Where to start the career in NDT
Hi everyone,
I’m looking to start a career in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) in the UK, but I’m a little confused about the best route to get started.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy and Materials Science, but I don’t have any professional NDT experience yet.
I’ve been looking at the courses offered by TWI (The Welding Institute), and I’m finding it difficult to understand where I should start. They offer courses in both conventional NDT (UT, MT, PT, VT, etc.) and advanced NDT (such as PAUT and ToFD).
I contacted TWI previously about the CSWIP route, but I was told that I need relevant experience for admission, which I currently don’t have.
For someone in my position:
- Which NDT method(s) would you recommend starting with?
- Should I begin with conventional NDT Level 2 courses such as UT, MT, PT or VT?
- Is it better to get a job as an NDT trainee/assistant first and then work towards PCN/CSWIP certification?
- Should I consider PAUT/ToFD at this stage, or are these better taken after gaining experience in conventional UT?
- Does my Metallurgy and Materials Science degree provide any advantage when entering NDT?
- Is PCN or CSWIP generally preferred by UK employers for someone starting out?
I’d really appreciate advice from people currently working in NDT.
Thanks in advance!