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What is the American Welding Society?

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welders at work

The AWS (American Welding Society) was established in 1919. It’s a non-profitable establishment that works to enhance technology, science, and the application of allied joining, welding, and cutting procedures.

The headquarters of the American Welding Society is in Miami, Florida. Currently, the organization serves over 70,000 members around the globe. It’s dedicated to supporting thousands of experts in the industry comprising welders, fabricators, business leaders, sales and service teams, merchants, associations, scholars, educational institutions, and committee volunteers.

The American Welding Society joins welding communities from around the globe into a force that can collaborate by establishing a foundation of high-quality standards, enhanced learning, and rewarding growth.

AWS provides several certificate programs that acknowledge and record skills and know-how in disciplines related to welding processes such as educators, welding engineers and manufacturers, and radiographic interpreters.

The American Welding Society is the source of eligibility and certification of welders. Since the inception of the CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) program in 1976, the American Welding Society has approved above 97,000 welding inspectors and thousands more working experts in other certification classifications.


Where is the American Welding Society Located?

The first headquarters of the American Welding Society was situated in New York City in the Engineering Societies Building. The organization carried out all its activities in this building for 42 years before transferring to the United Engineering Center also in the city.

The AWS then transferred its headquarters to Miami, Florida in 1971. The society stayed in this location for three decades before purchasing its present property in Doral, Florida which is just seven miles away from the

ir initial premises.

The AWS transferred from their long-standing headquarters outside Coral Gables to their present locality in Doral.

Let’s now look at how the American Welding Society has been helpful to welders, employers, and the welding industry as a whole. Read on!

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Benefits of Acquiring Certification from the AWS

In a wide variety of industries, more people are trying to get certifications to stand out from their peers. If you have earned an American Welding Society certification, then it implies that you’ve attained the intense assessment procedures instituted by the Qualification and Certification Board of the AWS.

Here are a couple of ways you (as a welder), your employer, and the industry can benefit from the certification.

Benefits to You (As a Welder)

It’s a mark of fulfillment

Your erudition and experience are fairly validated against an approved set of welding guidelines and standards.

Certification is an attestation of accomplishment

By excelling in a welding exam, you’ll show that you have the fundamental welding knowledge in the particular professional certification to be fruitful in that field.

You’ll gain a competitive edge

You’ll have an added advantage over non-AWS-approved individuals when you’ll be ready to take your occupation to the next level or discover new opportunities.

An improved living

If you want to get paid handsomely in the welding industry, get AWS certification after you’ve completed learning everything required to become a qualified welder.  You’ll be able to support your family adequately.

You’ll be devoted to the growth of your welding expertise

With the use of the expertise and technical knowledge you’ve gained, you’ll search for opportunities to learn more and do better every day.

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Advantages to the Employers

In the United States and numerous other industrial countries around the globe, AWS welding inspector certification is widely accepted. For individuals doing welding quality control, it’s the expert certification.

Numerous multinational firms depend on the AWS third-party certification to make sure that the quality of welding attains the highest standards acknowledged globally.

It’s a sign of fulfillment

You offer your employees the chance to receive globally accepted expert recognition and authentication of their know-how, expertise, and abilities.

It’s an attestation of accomplishment

Your firm has the possibility of alluring more skilled welders and other staff with the expertise to work around the products and services in your establishment.

It gives employers a competitive edge

As an employer, you can increase your reputation in the market when deferring RFPs for major commercial enterprises.

You’ll have an improved living standard

Not only will you add to your firm’s profitability, but also offer ways to support the progression of the occupation. It, in turn, results in an improved livelihood of your employees.

You’ll be dedicated to the growth of your welding firm

You’ll be committed to enhancing the efficiency and reliability of your firm’s welding practices. It’ll help you develop the technical know-how of your present workers, and, this will help in nurturing the next generation of welders and molding the welding industry’s future.

group of welders
Image Credit: Lisa F. Young, Shutterstock

Benefits to the Welding Industry

It’s a mark of perfection

The AWS is the leader when it comes to creating welding standards and certifications for necessary operations and capacities in a wide variety of disciplines. The disciplines comprise sales reps, engineers, welders, technicians, teachers, supervisors, and many more.

It’s an attestation of fair validation

The AWS certifications offer a standardized method of assessing the knowledge, expertise, and abilities of the people in the industry.

It offers a competitive edge

If you have AWS certification, it shows the commitment of employers in the welding industry. Also, it shows the devotion of approved personnel to stay at the front line of developing technology, gear, and applications.

It leads to improved living standards

An AWS certification helps promote the welding perception as a competitive occupation that can offer paths to profitable and propitious lifelong occupations. 

It makes the welding industry dedicated to expand more

With certification from the American Welding Society, it’s easier for the industry, its commercial enterprises, and its industrious personnel to progress.

Shielded metal arc welding or SMAW
Image Credit: Funtay, Shutterstock

The American Welding Society: Mission

The AWS backs unmatched work in the welding industry, both by bringing together welders and welding organizations with the foundations of three main pillars, which are certification, membership, and research and education.


Featured Image Credit: Pixabay

Cameron Dekker
 

Cameron grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a once-proud steel town on the Lehigh River, where he got a taste of TIG welding in his high school shop class. He holds certificates for Certified WeldingEducator (CWE) and Certified Resistance Welding Technician (CRWT) from the American Welding Institute. His interests include scuba diving, sculpture, and kayaking.