Association for Welding and Fabrication
Training and Education

Personal Membership for those involved in Education in the United Kingdom

Founded in 1990 by The Welding Institute, AWFTE has four principal objectives. These are to:

• establish a national network for welding and fabrication professionals in the education and training sector, and provide the voice of this community
• supply Members with the latest information about all national, European and international matters affecting their work and provide a forum for discussion where appropriate
• form a collective view of policies, trends and developments, and represent this view to the relevant authorities and organisations
• provide for participation by Members in development projects related to the sector.

The association is managed by a group of Members who have volunteered to serve on the Management Committee responsible for the actions and activities of AWFTE.

Membership

Membership of AWFTE is open to all in the UK involved or interested in the education, training and qualification of welders, fabricators, welding engineers and other technical personnel in Further Education Colleges, industrial training departments or commercial training organisations.

Welding and fabrication professionals working in the FE or commercial training sectors are often isolated from others with kindred interests. Being a member of AWFTE means being part of a larger, national community of individuals working in the same area, meeting others at the conference and building a portfolio of professional contacts. Also Members may contact the Committee whenever they wish via the Secretary or Chairman.

Participation in projects such as the development of the National Welder Training Standard and the preparation of Occupational Standards, enables Members to make a collective input to these activities and influence the outcome. Those not in Membership are denied this opportunity.

Membership for Education and Training Organisations is also available.

Benefits for Members and their employers

• an Annual Conference where key issues are discussed face to face with those who set the policies and rules
• a periodic newsletter
• providing evidence of staff development through participation in AWFTE events
• providing CPD evidence for individuals
• participating in projects such as the development of the National Welder Training Standard
• being in a position to review draft Occupational Standards and Assessment Strategy
• being part of the national voice for welding and fabrication professionals in education with common interests and problems
• access to a network of contacts with common interests and problems
• access to news of the latest national, European and international developments and trends
• liaising with the key players in education, training and qualification including Government Agencies, Regulatory Bodies, Sector Skills Councils and Awarding Bodies
• raising the industry and public profile of welding and fabrication through the national SkillWELD competition and the welding content of the national Skills Show

Significant achievements

• a well supported Annual Conference attracting high level speakers from all the key organisations in education and training
• the publication of a periodical newsletter exclusive to Members
• the establishment of the SkillWELD competition
• the production of the student recruitment video 'Wonder of Welding' available free to Members
• the launch of the project to establish the National Welder Training Standard
• a key role with TWI in the development of the new portfolio of much improved National Occupational Standards for welding and fabrication at Levels 2, 3 and 4
• the establishment with SEMTA of a cross-sector Fabrication Group to manage Standards and Assessment Strategy Development
• a good, productive working relationship with the Sector Skills Councils in engineering including membership of the cross-sector group overseeing implementation of the new standards
• links with Government Departments, the Learning and Skills Council and with the Regulatory Bodies provide a forum for discussing funding rates, trends in provision and future strategy
• the development of the concept of an integrated system for welding training and qualification at all levels

AWFTE plans to:

• push forward the development of the National Welder Training Standard
• transform the Fabrication Group into a national body relating to QCA and relevant Sector Skills Councils
• develop the role of the Annual Conference
• strengthen continuously the ties with all relevant organisations to improve the influence of AWFTE on future policies
• increase its influence on discussions related to funding
• produce a new recruitment video
• extend the impact of the SkillWELD competition and the welding/fabrication feature of the Skills Show to raise further the profile of our craft and technology
• establish a national database for welding and fabrication facilities in colleges and training organisations

AWFTE seeks:

• the active support of everyone interested in education and training in welding, joining and fabrication to continue its efforts to secure the future survival of soundly based teaching and training in welding, joining and fabrication
• a significant growth in Membership so that it may be seen to be the representative of those working in most of the establishments where welding and fabrication is taught.

The Membership fee contributes towards the costs of the newsletter, conference organisation and general administration. AWFTE is supported by The Welding Institute and Professional/WJS Members pay a discounted rate. The fees for 1 April 2008 - 31 March 2009 are:

Application form

Contact us at:

AWFTE
C/o The Welding Institute
Granta Park
Great Abington
Cambridge CB21 6AL, UK
UK

Tel: + 44 (0) 1223 899000
Fax: + 44 (0) 1223 894219
E-mail: twi_awfte@twi.co.uk