The Certification Scheme for Personnel (CSWIP) provides the requirements for assessment and certification of individuals seeking to demonstrate their competence in the tasks and responsibilities of specific job roles.
CSWIP History
Established in 1969 as the Certification Scheme for Weldment Inspection Personnel, CSWIP provided a standardised approval of proficiency. Commencing with an assessment of the proficiency of ultrasonic inspection personnel, and then adding radiography, CSWIP rapidly gained nationwide recognition and acceptance by industry as assurance of inspector competence. With broad industry stakeholder engagement and strict adherence to the requirements of standards, the quality and reliability of CSWIP led to employers and their customers specifying it as a prerequisite for inspectors. The CSWIP certificate was established as a valued possession.
Since the certification of the first 24 ultrasonic inspectors in 1969, the CSWIP name has gone from strength to strength and even had two name changes! No longer only nationally recognised as one of the highest standards in personnel competence assurance, the CSWIP brand recognition has stretched across the globe, with over 50,000 certified individuals worldwide. As the welding world evolved, so did the CSWIP title. Firstly changing from ‘Weldment Inspection Personnel’ to ‘Welding and Inspection Personnel’, then in 2006, CSWIP took on its latest meaning and became the ‘Certification Scheme for Personnel’.
As new technologies emerged and the need for third-party competence assurance grew, so did the CSWIP portfolio. Now providing certification for personnel engaged in welding, joining, materials integrity and inspection in manufacturing, construction, operation and repair of high integrity structures, plant and machinery; the CSWIP brand has earned its reputation as one of the most reliable personnel certification schemes in the world.
Compliance through Competence
CSWIP certification schemes are UKAS-accredited to ISO/IEC 17024, the international standard for personnel certification. The CSWIP certificates support compliance with customer requirements, standards and regulations, and provide assurance to employers that personnel are competent and can deliver the job role. The CSWIP schemes are provided by TWI Certification Ltd (TWI CL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Welding Institute, formed in 1993 to exemplify the independence and impartiality required to deliver certification in accordance with international standards. TWI CL develops and implements certification schemes, approves training courses and authorises assessment to satisfy industry needs. These activities are performed under the stakeholder governance of the Certification Management Board. TWI CL understands the importance of impartiality in carrying out its certification activities, managing conflict of interest and ensuring the objectivity of all certification decisions. CSWIP provides client confidence and industry compliance on a worldwide scale.