News

Join our Pressure and Process Plant Technical Group (TG5) as they host their first in-person event…

When: 6 November 2025

Time: 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM GMT

Where: Bushy House, National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LW/Hybrid Event Meeting

Institute Approved CPD Points: 9

The event, which is titled, ‘Managing Integrity Challenges in Carbon Capture and Storage Operations’, aims to explore the integrity challenges facing those responsible for managing risks associated with Carbon Capture and Storage operations.

Topics will cover areas of common interest and challenges in the field of materials and integrity, including current research work relating to the management and monitoring of corrosion critical CO2 stream variables.

Who Should Attend?

Integrity, Materials and Corrosion Engineers and any other personnel responsible for managing risks in the field of Carbon Capture and Storage.

Speakers and Presentations:

Dr Gareth John, Executive Consultant, Intertek CAPCIS – CCUS – Uncertainties with Respect to Integrity Assurance

Matt Healey, Managing Director, PACE CCS – Corrosion in CCS Networks: A Review

Dr Shravan Kairy, Senior Scientist, National Physical Laboratory – Towards a Standardised Methodology for Corrosion Testing of Pipeline Steel in Dense Phase CO2

Dr Jonathan Wilkins, Technical Director, Enoflex – Non-Metallic Pipes for Corrosion Resistant Transfer of Liquified CO2

Mike Lawrence, Chair, Industrial Advisory Group (IAG), Integrated Energy Industry (IEG) – Industrial Advisory Group (IAG) of the Integrated Energy Industry (IEG)

William Ritchie, Principal Materials & Corrosion Engineer, Kent – Corrosion Control and Management in Carbon Capturing Plants

Ewa Papaj-Shields, Principal Subsea Pipeline Engineer, Genesis – Advancing Integrity Management for CCUS Pipelines: Lessons Learned and Emerging Strategies

Ian MacLeod, Technical Director, Wood PLC – CO2 Applications, Impurities, Specification, and Flexible Pipe Experience

Access the Programme here

Can’t Attend Live?

No problem - if you can’t join us on the day, you won’t miss out. By registering in advance and completing payment, you’ll receive full access to the webinar recording after the event, along with any presentation materials (subject to presenter consent).

Discover more: https://theweldinginstitute.com/event-6378690

Join our Structures and Infrastructures Technical Group (TG1) as they host their upcoming Technical Group Webinar…

When: 27 November 2025

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM GMT

Where: Online via Microsoft Teams

Institute Approved CPD Points: 2 Credits

The event, which is titled, ‘Improving Fire and Structural Safety - An Insight into Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures (CROSS)’, will provide attendees with an insight into the vital safety role that CROSS plays in the built environment. You will discover the benefits of signing up to the email reports and alerts and will learn how to contribute to this industry wide safety resource.

Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK (CROSS-UK) is a confidential reporting system which allows professionals working in the built environment to report on fire and structural safety issues. They provide reports, case-histories and information on fire safety or structural safety issues on concrete, steel, masonry and timber structures. The reporting is published anonymously to facilitate the sharing of lessons learned, create positive change, and improve safety.

Who Should Attend?

This webinar is designed for engineers, inspectors, managers, supervisors, and designers working/associated with the built environment industry.

Speaker and Presentation:

Alastair Soane, BSc PhD CEng FICE FIStructE Hon FIFireE, Principal Consultant, CROSS - Improving Fire and Structural Safety - An Insight into Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures (CROSS)

Can’t Attend Live?

No problem - if you can’t join us on the day, you won’t miss out. By registering in advance and completing payment, you’ll receive full access to the webinar recording after the event, along with any presentation materials (subject to presenter consent).

Discover more: https://www.theweldinginstitute.com/event-6403907

We were pleased to welcome our Members to TWI Cambridge on 15 October, 2025, for The Welding Institute Annual Members’ Day 2025.

This flagship event delivered many opportunities to network and discuss the gap in skills, providing a platform for provocative discussions with the launch of a new Technical Group: TG9 - Training, Qualification and Quality, which is focused on all aspects contributing to achieving quality in welding and joining.

The TG9 co-chair Chris Eady gave opening remarks welcoming attendees followed by promoting the new Technical Group with an address from The Welding Institute / TWI Chief Executive, Caroline Gumble.

The morning included keynote speeches from Keith Birkitt from Health and Safety Executive, who spoke on ‘Practical Consequences of Deficiencies in Welding Skills Quality Management and Technical Understanding,’ and Helen Higgs from EDF Energy at Hinkley Point C, who presented on ‘The Demand for Skilled Welders and Welding Operators and the Training Challenges.’

We received some great feedback on what they thought about the TG9 presentations. 

“Insightful. As someone who has been looking to expand their technical knowldge in welding, it was motivational and has inspired me to take my learning further to progress in the industry.”

“Genuinely fantastic and relatable.”

There were other insightful presentations, including:

• Jake Rambaldini (Rambaldini Welding Services Ltd): The Relationship Between Practical Welding, Process Control and Weld Quality - The Welder's Position’
• Mike Baverstock (Welding Engineering Consultancy Ltd): ‘The Welder Competence Requirements in Industry - The Welding Coordinator's Position’
• Joel Broddle and Paul Robinson (CATCH UK): ‘The Development of Welders to Meet Employer Requirements - The Welder Trainer's Position’
• Steve Jones (University of Sheffield): ‘The Career Progression of Welders - The Welding Professional's Position’

After lunch and networking, a series of workshops followed offering a chance for Members to collaborate and contribute ideas concerning the direction of The Welding Institute.

These workshops included:

• Paul Woollin, (TWI Ltd) - Progress across the Institute in 2025: Exploring key achievements from the past year and how they support our Members, welding, joining and allied technology communities, and industry. Plus insights into what's coming for the year 2026 and how to get involved.
• Margaret Graham (ITER) and Paul Bailey (Engineering Council) - Developing a Fresh Vision for Professional Registration: A chance to rethink how professional recognition can evolve to meet the needs of modern engineers and technicians
• Steve Jones (University of Sheffield) - Closing the Welding Skills Gap: With the critical shortage of skilled welding professionals, explore education, training, and employer-led initiatives tackling this challenge head-on

The workshops concluded with a plenary session summarised by The Welding Institute / TWI Chair of Council, Claire Kimpton with Steve Jones rounding off the day with an awards ceremony. We are honoured to acknowledge the remarkable success of this year’s award recipients.

The awards and their winners this year are:

Loyal Service Award: Professional Board gives this award in recognition of outstanding service to the Branches and Committees of The Welding Institute.

• EUR ING Damian Janowski IWE CEng MWeldI
• Mark Roughsedge MWeldI

Distinguished Service Award: TWI confers this award annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to The Welding Institute on a national basis, as a result of which the position of the Institute has been significantly advanced.

• Humbert Mozzi
• Mike Skyrme CEng FWeldI (posthumously)

Richard Weck Award: TWI confers this award annually for the most worthy Industrial Member Report from the Core Research Programme.

• Dr Kai Yang CEng MWeldI

TWI Commendation Award: This award is conferred by TWI to provide recognition for special achievements by TWI staff.

• Sharon Hurworth

Continuous Learning and Development Award: The award is sponsored by Professor Steven Jones, The University of Sheffield, and his wife and is conferred to outstanding individuals who have undertaken significant educational journeys in parallel to their welding career.

• Carl Lavis MSc CEng MWeldI EWE/IWE

For those that were able to join us on the day, we hope it provided an opportunity to catch-up with your fellow Members, give feedback to the Institute and gain insight into the skills gap within the industry. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

Join our Welding and Joining Processes Technical Group as they host their upcoming Technical Group Webinar…

When: 2 October 2025

Time: 12:30 PM-2:00 PM (BST)

Where: Online (Teams)

CPD Points: 3 Credits

The event, which is titled, ‘An Introduction to ISO 15614-1: Welding Procedure Qualification', will provide a breakdown of the specification requirements, including coverage of both essential and non-essential variables, along with how they affect the range of approval and explore cost-effective strategies for reducing the cost of procedure qualification.

Who Should Attend?

This webinar is designed for welding engineers, welders and welding foremen, quality assurance personnel, project and planning managers and engineers, to enhance your understanding, improve decision-making and support cost-effective operations.

Speaker and Presentation:

EUR ING Gene Mathers CEng, MSc, Dip IIM, FWeldI, EWE, IWE , Consultant and Chair of The Welding Institute’s Welding and Joining Processes Technical Group Technical Group, ‘An Introduction to ISO 15614-1: Welding Procedure Qualification.’

Can’t Attend Live?

No problem - if you can’t join us on the day, you won’t miss out. By registering in advance and completing payment, you’ll receive full access to the webinar recording after the event, along with any presentation materials (subject to presenter consent).

Discover more here

Join our Structural Integrity/Offshore Energy Technical Groups as they host their upcoming webinar…

When: 25 September 2025

Time: 9:30 AM-12:00 PM BST

Where: Online (Teams)

CPD Points: 5

The event, which is titled, ‘Environmental Material Testing for Structural Integrity’, will provide a deeper understanding of the challenges involved in testing offshore equipment exposed to extreme environmental conditions. It will also cover recent activities focused on investigating and recommending how these configurations should be assessed.

 

Who Should Attend?

This webinar is designed for structural integrity assessors, materials scientists, and owners, operators and assessors of offshore equipment.

Speaker and Presentation:

David Baxter, Chief Engineer, Kent PLC - Influence of Material Test Data on the Design of Pipelines for Hydrogen

Dr Yuri Tkach, Technical Authority - Fracture Integrity and Fitness-For-Service, Wood PLC - ECA of Girth Welds to be Operating in Severe Sour Environment

Alexandre Galiani Garmbis, Senior Pipeline Engineer, Petrobras - Challenges in Testing Alternative Materials for MLP in Environment

Afshin Motarjemi, Managing Director, Z-Subsea Energies - FEA-based structural integrity assessment of a dented subsea pipeline and validation of repair by composite wrap - A real case study

Can’t Attend Live?

No problem - if you can’t join us on the day, you won’t miss out. By registering in advance and completing payment, you’ll receive full access to the webinar recording after the event, along with any presentation materials (subject to presenter consent).

Discover more

Join our Welding and Joining Processes (TG2) Technical Group and our London Branch for their upcoming In-person event hosted by Fronius International and organised in collaboration with Cranfield University.

The event, which is titled, ‘Advances in Welding Technology: An Afternoon Session of Demonstrations and Technical Talks, followed by a BBQ and The Cranfield Student Lecture Competition’, will feature live demonstrations, cutting-edge technical talks, and student innovation; centered around the future of welding technology and education.

The day will begin with an afternoon session of technical talks and live demonstrations presented by a range of industry experts:

Advances in Weld Monitoring - presented by Chris Cathles, TVC Ltd. Followed by live demonstrations on arc monitoring, purge technology and laser cameras.

Advances in MIG Welding - presented by Bernd Rutzinger, Fronius Ltd. Followed by live demonstrations on ‘I WAVE Pro’ and stainless steel.

In addition, Dr James Wainwright from Cranfield University will be presenting on, ‘Advances in Welding Education,’ showcasing how educational advancements are driving industry progress.

To follow from the technical talks and live demonstrations, a BBQ and networking session will be hosted before continuing on to the evening session, including the Cranfield University Welding Engineering MSc Group Project Lecture Competition, sponsored by The Welding Institute's London Branch. Three group projects will be presented by 18 MSc students currently enrolled at Cranfield University, presentations will focus on:

• Laser welding of duplex steels with oscillated profile
• Improvement of surface finish for wear plate using laser scanning
• The use of flux cored wires with advanced power sources

These students bring global expertise, including IWE and EWE diploma holders, a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), and a seasoned NDT specialist with over 20 years in the oil and gas sector.

To conclude, a judging panel will select the top project, with the award being presented by the President of The Welding Institute’s London Branch.

Discover more: https://www.theweldinginstitute.com/event-6241185 

Earlier this year, Callum Williamson delivered a presentation on friction stir welding to students of Tyne Coast College.

Callum was informed by the college’s Work Placement Officer that they had a very inspiring individual who changed professions around the time of COVID-19. This individual, who was excelling in their Welding and Fabrication qualification, was Ruth Bolton.

Callum had the pleasure to sit down with Ruth to discuss her passions and what led her to change careers.

Thank you, Ruth, for taking the time to talk with me. Could you tell our readers a little more about your previous career as a NHS Scrub Nurse?

“Absolutely! I was previously a Scrub Nurse in the Hepatobiliary Department. Hepatobiliary focuses on disorders of the liver and gallbladder. As part of the department I was working with, the Lower Abdominal Transplantations team, I helped cover and work with organ transplants across the UK.”

Okay, wow! That’s a pretty big jump - going from NHS Scrub Nurse to welding. Can you tell me more about why you looked at a career change?

“Well… COVID-19 happened. During the pandemic I was frontline staff and a key worker. After the pandemic abated somewhat and the infection rate grew low, I felt like I seriously needed to sit down and re-evaluate whether my current values and passions were aligned with what I was doing. Sadly, I understood that my values didn’t align, and I started looking for other opportunities”

I feel like we all can empathise with what your thought process was there, and I’m glad you were able to make a decision that benefitted what you needed at the time. Can you tell our readers more about what specifically drew you to welding and fabrication?

“I always wanted to do it when I was younger, especially when I was looking to leave school. I know things are very different now but, when I was in education, strangely, engineering was looked down upon, especially for women. I ended up doing Electronics Design and Technology, which, at the time, wasn’t always accepted by universities as a qualification. Which is why I didn’t progress it further.”

Thank you for sharing that. Were there any engineers within your family that you could draw inspiration from or that influenced you?

“Yes, my grandfather! He actually worked for Caterpillar for over 25 years.”

Interesting, so you were at least exposed to engineering early on in your life because of your grandfather. I am sorry to hear that you had that negative and exclusionary schooling. I know the views between 1970 and well… realistically, the early 2000s did discourage women who considered becoming engineers. Which is why I am so glad that I am seeing more and more women getting into the industry at younger ages.

To pivot to a more idealistic question. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What job opportunities are you hoping to find and where can you see this new career taking you?

“That’s actually a difficult question to answer. Since starting this course, I’ve been subject to so many new ways of thinking and so many opportunities. It’s opened up so many new possibilities. I almost feel like a ‘kid in a candy shop’ now. So it’s quite difficult to predict. With being quite early on, on my course, I feel like I’m still looking through a keyhole to this brand new world.”

Do you have any clue as to a sector you would like to specialise in?

“It’s still quite difficult to say. What I do know is, I love learning and investigating new processes. So maybe it would be easier to say I think I would work in ‘process’ driven teams in any sector.”

Oh that’s Interesting! So, logically your career pathway may include universities for higher education routes or hitting the ground running with process controller pathways. Given you do have an understanding of where you’d like to go with this new career, if you were to go back to Pre-COVID-19 or during COVID-19, what career advice would you give yourself?

“Ha ha, I’d have quit much sooner. It’s funny really, as I had looked into welding before COVID hit. With being a mature student, the funding rules were a little more strict with regard to paying for the course. So I opted to not proceed, as I couldn’t afford it. There was a course being ran out of Middlesborough that I had looked into. But the cost of being in full-time education, running my own home, transport and essentials… I really couldn’t have afforded it. Looking back, it’s a shame I couldn’t have followed through with it.”

That is a bit of a shame. Do you feel like you now have the funding you need to be able to take this course? I mean, obviously, you are here…

“I do! I am really glad that the funding rules changed and that there were more funding options available for me. I looked into doing apprenticeships over 10 years ago now, and I can say they are completely different.”

You are 100% correct there, Ruth. Apprenticeships have changed. It’s no longer just a young person’s game. I see more and more students from all age demographics picking up apprenticeships now. The funding elements are more inclusive. There is not as much emphasis on employers and training providers getting bonuses for taking on young students. These days, with how well employers and training providers are working together, it’s never been easier to excel in work and education.

Going with the theme of career change and opportunities. Is there any advice you would give others, both older and younger, who are considering a career change?

“I know it can seem very scary. Looking at my parents, they had one interview, one job and then they retired. With the cost of living now, we aren’t retiring at 55 or even 65. Even at 40, it feels like we’re still going to be working another 40 years. It’s the new reality. But it’s not intimidating any more, to look at changing things. From what I’ve done so far, I’ve developed all of these new skills and I’ve been able to hone others. I know there are employers who would love to have these skills within their teams both my new ones and my old ones.”

I love a good transferable skill…

“…It also helps that I think employers secretly love hiring ex-nurses.”

Last question, I promise. We’re going to end on a broad one. Why should anyone, all age groups, all genders, all backgrounds, consider taking education and possibly a starting a career in engineering, welding and/or fabrication?

“I think for welding and fabrication, it opens a lot of doors that you don’t necessarily realise are there. Like when I first started out, I thought that I would be at a bench laying down beads all day… that is such an inaccuracy. That’s the exact opposite of what we do here. It’s such a massive field, especially if you are young and athletic. You can deep-sea dive and get paid to weld, if you’re more computer focused, you can program and/or design machines and teach them how to do difficult welding tasks. The way I see it is; if you are passionate about something, there will be a way to apply it within a welding and fabrication career.”

This interview was very insightful. Especially to me, as I’ve often considered what field I would look into, if I ever decided to re-train or make a career change.

Making such a large change, just after the pandemic had died down and to THRIVE in that change, shows just how committed Ruth is to developing the skills necessary to become the newest of ‘Tomorrows Engineers.’

I hope you have all enjoyed the interview and hopefully I can bring more to you.

Callum Williamson
Education, Accreditation and Approvals Officer

At The Welding Institute, we are proud to stand alongside the global engineering community in celebrating International Women in Engineering Day (INWED25), on 23 June.

This annual event is a powerful reminder of the vital role that women play in shaping the future of engineering, and an opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate their achievements.

As a professional body dedicated to welding, engineering, and allied technologies, we are committed to recognising and amplifying the voices and contributions of women across our industry. From research and innovation to hands-on technical expertise, women continue to drive meaningful change and push the boundaries of what is possible.

This year’s INWED theme, “Engineering for a Sustainable Future”, reflects the urgent need for solutions to today’s global challenges and the essential role women engineers play in creating a better and more resilient world. INWED is a moment to honour the trailblazers, change-makers and everyday heroes who use their skills and passion to make a real difference in their communities and beyond.

INWED is not just a celebration - it’s a call to action that encourages individuals, organisations, and institutions to actively support a more inclusive and diverse engineering sector. Whether it’s through mentorship, education, advocacy, or policy change, together we can build a stronger, more united profession.

To mark this special occasion, we have invited several of our Members who are women working across various engineering disciplines to share personal stories and reflections on their journeys. By spotlighting their experiences, we aim to inspire the next generation of engineers and show the strength of community and collaboration.

'I feel privileged to work as an engineer, it gives me the opportunity to work alongside other fantastic engineers on exciting and challenging projects at the cutting edge of technology."

Dr Claire Kimpton CEng FWeldI

'Working in the field of structural integrity means that I have the fun job of breaking welds in various components (from pipes to wind turbines to diggers...). By understanding how and why welds break, we can predict and avoid failures in service. It's a challenging and varied field that really makes a difference to industry and society - I encourage budding engineers to consider specialising in structural integrity’ 

Carol Johnston CEng MWeldI

‘I have been lucky to have had many fantastic mentors in maths and engineering – my mother is a maths teacher, I had a brilliant female PhD supervisor, and I now work with many professionally impressive women in engineering. My opinion is that diverse perspectives make engineering stronger.’ 

Georgia Schneider CEng AWeldI

‘I chose engineering because I wanted to do something I enjoy, and I’ve never been afraid to try something new. That’s the advice I always give others—pursue what excites you and don’t shy away from challenges’ 

Joanna Nicholas CEng FWeldI

'As a woman in engineering and in particular the welding discipline, it’s an industry where females are few and far between. We face unspoken biases, but every challenge is a chance to break barriers, not just for myself but for the women coming after me'

Jade White CEng MWeldI EWE IWE

Let’s come together to celebrate, uplift and empower women in engineering, not just today, but every day.

As the UK regulatory body for the engineering profession, The Engineering Council holds the national registers of 223,000 Engineering Technicians (EngTech), Incorporated Engineers (IEng) and Chartered Engineers (CEng).

The Engineering Council’s ‘The Engineers’ 2025 Survey Salary’ found that professionally registered engineers and technicians tend to have higher salaries.

The study showed that, of the 621 respondents who work across 12 industry sectors, 49% were professionally registered. Based on this sample, it showed that professionally registered engineers earn £7,000 more per year than survey respondents who are not professionally registered.

Interested in becoming professionally registered?

Becoming professionally registered is an excellent way to demonstrate your competence, credibility and commitment to the highest standards in engineering.

It shows your employers, clients, and peers that your skills have been independently assessed and meet nationally and internationally recognised benchmarks.

Registration also enhances your professional reputation, opens up greater career opportunities, and, as recent studies by the Engineering Council show, is often linked to achieving higher salaries.

Whether you're early in your career or looking to progress further, becoming professionally registered is a mark of excellence that sets you apart.

As a professional member of The Welding Institute you may be eligible to register with the Engineering Council, allowing you to gain formal recognition for your engineering qualifications and advance your career within the industry. 

Discover more about Engineering Council Registration

Read more about The Engineer’s 2025 Salary Survey