IMPACT OF THE QUALIFICATION OF PERSONNEL IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Welding is the most widely used technology by manufacturers to join metals and alloys efficiently and to add value to their products. The application of welding technology is strongly regulated by standards which are essential for ensuring quality, facilitating reliability, flexibility, and scalability, and for streamlining regulatory compliance. Training in welding technology should thus be at the forefront of the strategy of any vocational training school. The International Institute of Welding (IIW) is a welding organization in which international expertise in welding and related technologies is assembled. For several decades this organisation has been tracking manufacturing industry needs and trends and developing guidance documents and technology exchange mechanisms to support companies seeking to adopt best practices and standards in welding. IIW and EWF (European Welding Federation) have developed a comprehensive training, qualification and certification system, applied to both people and companies, harmonized on a worldwide basis. The system is based on harmonized training guidelines and a quality assurance methodology and has been developed in the frame of lifelong learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the IIW/EWF system in the metalworking companies in Europe and verify if the system adds value to companies employing staff and/or workers that undergo the IIW/EWF training & qualification. A second objective was to analyse the impact qualified personnel has in productivity and quality in welding construction. The results show that the companies clearly perceive both in tangible and intangible benefits when employing workers with IIW/EWF qualifications.