Connect, no.143, July - August 2006, p.8

First Passports issued under the National Welder Training Scheme

Colin Eileens (far right) outlines the requirements and welding standards to course tutor Garry Rodmell (centre) and learner Kouadio Assua (left)

The final stages of a new vocational award were completed recently when students from Hull College were assessed by TWI Certification Ltd. The completion of a year's evening class study resulted in VRQ Level 1 in arc welding awarded by EMTA Awards Ltd (EAL). The Passport to Weld is an additional qualification which runs alongside the VRQ and is internationally recognised.

Colin Eileens represented TWI Certification Ltd as the Passport assessor.

On the evening of the assessment, Colin put the group of students at ease by outlining clearly what was expected of them and the options available.

Part of the assessment criteria was to ensure the test sample was accurate before starting to weld and after a few minutes, most of the candidates settled down to produce some very good results.

The outcome of the test was very good with 10 of the group achieving full qualification in two welding processes: Manual Metal Arc and Metal Active Gas welding.

For more information on the Passport to Weld or TWI Certification Ltd, contact twicertification@twi.co.uk