How to Become a Welding Inspector in Canada
Certified welding inspectors play a crucial role in the welding sector. They assess construction equipment and make sure welders follow stringent criteria to keep facilities secure, enhance vehicle designs, and prolong infrastructure life.
If you have a keen eye for detail, are innovative, love metal, and prefer working with your hands, then a career as a certified welding inspector would be the perfect fit for you.
This article will discuss how you can become a welding inspector, the educational requirements, skills, and the job responsibilities of welding inspectors.
Moreover, we will also let you know about the average welding inspector’s salary and how you can attain a welding inspector job in Canada.
Continue reading this blog to find out if becoming a certified welding inspector would be a suitable career for you.
What Does a Welding Inspector Do?
Following are the duties and responsibilities you will have to perform as a welding inspector working in Canada:
- Defining the required health and safety specifications and regulations that all employees must follow.
- Investigating the personnel and the hygiene of workstations.
- Confirming that all resources employed in a specific project match established standards and requirements.
- Assuring that the employees work only when the weather is suitable, as required by welding safety rules.
- Monitoring preheating must be in adherence to strict guidelines.
- Conducting required testing on all welding tools and separating those requiring maintenance.
- Examining all welds to ensure that they comply with welding code parameters.
- Using stress instruments to determine whether joints or welds can resist prospective pressures.
- Guiding welders so that all tasks are completed under established standards.
- Analyzing all of the workers’ routine maintenance to rectify any welding faults discovered during the assessment.
Steps To Become a Welding Inspector
You need to follow these steps to become a welding inspector in Canada:
- Obtain a high school diploma or bachelor’s degree
- Acquire welding certification
- Attain welding training
- Earn job experience
- Pass an examination
1. Obtain a High School Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree
Though it is not always essential to have a high school diploma to become a welding inspector, acquiring one can help you stand out to companies and make the certification application procedure smoother.
You can also earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in welding engineering or welding technology to get higher employment opportunities.
Studying similar subjects like engineering, technology, or natural sciences can help you get certified faster by reducing the amount of job experience you need.
2. Acquire Welding Certification
After completing the Certified Welder program, most companies demand a welding certificate, which you can attain from the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB). Welders are put through their paces in this program, including methods utilized in the following sectors:
- Sheet metal
- Structural steel
- Petroleum pipelines
- Chemical refinery welding
3. Attain Welding Training
Several skills required to become a welding inspector are best learned through hands-on experience. Obtaining welding inspector training allows you to function with instruments, technology, gear, and multiple metals under the guidance of a skilled specialist.
4. Earn Job Experience
You’ll require a blend of education and welding experience to become a welding inspector. Gaining hands-on experience in various sectors can set you up for the certification test and expand your employment opportunities. You can earn welding experience in any of the following industries:
- Manufacturing
- Aviation
- Construction
- Shipbuilding
- Aerospace
5. Pass an Examination
To become a welding inspector, you must pass a three-section examination to get certified by the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB).
The first two sections include practical and written applications generally taken by a CWB official at the corporate location. The third section is determined by the coding exam topic you select.
These tests verify that the welder is capable of welding in the method and role being evaluated. Apart from that, you must also submit an eyesight test conducted by a healthcare practitioner to the CWB.
Skills Required for Welding Inspector
Here is a list of the skills you need to possess to become a welding inspector in Canada:
Communication Skills
Certified Welding Inspectors must keep in touch with their workers, managers, and customers daily to ensure they are updated and well-informed about the ongoing projects.
Computer Skills
Certified Welding Inspectors must have the knowledge of basic computer applications and software such as MS Word and MS Excel to create, record, and submit evaluations and other findings.
Physical Fitness
Working in the manufacturing and construction industries demands great physical fitness and stamina to regularly pick, bend, and move heavy loads. That is why Certified Welding Inspectors need to stay active and in excellent physical condition.
Mathematical Skills
Certified Welding Inspectors use various materials to create multiple buildings and elements. So they must acquire mathematical skills as this frequently entails calibrating instruments, computing dimensions, and comprehending numerical data in schematics or other technical papers.
Leadership Skills
A Certified Welding Inspector may supervise a large team of welders operating in a sophisticated setting, based on the extent of the project. Therefore, they must be phenomenal team leaders to oversee and manage multiple workers and teams assigned for different tasks of a project.
Average Salary of a Welding Inspector
There are several highest-paying jobs in Canada, and the welding inspector job is no exception. The average welding inspector’s salary is CAD 81,210 per year in Canada, which translates to CAD 41.65 per hour.
An entry-level welding inspector’s salary in Canada is CAD 53,625 per year or CAD 27.50 per hour. On the other hand, the most experienced welding inspectors earn up to CAD 91,650 per year or CAD 47 per hour.
Educational Requirements for the Welding Inspector
Following are the educational requirements you have to fulfill to become a certified welding inspector:
- Completion of secondary education.
- Obtaining a high school diploma or GED.
- Acquiring a four-year bachelor’s or associate’s degree in welding engineering or welding technology.
- Earning a master’s degree in similar subjects.
- Obtaining a CSA 178.2 Certification CWB Level I or II.
- Acquiring NACE Certification.
- Attaining Journeyman Certification.
- Gaining API 1169 Certification.
- Obtaining Level II NDE Certification.
How to Get a Job as a Welding Inspector in Canada
Following are the steps you can take to secure a welding inspector job in Canada:
- Obtain a Valid Class G Driver’s License.
- Earn at least one year of experience through a formal welding inspector training program.
- Gain knowledge of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
- Enroll in an internship or apprenticeship program to improve your practical skills.
- Acquire Ground Disturbance Level II Certification.
- Obtain Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Certification.
- Attain a minimum of two-three years of experience as a welder in the manufacturing or construction industry.
- Earn an H2S Alive License.
- Clear the drug and alcohol test.
- Pass the welding examination administered by the CWB.
- Have good eyesight and clean background.
If you are looking for a reliable platform to apply for certified welding inspector jobs, you can check our job listings. We are a leading employment agency in Canada, providing many jobs in different industries.
Conclusion
If you become a welding inspector, it will be an excellent opportunity to progress in your profession as a certified welding inspector and serve various welding firms. The certification allows you to assess your capabilities while gaining command over new ideas and principles. You have a better chance of earning the welding certificate if you possess higher knowledge and expertise, but anyone who knows about welding can apply. You have to pass the examination and attain a satisfactory eyesight test result.
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