With the launch of its 2023 Course Prospectus, the SAIW has streamlined its approach to choosing a welding career pathway and modernised the scheduling of the training programmes on offer to flexibly meet national and regional demand in the most cost effective way possible.
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In recent decades welding has become a dominant process in the fabrication of industrial products and in the building of structures from steel. It is used in all phases of production and is needed not only nationally but also internationally in almost every industry ranging from micro-electronics to the construction of petrochemical and power generation, buildings, transport vehicles and infrastructure. Because of the diversity of welding-related projects, there is excellent flexibility for professionally trained people to switch industries without the need for a career change.
The fact that welding is in a strong growth trend accounts for the mounting interest in welding careers. Successfully completing a course in welding can virtually assure a candidate of gainful employment, which includes many progression opportunities and a successful career. Welders can progress to become welding inspectors, welding coordinators, non-destructive testing (NDT) technicians, professional welding engineers or designers and can look forward to extremely rewarding career opportunities, for example.
SAIW has been offering training courses in welding, weld inspection and NDT technologies since the late 1970s. Young people can choose to be practical welders joining plates, tubes and girders together using different materials and various welding processes.
Welding careers can progress by further study in welding coordination to become a welding supervisor/foreman. But welding coordination courses are not only for welders. People hoping for a career in leading welding teams and managing the day-to-day operations of a fabrication shop can enrol on these courses too, for example, and become welding engineers, welding technologists or welding specialists managing day-to-day welding projects and implementing the welding construction codes and ISO standards, such ISO 3834.
SAIW courses also present opportunities to enter careers as welding inspectors, who are responsible for verifying that welders are following work instructions and welding supervisors are doing their work according to approved welding procedures. Welding inspectors also work in quality assurance, compiling the relevant information for records on how a product was manufactured.
The SAIW offers Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) courses in six different testing methods. Personnel form part of the chain of various fields of expertise, which are used to ensure the world is using high quality products that pose little risk to the end user. NDT Personnel test materials or products for any imperfections without destroying the products or materials.
NDT is not only limited to testing of welds, however, but can be extended to various product sectors – such as castings, forgings, and tubes – and applied in most industrial sectors, such as pre-and in-service testing, power generation and petrochemical industries. This is achieved by using various applied scientific principles and, therefore, a career in NDT will never stagnate. There will always be the opportunity to diversify into other methods or alternatively, specialise in one or more methods to an advanced level of competency.
SAIW courses are intended to meet best practice international standards and many are accredited by the International Institute of Welding (IIW) or International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICNDT) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA).
SAIW inspection courses also fulfil the requirements of local certification programmes for inspection personnel (SAQCC IPE and CP), which are approved by the Department of Employment and Labour, while SAIW practical welding courses are accredited by IIW for the International Welder (IW) programme and welder apprenticeships by the South African Qualification Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO).
Flexible demand-driven scheduling
The SAIW offers training courses at its Johannesburg headquarters, and in Durban and Cape Town, while many SAIW courses are also suitable for presentation at in-company training facilities.
In the past, all SAIW courses were scheduled in advance at the beginning of the year, with candidates invited to book for places according to pre-arranged dates. This approach could lead to course cancellations on one hand or, for popular courses, once a maximum number of candidates had enrolled, additional bookings were rejected.
It was also particularly difficult to cost-effectively meet demand in regions such as Middleburg, Secunda, Durban or Cape Town. A scheduled course would often have to be cancelled at the last minute due to insufficient numbers, which was frustrating for students and companies.
With the new flexible scheduling approach, in Johannesburg, all SAIW courses are still being scheduled for at least once a year. For the Cape Town, Durban and Secunda regions, as soon a viable number of candidates has registered an interest, any course can be scheduled, and a trainer and a venue booked.
Also, if the break-even number of students is exceeded, additional courses can be scheduled to meet the demand, and these can run consecutively, if need be, until all interested students have had the opportunity to attend. Through this new approach, the SAIW can efficiently, quickly, and flexibly adapt to demand, while maximising the interactive benefits students get from each other, making for a richer and more enjoyable learning experience while minimising disappointment and maximising cost effectiveness.
Most importantly, though, it enables the SAIW to fully service training needs in every region of South Africa, including those where the Institute has not previously had a presence.
