Got my CWI card finally

--Congrats! And thanks for the tips on how to do a 3-pass weld the right way; I'll post a photo when I get the new computer figured out... :-)

Come back down to California. Should be a lot of inspector jobs opening up in the Bay Area what with the investigation that is going on with the new Bay Bridge East Span.

Get your stamp yet?

Your NDT certs are much easier to get. ASNT has recommended standards for what training and experience is required for Levels 1, 2 and 3. But the employer is the one who actually makes the decision unless you go through ASNT's centralized certification process. It is not all that uncommon for an employer to give a new hire a UT machine and say you are a Level 2.

There are lots of unqualified UT inspectors out there. The commercial training courses are not much help. In most of them, you get theory with little or no hands on. I just went through 4 semester units of UT training at my local community college, and believe me, its the hands on that makes the difference. If you are lucky, you will find an employer that will actually give you some real training.

Mag particle and dye penetrant are both very simple.

I really don't want to live in the Bay Area again. I suffer an allergic reaction to California politics.

It's on it's way.

Congrats, Ernie.

Had mine for awhile now-you'll find inspecting much more rewarding ($$) than welding!!

Good Luck brad

Ernie, you got something against the People's Republic of California?

Lovely place to visit. I would never live there again.

When I left Oakland 13 years ago, they were in process of closing public library branches one a week. At the same time the head of the state assembly, Willie Brown, was showing off his new Lamboughini at a gala party.

Makes me want to wretch. There is a cult of affluence in CA that drives me nuts.

Seattle is starting to suffer the same ailment with so many transplants, but it is still a long way away from CA.

The Governator is so far treading a thin line. If he doesn't come up with some serious money to fix the CA education system he, and the whole state, is screwed.

Seattle, isn't that where they had the sign something like "Last person leaving turn out the lights" when Boeing had the last big round of layoffs?

About 25 years ago.

A bit of Seattle history.

Nowadays Boeing isn't that big of an employment percentage. As Boeing has each successive layoff it has less and less effect on the local economy.

Honestly I couldn't understand why any state wanted the 7E7 plant since it has so few employees, until I realized that wherever the planes are made, that state gets the sales tax from the sale of the plane.

BTW I sent my WABO Examiners application off today. Hopefully I can get my examiner's card within 2 weeks.

WABO is the Washington State construction welding code, based on AWS D1.1 from about 20 years ago.