

André Odermatt, President of the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology, says enthusiastically, “The Hobart Institute was among the first in the nation to be approved by the American Welding Society to offer the course, Preparation for the AWS Certified Welding Supervisor Examination, along with providing the exam in Troy, Ohio. HIWT is uniquely qualified to teach this course because HIWT formerly offered a similar course, Supervising Welding, to the welding industry to help improve quality and productivity.”

Based on the AWS Manual for Certified Welding Supervisors, the course curriculum being followed by Hobart Institute instructors provides supervisors, engineers, managers, designers and detailers, purchasing personnel, foremen, line leaders, lead welders, corporate trainers, personnel involved in bidding and quoting, and others the opportunity to reduce welding costs and increase profitability for their employers.  This innovative program identifies a body of knowledge all welding supervisors should know and understand. 

“Your company can gain a competitive edge by having an AWS-CWS on your staff to increase productivity, improve production, processes, quality, and safety, along with enhancing your own career and increasing your personal value,” says Instructor Elmer Swank.

The 2008 start dates for the one-week course and exam at Hobart Institute are June 23 (application deadline May 16) August 25 (application deadline July 18) and November 17 (application deadline October 10).   You are encouraged to register early as courses are expected to fill quickly.

In order to qualify as an AWS Certified Welding Supervisor candidate, you must:

• Be a high school graduate or hold a state or military approved high school equivalency diploma.
• Provide employment information to verify that you have three years of practical welding experience in a fabrication, construction, or welding-related industry. Practical experience in a welding-related industry is an occupational function that has a direct relationship with weldments fabricated to a code, specification, or other standard, and is directly involved in at least one of the following: design, production, construction, inspection, or repair.
• As an alternative, three years of relevant teaching experience may be substituted for one year of the practical experience requirement, with proper documentation. Relevant experience is considered when you teach full-time or part-time on a full-time equivalence in a trade, technical school, college, or university, and that you teach the occupational skill of welding or subjects relating to welding, its application, control, materials, and processes.

The four-hour AWS – CWS examination covers such things as personnel management, supervision, codes and quality management requirements, qualification of personnel, safety, welding preparation and fabrication, planning, control, equipment, and quality management and quality control.  It is a requirement for the exam that applicants for the program apply and be accepted by the American Welding Society Certification Dept. 

For more information about Hobart Institute courses, schedules, and registration, check http://www.welding.org or call 1-800-332-9448 and request a Certified Welding Supervisor packet. 

Visit www.aws.org/certification for more information or to download the NSRP study.

Miller Electric Mfg. Co. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller brand arc welding equipment and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW).

The American Welding Society (AWS) was founded in 1919 as a multifaceted, nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, and led by a volunteer organization of officers and directors, AWS serves more than 50,000 members worldwide and is composed of 22 districts with 250 sections and student chapters.