Learning and Development With the CWB Group
Welders can build long-term careers through more than hands-on welding alone. Training, certification, inspection, supervision, engineering, networking and continued education can all open new career paths. In this interview, CWB Group's Dan Tadic explains how welding professionals can continue developing their skills and careers.
How Can the CWB Group Help Welders Build Their Careers?
The CWB Group supports welding professionals through education, certification, industry resources and professional development.
For welders entering the trade, career development can begin with practical welding skills and continue into areas such as welding supervision, inspection, engineering technology, quality control, education and other specialized disciplines.
The CWB Association also provides opportunities to connect with other professionals, access welding-industry resources and continue developing skills throughout a career.
Learn more through the CWB Association membership page .
What Did Dan Tadic Say About CWB Membership?
How can welding professionals grow their careers through the benefits of CWB membership?
The CWB Association aims to inform, educate, and connect all welding professionals on a global scale.
We provide a wide variety of knowledge and resources and are dedicated to being your one-stop shop for welding-related resources, events, and much more.
We aim to offer a membership that fits each individual’s needs.
At the time of the original interview, Dan highlighted access to WELD magazine, technical publications, networking opportunities, industry events and other member benefits as useful tools for career growth.
What CWB Association Benefits Are Available Today?
The CWB Association's current membership program continues the same core themes discussed in the original interview: education, industry knowledge and professional connections.
| Member Benefit | How It Can Help |
|---|---|
| Digital WELD publication | Industry news, technical information, research and welding-related content |
| Training and upskilling | Access to learning opportunities through the Training Supplement and Upskill Program |
| Industry events | Opportunities to learn from and connect with welding professionals |
| Local chapters | Technical talks, networking, facility tours and community involvement |
| Resource library | Articles, videos, guides and other welding-industry resources |
| Affinity benefits | Member discounts and other benefits through the CWB Association program |
Why Is Continuing Education Important for Welders?
Welding technology, materials, codes, inspection practices and fabrication methods continue to evolve.
Continuing education can help welding professionals build new skills, understand changing industry requirements and qualify for positions beyond entry-level welding.
How can new-generation welders use continuing education to develop their careers?
What we’re trying to do is grow the industry and prosper by providing information through resources such as WELD, industry announcements, and chapter events.
We have student chapters, and they’ve worked their way up; university chapters have gone on to run their association chapters to now running a significant chapter within the association.
Need to get their hands dirty and learn a skill, and once they’ve acquired that skill, they have pathways to further their career and become welders, engineers, etc.
There are many different pathways to consider, and opportunities are endless. They can travel the world, and they’re not limited to staying local.
What Training Does CWB Education Offer?
CWB Education provides welding-related training and learning resources for a range of professional roles.
Current course areas include:
- Welding supervisor training
- Visual welding inspector training
- Welding engineer courses
- Micro-credentials
- ISO auditing courses
- API inspector training
- Hydrostatic testing courses
- Workshops and other specialized programs
CWB Group is also Canada's Authorized National Body for the International Institute of Welding and currently issues IIW diplomas for:
- International Welding Engineer
- International Welding Technologist
- International Welding Specialist
- International Welding Practitioner
View the current CWB Education course catalogue .
What Learning Resources Are Available for Welding Students and Educators?
In the original 2019 interview, CWB discussed Acorn as an online training resource for welding and fabrication education.
CWB's current Learning Resources program provides industry-led curriculum and digital and printed educational material for welders, metal fabricators, educators, inspectors and supervisors.
The resources can be integrated into existing programs or used by institutions and training providers to develop welding-related learning programs.
Learn more about CWB Learning Resources .
What Is the Training Supplement and Upskill Program?
The CWB Association's Training Supplement and Upskill Program, or TSUP, provides members with additional professional-development opportunities.
Depending on available funding and the course, training may be fully subsidized, partly subsidized or discounted.
The program is designed to help members develop skills, strengthen their professional profiles and explore new career opportunities.
How Can CWB Chapters Help With Networking?
Local CWB Association chapters give welding professionals opportunities to meet peers, educators, inspectors, industry leaders and other people working across the welding sector.
Current chapter activities can include:
- Technical presentations and seminars
- Industry and facility tours
- Chapter meetings
- Networking opportunities
- Education and career presentations
- Community and student activities
CWB currently lists chapters in several locations across Canada as well as university student chapters.
Find a CWB Association chapter .
What Was the Enhanced Welding Apprentice Training Program?
The original 2019 interview also discussed the Enhanced Welding Apprentice Training initiative, known as EWAT.
What problem was EWAT designed to address?
Dan explained that apprenticeship experience can vary substantially depending on the employer, products manufactured, welding processes used and quality of mentoring.
The 2019 EWAT model was designed as a three-year apprenticeship approach in which an apprentice could work with three different employers for approximately one year each, helping expose the apprentice to a wider range of welding products and processes.
The initiative also focused on mentoring, training and regular evaluation to support both apprentices and participating employers.
What Career Paths Can Welding Education Lead To?
Welding can be the starting point for several professional directions.
Depending on education, experience and qualifications, career paths can include:
- Professional welder
- Welding supervisor
- Welding inspector
- Welding engineer or technologist
- Quality-control professional
- Welding educator or instructor
- Technical sales professional
- Fabrication or production management
- Welding procedure and standards work
The original interview emphasized that professional welders do not have to remain in one role for their entire careers. Developing additional skills can create opportunities to move into specialized or leadership positions.
Why Do Certification and Qualification Matter?
How does CWB support certification, qualification and consistent welding standards?
Certification, Qualification, Registration, and applying a consistent approach to the trade are the backbone of welding.
This helps define the benchmarks and rules everyone in the industry needs to follow for mutual success.
We understand, and we need to provide services that not only address our domestic market but reflect the realities of a global marketplace.
In the original interview, Dan highlighted several areas in which CWB was involved:
- Welding standards: testing to welding standards
- Welder skills: welder assessment and qualification
- Weld quality: supervisor, engineer and inspector testing and qualification
- Welding processes: review and registration of procedures and quality systems
- Welding workplace: testing and certification related to welding consumables
How Does the CWB Welding Foundation Support Future Welders?
The CWB Welding Foundation focuses on helping strengthen Canada's future welding workforce through education, training, awareness programs and financial support.
Its initiatives have included youth programs, pre-employment training, support for welding educators, welding-facility development and bursaries for students pursuing welding-related education.
One example is the Nicole LeClair Welding Bursary , which supports Ontario students pursuing welding or a welding-related skilled trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the CWB Group do?
CWB Group provides welding-related certification, education, training, management-system registration, consulting and industry resources. Its programs serve welders, inspectors, supervisors, engineers, educators, employers and other welding-industry professionals.
Is CWB Association membership free?
Yes. CWB Association currently offers free membership with access to benefits including digital WELD magazine, industry resources, events, networking, member discounts and training opportunities.
What training does CWB offer welders?
CWB Education offers courses for welding supervisors, visual inspectors, engineers and other welding professionals. Current offerings also include micro-credentials, specialized workshops and other technical courses.
Can CWB help welders become inspectors?
Yes. CWB Education offers visual welding inspector training at multiple levels, including classroom, hybrid and other delivery formats depending on the course.
Does CWB offer online welding education?
Yes. CWB currently provides online learning resources and several education programs with online or virtual delivery options. Course format depends on the specific program.
Can CWB membership help with networking?
Yes. CWB Association members can connect through local chapters, industry events, technical presentations and other community activities across Canada.
What happened to the EWAT program discussed in this article?
EWAT was described in the original 2019 interview as a multi-year apprenticeship pilot. The original rollout period has passed, so current apprentices should refer to CWB's present-day education and training resources rather than using the historical program details as current information.
Related Reading
Want to Grow Your Welding Career?
Explore current CWB training, membership, certification and professional-development resources for welders and other welding-industry professionals.
Explore CWB Resources
