IIW History 1990-2015

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 .

Harmonised ETQ&C