Certified Associate Welding Inspector

CAWI Requirements and Process

To earn the Certified Associate Welding Inspector (CAWI) certification, candidates must pass a vision test and present documented proof of a certain level of education and work experience.

A minimum of 2 years of work experience is required for a high school diploma or equivalent holder. Those with at least 8th grade education need 4 years of work experience. For individuals with less than an 8th grade education, a minimum of 6 years of work experience is required.

Candidates with at least 8th grade education, alongside one year of vocational training in welding, require 3 years of experience. If you have two years of post-high school education in welding, engineering technology, or physical sciences, a 6-month work experience suffices.

Application Process

Visit the online portal to provide the required documentation, make payment and register for seminars and courses to enter their information, submit the necessary documentation, photos, and register for seminars and courses.

Make sure to have the following documents ready before starting the application process:

• Employment Verification Form
• Visual Acuity Exam Form
• Additional Qualifying Work Experience Form
• Photo ID Requirements

CAWI STANDARDS

A CAWI certification ensures the certificate holder meets all of the specification and certification requirements found in:

• QC1:2016-AMD1 - Specification for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors
• B5.1:2013-AMD1 - Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors

Technical and Reference Documents are provided when registered and attending an AWS Seminar.

If an applicant/candidate is not attending an AWS Seminar prior to testing and is planning to self-study, please review the Recommended Self-Study for Examination section below.

TECHNICAL AND SPECIFICATION DOCUMENTS AND REFERENCE MATERIALS
(AWS CAWI BODY OF KNOWLEDGE)

• Certification Manual for Welding Inspectors
• Welding Inspection Handbook
• D1.1/D1.1M Structural Welding Code-Steel
• D1.1 Code Clinic Reference Manual
• API 1104 Study Guide for API Standard 1104 Welding of Pipelines
• Welding Inspection Technology
• Welding Inspection Technology (Workbook)
• Welding Inspection Technology Sample CWI Fundamentals Examination & Key
• Standard Welding Terms and Definitions
• Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive Examination
• Guide for the Nondestructive Examination of Welds
• Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors

Technical and Reference Documents are provided when registered and attending an AWS Seminar.

To purchase any of the AWS publications or the API 1104 Codebook visit the AWS Bookstore website.

To purchase any of the ASME publications, visit the ASME website.

REVIEW THE AWS CWI EXAM USER GUIDE (PDF)

Other forms and documents:

• ADA Disability Accommodations
• Change of Site/Cancellation Form
• Candidate Attestation Agreement
• Policies and Fees
• Certification Duplicate Order Form
• Training Hours Upload Requirement Waiver
• Photo Upload Requirement Waiver
• Visual Acuity Upload Requirement Waiver
• Education or Other Upload Requirement Waiver

Seminar and Exam Schedule

Find upcoming in-person seminars and exam dates on AWS by visiting the Seminar and Exam Schedule.

To earn the CAWI certification, candidates must pass three exams: Part A Fundamentals, Part B Practical, and Part C Code Book.

Part A, covering topics from destructive testing to welding fundamentals, and Part C, an open-book test on code understanding, are computer-based tests conducted at Prometric Test Centers. Part B, a practical exam on hands-on welding activities, takes place at various US locations.

Candidates can bring one of several code books for the Part C exam, such as AWS D1.1- Structural Steel Code or ASME BPVC Section IX.

AWS will email a Confirmation Letter after reviewing and processing your application, which allows you to schedule your exams with Prometric.

To progress to CWI, candidates need a minimum score of 72% on each part of the exam.

AWS conducts CAWI Part A (Fundamentals) and Part C (Codebook) exams via computer-based testing at over 450 Prometric Centers worldwide, located at prometric.com/aws. However, the Part B (Practical) exam locations differ.

Learn more about Prometric CBT and Exam Centers:

• Understand Prometric’s security process at an Exam Center.
• Review a tutorial on how to navigate the screen during your CBT.
• Familiarize yourself with the look and feel of the computer-based testing environment by exploring one of two types of Test Drives before Exam Day
• Learn more about your Prometric test day experience on our FAQ for CBT page.
• Access Prometric’s various other resources, by visiting prometric.com/aws.
• Prometric Exam Center COVID Policy
• Prometric Exam Center Cleaning Practices

The Part B (Practical) exam is administered at various US locations hosting AWS seminars and international locations through our International Agents. Refer to the Exam Schedule and the International Contacts for Seminars and Exams.

Note, you will receive your Part B Exam score only after completing Parts A and C. Expect an email with exam scores about two weeks post completion.

Exam Preparation Training and Seminar

Part A - The Fundamentals Pre-Seminar offers an in-depth, 80-hour online program on essential concepts for CAWI, aiding preparation for the Part A Fundamentals exam.This engaging course, divided into easily accessible modules, can be accessed anytime.

Part B - The Part B Practical Seminar offers three full days of in-person expert guidance, aiding preparation for the Part B Practical Exam. It covers the review of specifications, application of WPSs and PQRs, hands-on learning, and a timed practice exam. Supplementary materials are provided, including an AWS Welding Inspector's Toolkit and access to online resources.

Part C - For the Part C Exam, AWS offers self-paced online code clinics to help candidates familiarize with popular codebooks like D1.1, D17.1, and API 1104.

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