By Mike Davey
Hamilton, Ontario — July 2, 2015
Improper welds can easily compromise a vehicle’s structural integrity. This makes the need for welding training critical, especially when combined with the constant drive towards lightweighting and new material combinations in the auto industry.
I-CAR offers training in these areas, but it can be expensive for students, especially those just starting in the trade. Recently, I-CAR and CARSTAR Automotive Canada came together to offer steel welding qualification and certification, free of charge, to Skills Ontario competitors and volunteers.
The course offered was Welding Training & Certification: Steel (GMA) MIG Welding (WCS03), covering introducing to gas metal arc welding, proper use of equipment, and techniques for making various types of welds. It is a required course under both the Non-Structural Technician and Steel Structural Technician roles in I-CAR’s Professional Development Plan.
The training took place at CARSTAR Vision Park in Hamilton, Ontario. The course was conducted by Jim Speed, Operations Specialist with CARSTAR.
Four competitors took advantage of the opportunity, as did two instructors. The competitors were Jordan Cardinelli, Taylor Hadaway, Aaron Cassidy and Colin Bailey. Bill Speed, an instructor at Danforth CTI in Toronto, and Mike D’Agostino, an instructor with Robert Bateman High School in Burlington, also took advantage of the opportunity to practice their welding skills.
The day started with a short classroom session, but the bulk of the 8-hour course is taken up with hands-on application of the techniques.
For more information on I-CAR, please visit i-car.ca.
