Weldability-SIF Foundation Charity Continues To Help Welder Training

This newly dedicated welding classroom and workshop, fully equipped with welding bays was opened on Friday 30th March 2012 by Adrian Hawkins, Weldability-Sif Foundation Managing Director and Trustee along with Ian Mawdsley, Head of School for Engineering at Tresham, as part of the ongoing strategy from the Charity to encourage the development of new welder training facilities across the UK.

Adrian Hawkins said: ”We set up and registered the Weldability-Sif Foundation Charity with the Charities Commission, specifically to encourage the development of new welder training facilities across the UK and Tresham is one of the first to have opened new facilities with help from the Charity. Further welder training facilities at other Colleges around the UK are currently being installed. Welding has a highly skilled role to play in engineering and manufacturing and is helping to gain new export business, used in a multitude of industries including shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, general fabrication as well as energy and UK infrastructure industries. Welding plays an active part in keeping it all together and foundation level welder skills training at Tresham is another step towards a full apprenticeship programme designed to meet the UK’s demand for skilled welders.”

Ian Mawdsley, Head of School for Engineering, Tresham College of Further and Higher Education said: “We’re excited about the partnership opportunities that Weldability-Sif brings to the college. As a result of this partnership we have invested in new equipment which supports training opportunities for our full time learners, apprentices and fabrication/ welding industrial partners.”

These new centre’s around the UK will provide trainee welders with the opportunity to progress from the foundation level through to a passport to practice welding internationally, leading in turn towards higher TWI qualifications including the TWI International European Welding Diploma.