Designation by the American Welding Society will provide local industry with a vital resource      

The Clark College welding technologies program is proud to announce its accreditation as an American Welding Society (AWS) testing center. This accreditation makes national certifications available to both students and professional welders in the region who are seeking to advance their careers.

Beginning May 1, Clark will make a number of certifications available for testing. The most common is the Certified Welder (CW), which tests welders on procedures used in the structural steel, petroleum pipelines, sheet metal, and chemical refinery welding industries. Certifications available include Steel, Stainless steel and Aluminum. In conjunction with the AWS certification, Clark College also offers the Washington Association Building Officials (WABO) welding certification at the Clark facilities.

Fees for certifications will start at $300, with more-complex testing requiring up to $600. All testing will be completed at the Clark welding lab located on the main campus, at 1933 Ft. Vancouver Way in Building AA2. The college will provide all the needed steel, stainless steel, and aluminum materials required for completing the certification examination.

Professionals interested in testing for either AWS or WABO certifications at Clark College may contact welding faculty member Brian McVay at 360-992-2359 or bmcvay@clark.edu to discuss their certification requirements, the costs, and testing schedules. For more information about Clark College’s welding technologies program visit www.clark.edu/cc/welding.

“We are excited to be able to serve our community by providing this unique testing, which will help expand the opportunities for career advancement in the industry and support this region’s economy,” said McVay, noting that the next-closest AWS Accredited Testing Facility is in Tacoma, Washington.

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley