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Harmonised ETQ&C
all countries in the European Union as well as to some eastern
European countries. Jessop was to play a key role in helping
EWF develop its own criteria, based on the European
Standard, for personnel certification bodies. With the
guidelines for European Welding Engineer, Technologist
and Specialist already prepared, EWF then commenced
its entry into delivering qualification for these categories
with the approval of Portugal as its first EWF Authorised
National Body (ANB). This was followed in quick succession
by Italy and the UK which already had the requisite systems
in place to undertake qualification. Jessop was to take on the role
of the first Lead Assessor and by 1995 had audited all of the EWF ANBs that had been
accredited by that date.
5
EWF had the good sense to copyright all its scheme procedures
and documentation in 1994 to prevent unauthorised use. This documentation was judged
to be of the highest quality and had taken considerable time and effort in its development.
Outside of C-XIV there was little action by IIW on harmonisation of
qualifications. Greater awareness of such matters was further highlighted
through an International Colloquium on Welding Education and Training
that was organised by the Commission in Montreal, Canada in 1990 during
the Annual Assembly. A working document for the
Approval of Personnel
Engaged in the Inspection of Welded Joints
was also issued in 1991 through
a C-XIV Working Group (WG5) under the chairmanship of Mr Len Gourd
(UK) but similarly failed to gain much attention at an executive level.
6
There
was no mention of it at all in the important strategic plan that was put to the
Executive Committee in 1992 to guide IIW towards the year 2000.
7
However, at the IIW Annual Assembly in Madrid, Spain in 1992, some progress
did eventuate when C-XIV decided to commence work on a harmonised global system for
ETQ&C, taking into account the needs of all nations around the world,
not just in Europe. This resulted in the formation of a newWorking
Group (WG 13) of C-XIV chaired by Mr Chris Smallbone
(South Africa). This group would hold six meetings over the
next two years in order to progress further the detail of the
requirements of implementing such a scheme. C-XIV, more
cognisant of the implications of the EWF qualification
programme, then put forward a project concerning the
guidelines and rules for the ETQ&C of welding personnel.
In keeping with this new approach, C-XIV was to change its
title from
Welding Instruction
to
Education and Training
.