SCHOOLS EXCELLING THROUGH NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS EDUCATION (SENSE) SPECIFICATIONS AND GUIDELINES
documentation required from the training organization and trainee to verify completion; and procedures for trainee certification and inclusion in the SENSE registry. The training guide for each level provides the guidelines necessary to develop a SENSE-based curriculum and to develop or acquire SENSE-compatible training materials. It also provides guidelines for facility planning as well as recommendations for shop equipment, tools, and supplies. In order to become a SENSE training organization, a school must submit an application and fee payment. The fee includes a one-year Educational Institution Membership (EIM) and eight publications chosen from the SENSE library. The training organization is responsible for maintaining their EIM status. It is possible for a school to use SENSE guidelines to develop and conduct training without becoming a SENSE training organization. However, the school cannot offer SENSE certification to their trainees nor can their trainees benefit from inclusion in the SENSE registry.
A critical shortage of qualified welders led to the development of Schools Excelling through National Skill Standards Education (SENSE) specifications and guidelines. SENSE was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, and introduced by the American Welding Society (AWS) in 1995. The primary objective of SENSE is to ensure a pool of qualified welders by providing the following: • Guidelines to promote consistency in welding education • Certification for welders that have successfully completed SENSE knowledge and performance qualification tests • Accreditation for SENSE training organizations SENSE is divided into two levels. The levels are SENSE Level I—Entry Welder and SENSE Level II—Advanced Welder. Each level has a corresponding specification for the qualification and certification of welders and a training guide for welding personnel. The AWS publications for each level are: SENSE Level I—Entry Welder • AWS QC10: Specification for Qualification and Certification of Level I—Entry Welder • AWS EG2.0: Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level I—Entry Welder SENSE Level II—Advanced Welder • AWS QC11: Specification for Qualification and Certification of Level II—Advanced Welder • AWS EG3.0: Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level II—Advanced Welder The specification for each level defines the requirements for participation in SENSE; performance requirements for written tests; inspection, testing, and acceptance criteria for performance qualification tests; 2015 by American Technical Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved
SENSE Level I—Entry Welder SENSE Level I—Entry Welder is divided into nine modules: • Module 1: Occupational Orientation • Module 2: Safety and Health of Welders • Module 3: Drawing and Welding Symbol Interpretation • Module 4: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) • Module 5: Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) • Module 6: Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) • Module 7: Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) • Module 8: Thermal Cutting Processes • Module 9: Welding Inspection and Testing Principles 23
24 Welding Skills Instructor’s Resource Guide
Training organizations may opt to offer full or partial SENSE Level I completion. Under partial completion, a training organization may teach one or more welding process (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and/or GTAW). In addition to meeting the minimum requirements for the welding process module(s), trainees must successfully complete Module 1: Occupational Orientation, Module 2: Safety and Health of Welders, Module 3: Drawing and Welding Symbol Interpretation, Module 8: Thermal Cutting Processes (manual OFC and PAC minimum), and Module 9: Welding Inspection and Testing Principles. For more information about AWS SENSE, visit www.aws.org and click on Education, or contact AWS Education Services. SENSE Level I — Entry Welder Instructional Resources Welding Skills, Welding Skills Workbook, and Printreading for Welders, contain all the technical content and skill-building exercises necessary to comply with AWS SENSE guidelines. The Instructor’s Guide
includes a correlation chart for each SENSE module designed to help instructors implement a SENSE-based curriculum using ATP instructional resources. The correlation charts list the key SENSE-recommended knowledge and performance requirements for each module of SENSE Level I — Entry Welder. The corresponding chapters from Welding Skills textbook and the related activities and review questions from Welding Skills Workbook are listed below the SENSE-related content for each module. The relevant chapters from Printreading for Welders are also referenced where appropriate. Additional references to AWS EG2.0: Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level I — Entry Welder are also listed by module. Evaluation criteria for successful completion of AWS SENSE Level I — Entry Welder are provided for each module. See SENSE Correlation charts. The Instructional Plans include SENSE-recommended content (marked with an asterisk) within chapter topics covered. This content is also summarized at the end of the appropriate instructional plans for quick reference and additional reinforcement by the instructor.
SENSE Correlation Chart — Module 1 Module 1: Occupational Orientation Key Knowledge • Areas where welding is used. • Overview of the major welding processes. • Occupational opportunities available in welding. • Orientation to a Training Achievement Record (TAR). • Orientation to housekeeping duties. • Expectations regarding the completion of work assignments by following verbal and written instructions. ATP Resources • Welding Skills Chapter 1: “An Essential Skill” • Welding Skills Chapter 1: Questions for Study and Discussion • Welding Skills Workbook Review Questions Chapter 1: “An Essential Skill” • Welding Skills Online Learner Resources: Quick Quizzes®: Section 1—Introduction to Welding Flash Cards, Terms and Definitions: An Essential Skill Other Resources • AWS EG2.0 Annex E: Training Achievement Record (TAR) Evaluation • Welding Skills Workbook Review Questions Chapter 1: “An Essential Skill” • Welding Skills Workbook Section 1 Activities: “Introduction to Welding” • Given verbal instruction and a trainee ID number, trainee completes the top portion of the TAR as observed by instructor. • Trainee keeps TAR updated as key indicators are completed for each module. • Trainee describes housekeeping responsibilities for the welding lab and classroom. • Trainee successfully completes key indicators 1 through 4 on the TAR for Module 1: Occupational Orientation.
2015 by American Technical Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved