Hiring welders can be a complex process, especially when considering recent graduates from welding schools. Evaluating their skills and knowledge effectively requires asking the right questions, both of the graduate and the school they attended. This article provides a guide to formulating insightful questions to assess the competency and preparedness of welding school graduates, along with key questions to ask the welding schools themselves to gauge the quality of their program.

Understanding Welding Certifications and Standards

Before interviewing any welding school graduate, it's helpful to understand the landscape of welding certifications and standards. These certifications validate a welder's proficiency in specific welding processes and materials. Some key organizations include:

• American Welding Society (AWS): AWS Homepage Develops standards, certifications, and educational resources for the welding industry.
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME): ASME Homepage Creates codes and standards for mechanical engineering, including welding of boilers and pressure vessels.

Understanding common welding processes like SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding), GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding), GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding), and FCAW (Flux-Cored Arc Welding) is also crucial. The specific processes needed will depend on the type of welding your company performs.

Interviewing Welding School Graduates: Skills and Knowledge

When interviewing a welding school graduate, focus on questions that assess their practical skills, theoretical knowledge, and problem-solving abilities. Here are some examples:

• Practical Skills Assessment: Describe a time you encountered a welding problem during a lab and how you resolved it. This reveals problem-solving skills and troubleshooting experience. Ask them to explain their experience with different welding joints (butt, lap, tee, corner) and positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead).
• Theoretical Knowledge: Explain the difference between preheating and post-weld heat treatment. Why are they important? What is the purpose of shielding gas in GMAW and GTAW welding? Can you explain the effect of amperage, voltage, and travel speed on weld bead size and penetration?
• Code Interpretation: Are you familiar with any welding codes or standards (e.g., AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX)? Have you performed welds to a specific code? If so, describe the process.
• Safety Practices: Describe the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) required for different welding processes. What safety precautions must be taken when working with different metals?
• Material Science: Explain the properties of different metals commonly used in welding (e.g., steel, aluminum, stainless steel). How does heat affect these materials?

Interviewing Welding School Graduates: Questions to Ask Schools can often help contextualize the graduates' responses, because schools may prioritize certain areas of knowledge.

Interviewing Welding School Graduates: Work Ethic and Professionalism

Beyond technical skills, assess their work ethic, communication skills, and professionalism.

• Attendance and Punctuality: What was your attendance record like in welding school? How do you handle unexpected challenges that might affect your ability to be on time?
• Teamwork and Communication: Describe a time you had to work collaboratively with a classmate on a welding project. How did you handle disagreements?
• Problem-Solving and Initiative: What steps do you take when you encounter a welding issue that you don't know how to solve?
• Commitment to Learning: How do you plan to stay current with new welding technologies and techniques?

Questions to Ask Welding Schools

To evaluate the quality of a welding school, ask specific questions about their curriculum, instructors, and equipment.

• Curriculum and Certification: What welding processes are taught in your program? What certifications are offered (e.g., AWS, ASME)? How often is the curriculum updated to reflect industry changes? What percentage of your graduates pass the AWS D1.1 certification test on their first attempt?
• Instructors: What are the qualifications and experience of your welding instructors? Are instructors certified welders? What is the student-to-instructor ratio?
• Equipment and Facilities: What types of welding equipment are available for students to use (e.g., SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW machines)? How often is the equipment maintained and updated? Are the facilities adequately equipped for safety and ventilation?
• Placement Assistance: Do you offer job placement assistance to graduates? What is the placement rate for graduates within six months of graduation? Do you have partnerships with local employers?
• Safety Training: What safety training is included in the curriculum? Do students receive OSHA certifications?
• Welding Code Education: Does the curriculum include instruction on reading and interpreting welding codes like AWS D1.1 and ASME Section IX?

Interviewing Welding School Graduates: Questions to Ask Schools should address any gaps identified during individual interviews. If a graduate lacks familiarity with a specific code, understanding whether it was covered in their school's program can be insightful.

Evaluating Practical Welding Tests

Consider having candidates perform a practical welding test. This allows you to directly observe their skills and technique.

• Test Selection: Choose a test that aligns with the type of welding required for your company's projects.
• Code Compliance: Specify the relevant welding code (e.g., AWS D1.1) that the weld must adhere to.
• Material and Joint Type: Provide the material type and joint configuration (e.g., carbon steel butt weld) for the test.
• Evaluation Criteria: Establish clear evaluation criteria, including weld appearance, penetration, fusion, and absence of defects (e.g., porosity, undercut).
• Documentation: Document the test results, including photos of the weld.

Gauging a School's Reputation and Alumni Network

Explore the welding school's reputation and alumni network. Positive reviews, industry recognition, and a strong network can indicate a higher-quality program. Check online reviews and see if the school is accredited by a recognized organization.