The European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (EWF) is an organization dedicated to education, training, qualification and certification in the field of welding and related technologies.
History
In 1992, welding course providers of several EU countries wanted to harmonise their education, training, qualification and certification procedures. Thus, they set-up the European Federation for Welding, Joining and Cutting (EWF). The objective was that same qualifications could be awarded in any country by using a single syllabus for each level of the training course and a harmonised system for examinations. EWF developed a comprehensive and harmonised system for training, qualification and certification of welding personnel and managed its application ever since. It took a leading role in the innovation of learning methodologies. It is also responsible for the certification system of companies that use welding, focussing on quality, environment, health and safety.
The challenges addressed by EWF are two-fold: Respond to the industry's professional profile requirements and provide courses that leverage current technological trends and their impact on evolving lifestyles and information acquisition patterns.
Currently,(2018) EWF has members from 28 European countries and two observer members from outside Europe, represented by their national welding societies: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, as well as Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation.
Over the years, EWF has played an important role in the welding, joining and related technologies community. It prepares and disseminates information on vocational, educational, training and research and technological development, to keep the community abreast of the most recent developments relevant to its core goals. It also manages collaborative projects about these issues and takes part in them.
EWF is closely monitoring the unfolding trends that are shaping Europe's and the world's manufacturing, as well as working side-by-side with the European thought leaders that are defining the region's industrial future. The Federation's long-term commitment to drive the state-of-the-art in qualifications has led to the exploration of the most recent and advanced ICT tools, enhancing digital integration in learning, teaching, training and youth work at various levels, including online, webinars and other new forms of training.
Mission and vision
"To provide world-class, European focused, value-added products and support services to its members and their communities in the fields of joining, welding and related technologies on an international basis."
The cornerstones underlying the long-term vision and strategy of EWF are as follows:
• Ensure that the training and qualification system is updated to comply with technical innovation and industrial demand;
• Develop new qualifications in line with technological and industrial advances;
• Provide a pathway for continuous professional development for professionals in manufacturing;
• Ensure the quality of the EWF diplomas, by running a rigorous quality assurance system in the countries throughout the world that are using the system.
EWF system
Developing a mutually accepted International System for Training Qualification and Certification of both welding personnel and companies using welding, has made EWF a pioneer organization responding to one of the most demanding markets needs, the need for qualified personnel. The EWF system was the first system embracing all the European countries for the qualification of personnel for a wide range of levels in welding, related technologies and inspection.
Beyond the most obvious benefits of the system's harmonised approach to training, qualification and certification, its adoption is also due to a result of its robust and transparent quality system, one that is widely accepted by the individuals and organisations involved, from training institutions to national certification bodies, companies, trainers and trainees, and which is the backbone for assuring the same skills for any person holding an EWF diploma, awarded throughout the world.
The EWF training, qualification and certification system serves the worldwide welding industry. On the European level, it can be used by the EWF members, while at the international level it can be used by the IIW-IAB members.