IIW/EWF Welding Diploma - FAQs





What is it?

The International Welding Diploma is a qualification which demonstrates that the holder has completed minimum requirements for the education, training and examinations which give him/her the competence to hold responsibilities for welding coordination.

Is there any document which establishes the minimum requirements to obtain welding diploma?

Yes. The International Institute of Welding produced the IIW Guideline IAB-252-07 ?Personnel with responsibilities for welding coordination: Minimum requirements for the education, examination and qualification?. This document specifies syllabus, subjects, goals, access requirements, etc. and forms the basis on which the whole diploma is built on.

Why is it important to have recognised competence in welding coordination?

The International Welding Diploma in context. BS EN ISO 14731:2006 Welding Coordination ? Tasks and responsibilities, specifies that responsible welding coordination personnel shall be able to demonstrate adequate general and specific knowledge in welding and allied processes to perform these tasks. Such knowledge must be the result of a combination of theory, training and experience. The standard also specifies in its Annex A that welding coordination personnel fulfilling the requirements of the IIW guidelines may be considered to satisfy the relevant requirements of this standard. In consequence, the holder of an IIW/EWF Welding Diploma is considered to comply with BS EN ISO 14731.

What are the advantages of complying with ISO 14731?

BS EN ISO 3834-1:2005 (Quality requirements for fusion welding of metallic materials, Part 1 (Criteria for the selection of the appropriate level of quality requirements) states that ?to ensure sound and effective manufacturing, management needs to understand and appreciate the sources of potential trouble and to implement appropriate procedures for their control?. This standard identifies measures applicable in different circumstances, being two of the most representative contractual situations and assessment of welding quality performance between customers, manufacturers, third parties, etc. In consequence, the compliance of 3834:2005 is a priority in the success of any metallic welding-related business. In its part 5, Section 2.2, the same standard specifies that ISO 14731 is a document with which it is necessary to conform to claim conformity of the quality requirements of ISO 3834-2, ISO 3834-3 or ISO 3834-4. In consequence, personnel holding International Welding Diploma are qualified to perform welding coordination activities as described in ISO 14731, whose compliance is required by ISO 3834.

Who can issue this Diploma/qualification?

The diploma can only be issued by an Authorised National Body (ANB) or another body authorised by the ANB, as established by the International Institute of Welding. There is only one ANB per country member. TWI Ltd is the ANB in the United Kingdom.

I live outside the United Kingdom. Can I still gain the Diploma qualification by attending the courses in the UK?

Yes, subject to complying with the access requirements.

Is this diploma recognised internationally?

Yes. It is officially recognised in over 35 countries around the world. It has been established in an Agreement first signed 19 July, 1997, at the Annual Meeting of the International Institute of Welding (IIW) in San Francisco, California, USA, that the International Welding Engineer / Technologist / Specialist / Practitioner Diploma is equivalent to the European Welding Engineer / Technologist / Specialist / Practitioner Diploma.

I have academic qualifications and/or broad experience in welding. Can these be recognised in order to speed up the process?

Yes. For more details go to Alternative routes.

I am not interested in getting the Diploma, but I would like to attend one or more of the modules. Is this possible?

Yes. You can attend them as guests, but you will not be allowed to sit the exam. You can get a certificate of attendance to that particular module.