SCOPE
|
LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP FROM P. 89
We need to ask ourselves if requiring a four-year degree would help profes-
sionalize the NDT field. In some countries such as India, this is already standard
practice. There would be ramifications and implications, of course. Would this
drive up the labor costs of NDT? What would the curriculum require? How
would we get colleges and universities to add NDT to their curricula? Would it
help solve the enduring workforce shortages? Would it improve performance
and reliability?
We also need to ask ourselves if employer-based certification is sufficient to
ensure quality and safety, and does it contribute to or detract from the profes-
sionalization of the field. Does the public trust employers to certify employees
who hold such critical responsibilities that impact public health and safety? (I
suspect they are not even aware.) In fields where public trust is essential, where
the citizens’ interests are directly affected by people in the field, governments
typically create licensing requirements. Think doctors, lawyers, financial advi-
sors, engineers, and so on. Would requiring NDT professionals to be licensed
professionalize the field? Again, there would be financial and other ramifica-
tions for such a requirement. According to the National Conference of State
Legislatures, the number of jobs requiring an occupational license, or govern-
ment approval to practice a profession, has grown from about 1 in 20 to almost
1 in 4 over the past 60 years. Or is having a central, independent certification
requirement sufficient to ensure public trust? Most countries around the world
now recognize certifications provided by independent certification bodies
under ISO/IEC 9712.
This article is intentionally provocative. My argument is that if we want to
address the challenges we’ve discussed (e.g., public awareness, pathway for
entry and advancement, etc.), we must challenge long-standing assumptions.
We must work to make NDT a profession that is well-known, trusted, and
desired as a career. These are issues we need to be exploring if we want the
public to trust the NDT field with their safety and health if we want clients to
value NDT and not just look at it as a necessary overhead expense and if we
want to make the field known to the public with clear pathways for entry and
advancement. I welcome your comments and questions and look forward to
expanding this discussion in coming months and years.
DEADLINE ALERT:
31 JANUARY 2024
The ASNT Foundation is proud
to offer financial assistance and
recognition to individuals seeking
nondestructive testing (NDT)
training, as well as undergrad-
uate and graduate students and
faculty members of universities
and colleges. Discover a range
of opportunities tailored to your
educational pursuits. Whether
you’re exploring NDT training
or pursuing higher education,
the ASNT Foundation awards are
designed to support your aspira-
tions. The scholarships, grants, and
fellowship awards have their own
eligibility criteria that must be met
in order to be considered for the
award. Visit foundation.asnt.org
to learn more about the eligibility
criteria and application process.
The ASNT Foundation is committed
to empowering the next genera-
tion of NDT professionals.
IT’S TIME TO
REWIND!
Join us online on 7 February 2024
for a recap of the top presentations
from ASNT 2023: The Annual
Conference, plus discover exciting
new presentations, news, and
updates! Registration is FREE for
members, providing unlimited
access to TWO sessions—catering to
attendees across the globe. Watch
at your convenience. Save your
spot by registering at asnt.org
/events.
|
SOCIETYNOTES
90
M A T E R I A L S E V A L U A T I O N • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4
2401 ME January.indd 90 12/20/23 8:01 AM
|
LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP FROM P. 89
We need to ask ourselves if requiring a four-year degree would help profes-
sionalize the NDT field. In some countries such as India, this is already standard
practice. There would be ramifications and implications, of course. Would this
drive up the labor costs of NDT? What would the curriculum require? How
would we get colleges and universities to add NDT to their curricula? Would it
help solve the enduring workforce shortages? Would it improve performance
and reliability?
We also need to ask ourselves if employer-based certification is sufficient to
ensure quality and safety, and does it contribute to or detract from the profes-
sionalization of the field. Does the public trust employers to certify employees
who hold such critical responsibilities that impact public health and safety? (I
suspect they are not even aware.) In fields where public trust is essential, where
the citizens’ interests are directly affected by people in the field, governments
typically create licensing requirements. Think doctors, lawyers, financial advi-
sors, engineers, and so on. Would requiring NDT professionals to be licensed
professionalize the field? Again, there would be financial and other ramifica-
tions for such a requirement. According to the National Conference of State
Legislatures, the number of jobs requiring an occupational license, or govern-
ment approval to practice a profession, has grown from about 1 in 20 to almost
1 in 4 over the past 60 years. Or is having a central, independent certification
requirement sufficient to ensure public trust? Most countries around the world
now recognize certifications provided by independent certification bodies
under ISO/IEC 9712.
This article is intentionally provocative. My argument is that if we want to
address the challenges we’ve discussed (e.g., public awareness, pathway for
entry and advancement, etc.), we must challenge long-standing assumptions.
We must work to make NDT a profession that is well-known, trusted, and
desired as a career. These are issues we need to be exploring if we want the
public to trust the NDT field with their safety and health if we want clients to
value NDT and not just look at it as a necessary overhead expense and if we
want to make the field known to the public with clear pathways for entry and
advancement. I welcome your comments and questions and look forward to
expanding this discussion in coming months and years.
DEADLINE ALERT:
31 JANUARY 2024
The ASNT Foundation is proud
to offer financial assistance and
recognition to individuals seeking
nondestructive testing (NDT)
training, as well as undergrad-
uate and graduate students and
faculty members of universities
and colleges. Discover a range
of opportunities tailored to your
educational pursuits. Whether
you’re exploring NDT training
or pursuing higher education,
the ASNT Foundation awards are
designed to support your aspira-
tions. The scholarships, grants, and
fellowship awards have their own
eligibility criteria that must be met
in order to be considered for the
award. Visit foundation.asnt.org
to learn more about the eligibility
criteria and application process.
The ASNT Foundation is committed
to empowering the next genera-
tion of NDT professionals.
IT’S TIME TO
REWIND!
Join us online on 7 February 2024
for a recap of the top presentations
from ASNT 2023: The Annual
Conference, plus discover exciting
new presentations, news, and
updates! Registration is FREE for
members, providing unlimited
access to TWO sessions—catering to
attendees across the globe. Watch
at your convenience. Save your
spot by registering at asnt.org
/events.
|
SOCIETYNOTES
90
M A T E R I A L S E V A L U A T I O N • J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4
2401 ME January.indd 90 12/20/23 8:01 AM
