weldaustralia.com.au | office@weldaustralia.com.au | +61 (0)2 8748 0100 | 20 Bridge Street, Pymble NSW
Weld Connect June 2020
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A Message from the CEO Weld Australia News & Insights Membership Matters Industry News & Insights Training News Qualification & Certification News New South Wales Division Victoria Division South Australia Division Queensland Division Western Australia Division Northern Territory Division Tasmania Division Advanced Welder Training Courses
Our Office is Closed, but We’re Still Working
Following developments in Australia’s COVID-19 response, we have decided to close our Pymble office until further notice. The safety and wellbeing of our staff and their families along with our members, clients and communities is our first priority. The office is closed, but we will continue to work tirelessly to support the welding industry in Australia. Now more than ever our community spirit is vital, and we encourage you to reach out to one of us if you have any questions or an area where you are needing support, or even if you just need a chat. Our staff are working remotely and will be available through their mobile numbers and email addresses. You can still contact Weld Australia on office@weldaustralia.com.au Keep well, stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.
Weld Australia Contact Information National Office Building 3, Level 3, Suite 5 Pymble Corporate Centre 20 Bridge Street Pymble, NSW 2073 (PO Box 197 Macquarie Park BC NSW 1670) T: +61 (0)2 8748 0100 E: info@weldaustralia.com.au Chief Executive Officer Geoff Crittenden T: +61 (0)2 8748 0100 E: g.crittenden@weldaustralia.com.au
National Manager Engineering Paolo Corronca T: +61 (0)438 012 099 E: p.corronca@weldaustralia.com.au
Membership Manager Eva Chun T: +61 (0)2 8748 0135 E: e.chun@weldaustralia.com.au
Training Manager Guy Brooks T: +61 (0)488 743 322 E: g.brooks@weldaustralia.com.au
Editorial Content Sally Wood T: +61 (0)434 442 687 E: sally@wordly.com.au
Marketing & Communications Manager Donna South T: +61 (0)2 8748 0130 E: d.south@weldaustralia.com.au
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A Message from the CEO With COVID-19 restrictions easing, many businesses are now starting to return to work.
investments and start signing cheques to ensure Australian industry remains afloat.
However, the feedback I am receiving from members is that projects commenced prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic are now almost complete. The problem is: there is not a lot of new work on the horizon—the pipeline of work is drying up.
TAFE Queensland Expands Advanced Welder Training Centre Program TAFE Queensland is set to expand its already successful Advanced Welder Training Centre (AWTC) program, with its recent investment in an additional 29 Soldamatic augmented reality welding simulators. With this investment, every TAFE region in the Queensland network that offers an engineering course will have access to faster, safer and more engaging training.
Of particular concern is that many members estimate that the work currently on their books will be complete by September—the same time that the JobKeeper payments cease. The December 2020 quarter could be one of the toughest on record for Australian businesses; many simply won't survive. Industry needs projects signed off and started. Over the last couple of months, governments and major private investors have been enthusiastically talking about new projects and major infrastructure expenditure. But, we are yet to see these projects commence. Governments across the country must stop talking about these
The order placed by TAFE Queensland is the largest ever, in terms of the total number of simulators. The simulators will be spread across seven of TAFE Queensland’s campuses. This means every TAFE in Queensland that offers an engineering course will utilise augmented reality welding simulators, dramatically improving the quality of welder training. Weld Australia is looking forward to working with TAFE Queensland on this initiative.
Geoff Crittenden (CEO, Weld Australia).
Virtual Town Hall Meetings Throughout June, Weld Australia will facilitate its first national series of virtual Town Hall meetings. This new initiative is designed to help us reach out to members, and for members to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now. I encourage all members to login to their local state meeting, particularly those members in regional areas.
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A Message from the CEO While these virtual events have been necessitated by COVID-19, they are a perfect example of how the use of technology can improve communication. As well as providing a way for regular event attendees to continue coming together, we hope this will also make the Weld Australia community more widely accessible to those members who aren't able to make in-person events due to work and family commitments, or the travel required. If you would like Weld Australia to convene a meeting for a specific region (such as Mackay or Bendigo), we are happy to look at this. Simply email us via: membership@weldaustralia.com.au A Successful Move to Online Initiatives The Weld Australia team moved quickly to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving as many of our services and support mechanisms as possible to an online format. These initiatives have all proved popular with members, and been very successful. For example, our first two online courses (those associated with the International Welding Specialist and International Welding Inspector – Basic certifications) have now commenced. Places in both courses were highly sought after, and sold out in record time. The feedback received on the quality of the course content, the format
and our new lecturer, Cornelis Van Niekerk, has all been very positive. For further information, see the article on page 10. We facilitated our first webinar on Welding Fume, Cancer and Other Hazards. This was attended by over 100 people and, once again, we received some amazing feedback. I'd like to thank all our expert presenters, as well as AWS for their sponsorship of the event. For further information, see the article on page 5. Weld Australia worked closely with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) on several measures designed to make certification and qualification processes more accessible. As a result, the IIW has relaxed some of its requirements. Weld Australia is now able to: perform surveillance audits for AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification remotely; and conduct online examinations for IWS, IWT and IWE qualifications. For further information, see page 11. The COVID-19 restrictions are still causing some frustrations. I'd like to apologise to some of our members who are waiting on initial AS/NZS ISO 3834 audits, which must be completed in-person. As soon as interstate travel is possible, we will be there to assist. Geoff Crittenden CEO, Weld Australia
New Weld Australia Members: May Weld Australia would like to welcome the following members who joined in May 2020. Corporate Members • Hanlon Industries: hanlonindustries.com.au • Outsource Institute: outsourceinstitute.com.au • SVSR: svsr.com.au • MacFab Engineering: macfab.com.au • Edcon Steel: edconsteel.com.au Individual Members • David Parr • Tyler Nielsen • Adrian Tolentino • Zayne Schreiber • Antony Sansom • Mark Ramsdale • Dylan Schipper • Fletcher Harrington To become a Weld Australia member, all you need to do is: • Visit: https://weldaustralia. com.au • Email: membership@ weldaustralia.com.au Weld Australia membership is an investment in the success of your career or business. We will help you increase your income, decrease your costs and give you a competitive advantage over non-members.
A Friendly Reminder: Membership Renewals A friendly reminder to all members that Weld Australia membership renewals are due by 30 June 2020. All members will be hearing from the Weld Australia team soon about membership renewals. In the meantime, if you need any further details, please contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au. Our team is more than happy to help.
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Weld Australia News & Insights Welding Fume, Cancer and Other Hazards Webinar a Huge Success Weld Australia recently facilitated a webinar on Welding Fume, Cancer and Other Hazards. Attended by over 100 people, the webinar proved to be very successful. The feedback received was very positive, with attendees impressed with both the quality of the presenters and the content. The webinar provided attendees information on how to protect themselves and their workforce from the hazards associated with welding fumes. It outlined important information related to the IARC’s recent ruling that welding fumes can cause cancer, as well as Weld Australia’s position and advice as outlined in our Fume Minimisation Guidelines.
The webinar also delved into other hazards associated with welding, including control measures and statutory requirements. Weld Australia would like to thank AWS for sponsoring the webinar, as well as all of the presenters: • Safe Work Australia: Dr Paul Taylor, Director Chemical Policy; and Jackii Shepherd, Director Occupational Hygiene Policy • Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists: Barry Chesson, Principal, Occupational Hygiene Solutions • Australian Welding Supplies: Daniel Strachan, National Key Account and Sales Manager
Join the Conversation Weld Australia's existing LinkedIn Group is now focused on the challenges facing the industry due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an open platform for the welding industry to collaborate and support one another, to discuss particular struggles and the measures being taken within different businesses to continue operations and ensure the health and safety of employees. National Manager Membership & Marketing Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg addressed Parliament recently to deliver an 'economic update', and noted that “In April, surveys showed that job ads halved and activity in the construction, manufacturing and the services sector had their largest ever monthly falls." Would love to hear from the group on your own experience - are you seeing a decrease in work, or staffing levels? Or are you going the other way with more work and bringing in new staff? Reply here >>> Managing Director This is a great article about our post COVID future. Weld Australia will be focussing on the last two points: Government Procurement and Technical Training. Reply here >>>
Join the Weld Australia LinkedIn Group Now
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Membership Matters How Can We Help You? The COVID-19 pandemic has created uncertainty, stress and anxiety for everyone. You may have already had to stand down staff, or been stood down yourself. All of us are worried about what the future holds. It is at times like this that being part of an industry network like Weld Australia can provide real benefit. We're all in this together; as the old saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. While the Weld Australia team is not in the office at the moment, we are still working to support you and your business. We're contacting all members one-byone to see if we can be of any help. This way, as the COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease, we can all hit the ground running.
Our aim is to help ensure that every single member firm and every individual member has a job when this is all over. So if you need help, advice, or just reassurance, then get in touch with us. If we can't help, then we will be able to put you in touch with someone who can. Simply email the Weld Australia team on membership@weldaustralia.com.au Equally, if you have something worth sharing, which would help your fellow Weld Australia members, let us know. Participate in our LinkedIn Group and be sure to register for your local state's upcoming 'Town Hall' virtual meeting (for more information, see the blue box on the right). Share your ideas, and work with us to help the entire industry.
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS With face-to-face meetings less viable (and less appealing) for many people for the foreseeable future, Weld Australia is trialling virtual member events. To kick off, we are holding a series of virtual ‘Town Hall’ meetings across Australia. Each session will be hosted by the State Committee and Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden. These virtual meetings are an opportunity for members and Weld Australia representatives to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now. Event Details • New South Wales • Northern Territory • Queensland • South Australia • Victoria • Western Australia
REGISTER NOW For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135. Further Information For further information about membership packages, or to become a member of Weld Australia today, simply contact:
membership@weldaustralia.com.au
Or, you can visit the Weld Australia website.
Join Us At Weld Australia's 2020 AGM Weld Australia's 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Tuesday 23 June 2020. This year, our AGM will be held online via Zoom conferencing. Instructions will be emailed to all members on how to register to attend, or how to vote by proxy. So, be sure to keep an eye on your inbox.
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Membership Matters Membership Renewals A friendly reminder to all members that Weld Australia membership renewals are due by 30 June 2020. All members will be hearing from the Weld Australia team soon about membership renewals. In the meantime, if you need any further details, please contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au. The Weld Australia team is more than happy to help. You can also login to the Weld Australia Member Portal to complete your membership renewal at any time. Your Contact Information Weld Australia encourages you to make sure your membership details on the Member Portal are up to date. This way, you will be sure to receive the full benefits associated with your membership. The Member Portal can be accessed via the Weld Australia website: weldaustralia.com.au. Simply click on the 'Member Login' link in orange, located in the top right of the screen.
Answers to the May Welders World Find A Word B
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Advice Augmented Reality AWCR Camera Certification
Collaboration Fabrication Funding Guidelines IIW Inspections
Lobbying Metallurgy Qualifications Regulatory Solutions Technotes
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Training Upskill Welder training Weld fumes Welding simulator WeldQ
The Answers to the May 'Welders World: Spot the Welding Mistakes' will be provided in the July edition of Weld Connect.
Fair Work Ombudsman & Weld Australia Webinar: Returning to Work and the Workplace Post-COVID-19 As COVID-19 restrictions ease, industries and businesses are working hard to weather and recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, with many now looking to return to more familiar working conditions and environments following several months of disruption. For some businesses it may mean difficult decisions and conversations as the flow-on effects of the pandemic continue to impact on trade. This webinar, presented by Aaron Rilstone (Director - Stakeholder Strategy & Small Business, Fair Work Ombudsman) will explore how employees and employers can work together collaboratively as they transition back to work and prepare for more difficult months ahead. Aaron will talk about: Award changes; Temporary amendments to the Fair Work Act; JobKeeper; Stand downs; FAQs and trends the FWO is seeing; and Tools, guides and resources to assist. There will also be ample opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from those in Government. Event Details: • Date: Friday 3 July • Time: 10:30am (AEST time)
Register Now
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Supervision, Inspection and Qualification Services
Now Available Remotely In the wake of COVID-19 restrictions, Weld Australia has developed a new procedure to carry out welding inspection and supervision services, as well as qualification of welding procedures and personnel—remotely. The procedure has been developed in accordance with IAF (International Accreditation Forum) guidelines. All services are carried out with the cooperation of a competent person on-site, utilising videoconferencing and video recording for record keeping purposes. If you need help with remote welding inspection, supervision or qualification services—we’re here to help. All you need do is call Paolo Corronca (National Manager Engineering) on 0438 012 099. www.weldaustralia.com.au
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Industry News & Insights The Impact of COVID-19 on the Welding Industry
As the peak body representing the welding industry, Weld Australia is committed to supporting our members and the wider industry throughout this very challenging time. It’s important then that we understand how the welding industry is experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, including the impact it is having on you, your business, and your employees. To gain a better understanding, Weld Australia recently distributed a survey to senior business leaders. The data collected will help guide Weld Australia’s support for the industry in the wake of COVID-19. Some preliminary data is outlined below. The survey is still open, so we encourage you to complete the survey as soon as possible.
Has your business been negatively impacted by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in any way? Select all that apply. Loss of income Staff working reduced hours Increased business continuity risks Decline in employee morale Other Staff laid off or stood down Increased costs Difficulty sourcing materials Workforce instability No negative impacts
What caused these negative impacts? Select all that apply.
Postponed work Uncertain forward order book Lack of new work / RFPs / tenders Interstate travel bans Restricted site access Work environment disruptions/changes Social distancing measures Disruptions to the supply chain Cancelled work Staff wellbeing / mental health issues International travel bans Staff in isolation or quarantine Other
Not everything will be bad news. Has your business been positively affected in any way? Select all that apply.
Conflicting government advice
Improved internal processes
Not applicable
Opportunities to innovate
Staff sick
Built a better team culture No positive impacts Other Secured new clients Diversified products or services Increased orders / work Increased demand
"Weld Australia can play an important role by emphasising the importance of manufacturing to government and other stakeholders." "Weld Australia can help enforce Australian Standards, promote local manufacturing, and make engineering business actually meet some mandated licencing model like electricians, and plumbers."
Increased income Expanded into new sectors
Take the Weld Australia COVID-19 Impact Survey Now
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Training News Weld Australia's First Online Course Commences Weld Australia recently announced the launch of two new online courses: those associated with the International Welding Specialist (IWS) and International Welding Inspector – Basic (IWI-B) qualifications. The first IWS online course commenced on Monday 25 May, and the IWI-B online course commenced on Monday 8 June. How the Courses Were Developed The process employed by Weld Australia in transforming its fac-eto-face courses to an online format was quite in-depth. According to Guy Brooks (Training Manager, Weld Australia), “First, we broke down the courses into topics, and defined which sections would be most appropriate as interactive self-paced pre-lecture modules, featuring videos, quizzes and images." "Next, we reviewed the lecture content. We ensured that the core lecture content would comprise
all the most important and difficult subjects—those topics that needed great elaboration and that students were more likley to have questions about. Then, we compiled the post-lecture content, including online review questions for each session. This post-lecture content is available all the time so students can go back at any time to work through it.” “Once the course structure and format was finalised, we reviewed and trialled several software systems (or authoring packages) to create the course content. We selected a system that enables us to create highly interactive and engaging content." "Then, we needed a system through which to host the courses. We chose Moodle. All the prelecture content is accessible through Moodle. We schedule all the lectures through Moodle. Everything that the students need is stored all together in the one
spot—in Moodle,” said Brooks. One of the most exciting elements of the entire system is the seamless nature of the live lectures. Weld Australia has designed and delivered an innovative technological solution that enables lecturer, Cornelis Van Niekerk, to switch smoothly between a whiteboard, a PowerPoint presentation and speaking directly to camera. The end result is a much more engaging experience. Further Information Both of Weld Australia's new online courses proved extremely popular, selling out in record time. Weld Australia will be scheduling another course within the next couple of months. Be sure not to miss out: register your interest in the next online courses by emailing training@weldaustralia.com.au
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The online platform and course content is really interactive and engaging. Cornelis is very knowledgeable, and being in a small group is great. You’re not just a number in a big system—the teacher knows who you are and remembers your name. It’s much more personal.” Thomas Henry (a student in the first IWS online course)
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Qualification & Certification News Changes to IIW Certifications and Qualifications to Help Tackle COVID-19 Conditions Over the last few weeks, Weld Australia has been working closely with the International Institute of Welding (IIW) on several measures designed to make certification and qualification processes more accessible in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. If, for any reason, you are facing difficulties in completing your certification audit or qualification renewal in the normal way or on time, please contact Weld Australia on: qnc@weldaustralia.com.au In the wake of COVID-19, we understand that not everything is ‘business as usual’. Weld Australia is here to help you, and to work with you. We want to ensure that you retain the certifications and qualifications that you worked so hard to achieve. Remote Auditing for AS/NZS ISO 3834 Certification With a range of travel and social distancing restrictions in place
to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, performing site audits for AS/NZS ISO 3834 certification is almost impossible. As such, the IIW has relaxed these site auditing requirements: Weld Australia is able to audit companies remotely. Weld Australia has developed a procedure that exceeds the IIW requirements to ensure that both a rigorous auditing process is maintained, and the integrity of the certification system is upheld. Remote audits will be carried out via desktop activities, and by utilising videoconferencing facilities and video recording for record keeping purposes. Remote Exams for Personal Qualifications The IIW has also relaxed the way in which exams for personal qualifications are conducted. Weld Australia is now able to fully conduct online examinations,
combined with an interview via video conferencing facilities, for several personal qualifications: • International Welding Specialist (IWS) • International Welding Technologist (IWT) • International Welding Engineer (IWE) Weld Australia is still working with the IIW on alternative formats for exams that encompass a practical testing module (such as the International Welding Inspector). Personnel Certification Renewals Extended to Six Months Given the exceptional circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Weld Australia understands that action is required on personnel certification that have recently expired. Weld Australia has implemented a policy to give certified personnel an extension of six months from their certification expiry date in which to submit their renewal applications. Weld Australia certification renewals already have an automatic three months grace period from the date of expiry in which to submit a renewal application. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, personnel whose certification expires between January 2020 and May 2020 are now eligible to apply for an expiry extension of six months from their current expiry due date. The six month extension will not affect the continuous certification expiry date. Further Information For further information about qualification and certification, contact: qnc@weldaustralia.com.au
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New South Wales Division News
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENT Town Hall Meeting With face-to-face meetings less viable (and less appealing) for many people for the foreseeable future, Weld Australia is trialling virtual member events. To kick off, we are holding a series of virtual ‘Town Hall’ meetings across Australia. A session for New South Wales members will be hosted by your State Committee Chair Alan Taylor and Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden on Tuesday 30 June at 6pm. These virtual meetings are an opportunity for members and Weld Australia representatives to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now. Event Details • Date: Tuesday 30 June • Time: 6.00pm • Venue: Zoom meeting. Details will be provided after registration.
$3 Billion Boost for Infrastructure and Jobs Pipeline The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced a new $3 billion acceleration fund to go towards job-creating projects, increasing the government’s infrastructure pipeline to a guaranteed $100 billion. The new $3 billion Infrastructure and Job Acceleration Fund will be used for smaller, shovel-ready projects touching every corner of the state, injecting up to an extra 20,000 jobs back into the NSW workforce. The government will no longer proceed with the refurbishment of Stadium Australia, redirecting around $800 million towards the new fund for jobcreating infrastructure projects. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said infrastructure would provide a path to employment, and economic recovery, firing up the economy. “This guaranteed pipeline of $100 billion will be our best chance supporting the hundreds of thousands of people who have already lost their jobs in NSW. We are now not only guaranteeing our infrastructure pipeline, we will be looking for opportunities to fasttrack projects to provide jobs as early as we can."
NSW Government Launches COVID Safe Check for Businesses Businesses will be able to check, test and promote their COVID Safe credentials with the launch of the NSW Government’s COVID Safe Check. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the online tool would help businesses get back to work safely. “With the recent easing of restrictions thousands of businesses are reopening their doors and welcoming back customers. We have put industry specific information under the one roof,” said Berejiklian. More than 8,000 businesses have already downloaded a COVID Safety Plan template, which is stage one of the process and already available. Businesses need to complete three easy steps – visit nsw.gov.au, go through industry specific guidance, and register and download materials. Once businesses have completed these steps and finalised their COVID Safe plan they will be able to complete an online selfdeclaration. The COVID Safe Check is available at https://www.nsw.gov.au/ covid-19/covid-safe-businesses
REGISTER NOW For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135.
New South Wales Contact Paolo Corronca National Manager Engineering 0438 012 099 p.corronca@weldaustralia.com.au
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Victoria Division News Weld Australia Welcomes Hanlon Industries Weld Australia would like to welcome Hanlon Industries as one of its newest corporate members. Hanlon Industries was established in 2000 as a specialist steel fabrication, mechanical maintenance, labour hire, commercial building and construction company. They are a proud, independent, family-owned and family-run enterprise that works across Australia in a variety of industries, including transport, ports, rail, water, resources, urban development and energy. Their fabrication services extend to mild, aluminium, stainless, and exotic steels, and encompass pipework, jig manufacture and prototyping. With a strong focus on quality and compliance, Hanlon Industries also has in-house welding inspectors and nondestructive testing capabilities, as
well as a fully-traceable barcoded tracking systems. Hanlon's head office and heavy manufacturing base is in Geelong, Victoria. Using the latest technologies, supported by stateof-the-art fabrication equipment, their 20,000m2 plant can fabricate up to 750 tonnes of steel product per month. It is also equipped with four 25 tonne overhead cranes, and four 5 tonne overhead cranes. In response to strong demand, they commenced operations at their second workshop in Botany, New South Wales in 2013. The expansion of our operations into New South Wales has been extremely successful, necessitating the purchase of a third workshop in Alexandria, New South Wales in late 2018. For further information, visit: www.hanlonindustries.com.au
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENT Town Hall Meeting With face-to-face meetings less viable (and less appealing) for many people for the foreseeable future, Weld Australia is trialling virtual member events. To kick off, we are holding a series of virtual ‘Town Hall’ meetings across Australia. A session for Victorian members will be hosted by your State Committee Chair Melissa Odendaal and Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden on Tuesday 16 July at 6.00pm. These virtual meetings are an opportunity for members and Weld Australia representatives to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now.
Australia's largest digital VMS lifted onto the gantry fabricated by Hanlon Industries at Sydney Airport.
Hanlon Industries welder working at heights in preparation for installation of digital signage at Melbourne Airport.
Event Details • Date: Thursday 16 July • Time: 6.00pm • Venue: Zoom meeting. Details will be provided after registration.
REGISTER NOW For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135.
Victoria Division Contact Victor Blain Senior Welding Engineer 0409 823 991 v.blain@weldaustralia.com.au
Hanlon Industries 20,000m2 facility in Geelong.
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South Australia Division News Hunter Class Frigate Program Steel Contract Signed BAE Systems Australia’s shipbuilding business, ASC Shipbuilding, recently signed a contract with Australian company BlueScope Steel AIS for the prototyping phase of the program, due to start at the end of this year. Under the $2.6 million contract, BlueScope Steel AIS will deliver more than 1,500 tonnes of steel plate to ASC Shipbuilding. During prototyping, five representative ship ‘blocks’ will be built at the world-class Osborne Naval Shipyard in South Australia. During this phase, the processes, systems, tools, facilities and workforce competencies will be extensively tested and refined before construction commences on the first frigate in 2022. According to ASC Shipbuilding Managing Director, Craig Lockhart, “This is a significant milestone and in awarding this contract to BlueScope Steel AIS we are
The Hunter Class Frigate will be based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 Global Combat Ship design, the world’s first bow-to-stern digitally-designed anti-submarine warfare frigate.
confident that we have selected the company with the best capability while meeting our commitments to supporting Australian businesses and maximising Australian Industry Capability. During the prototyping phase we expect to spend 90% of the value of the work required to construct the test blocks, in Australia, and I hope today’s contract signing is the start of a long-term relationship with BlueScope Steel AIS." “The Hunter program is about more than just building warships; it is about building an enduring and uniquely Australian sovereign industrial capability that will support Australia’s continuous naval shipbuilding strategy for generations to come," said Lockhart. The Next Generation of Welders Weld Australia's CEO, Geoff Critteden, was recently interviewed by Josh Venning—a year 11 student at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. Josh is currently undertaking a research project focused on the question: What are the future employment prospects in welding, and how are they impacted by the continued improvement in robotics? The interview delved into topics such as the the kinds of companies that have robotic welding technology, the differences between automated and manual welding techniques, and the changes that robotics and automation are likely to have on the Australian welding industry, including employment prospects. Josh was clearly well prepared for the interview and well informed on the subject matter. Josh is set to commence a welding apprenticeship at ASC Shipbuilding in the near future. Weld Australia would like to wish Josh all the very best of luck with his apprenticeship.
June 2020
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENT Town Hall Meeting With face-to-face meetings less viable (and less appealing) for many people for the foreseeable future, Weld Australia is trialling virtual member events. To kick off, we are holding a series of virtual ‘Town Hall’ meetings across Australia. A session for South Australian members will be hosted by your State Committee Chair David Price and Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden on Tuesday 16 June at 6pm. These virtual meetings are an opportunity for members and Weld Australia representatives to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now. Event Details • Date: Tuesday 16 June • Time: 6.00pm • Venue: Zoom meeting. Details will be provided after registration.
REGISTER NOW For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135.
South Australia Contact Victor Blain Senior Welding Engineer 0409 823 991 v.blain@weldaustralia.com.au
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Queensland Division News
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENT Town Hall Meeting With face-to-face meetings less viable (and less appealing) for many people for the foreseeable future, Weld Australia is trialling virtual member events. To kick off, we are holding a series of virtual ‘Town Hall’ meetings across Australia. A session for Queensland members will be hosted by your State Committee Chair Mark Potts and Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden on Tuesday 21 July at 6pm. These virtual meetings are an opportunity for members and Weld Australia representatives to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now. Event Details • Date: Tuesday 21 July • Time: 6.00pm • Venue: Zoom meeting. Details will be provided after registration.
TAFE Queensland is set to expand its already successful Advanced Welder Training Centre (AWTC) program, with its recent investment in an additional 29 Soldamatic augmented reality welding simulators. With this investment, every TAFE region in the Queensland network that offers an engineering course will have access to faster, safer and more engaging training. According to Alistair Forbes (National Manager Corporate Businesses, Weld Australia), “The order placed by TAFE Queensland is the largest ever, in terms of the total number of simulators. TAFE Queensland has really embraced this new, cutting-edge training technology. They have one of the most advanced welder training programs in Australia.” The simulators will be spread across seven of TAFE Queensland’s campuses, including Asmore, Bundaberg, Cairns, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Nambour, and Toowoomba. This means every region of TAFE Queensland that offers an engineering program will utilise these new augmented reality welding simulators, dramatically improving the quality of welder training. According to Garry Hargreaves (Corporate Solutions Manager Commercial, TAFE Queensland - SkillsTech), the augmented reality welding simulators have fundamentally changed the way welders are trained in Queensland. “Participants get an understanding
of welding principles up to 40% faster when using the welding simulators. The simulators make training faster, more efficient, more flexible, and more engaging than traditional teaching methods. And, we use less consumables, so there is much less waste across the program,” said Hargreaves. “The feedback from participants has been overwhelming. The gamification aspect of augmented reality is highly engaging, especially for younger demographics. Often, we need to push participants out of the augmented reality lab because the next class is waiting to come in—it is inherently engaging technology. Participants want to stay late, start early, and work through lunch.” The Queensland Government (via DSDMIP) pledged $800,000 to TAFE Queensland in 2018 to purchase the first 15 simulators. Since then, 10 simulators have been based at TAFE Queensland in Acacia Ridge, with the remaining five rotating across the other TAFE Queensland campuses in the north of the state.
REGISTER NOW For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135.
Queensland Contact Paolo Corronca National Manager Engineering 0438 012 099 p.corronca@weldaustralia.com.au Garry Hargreaves from TAFE Queensland uses a Soldamatic augmented reality welding simulator.
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Western Australia Division News This month, the Western Australia Division brings you news and insights into some of the major developments and announcements, right across the state. Building Bonus to Support Economic Recovery and Create Jobs The Western Australia state government recently announced a $125 million Building Bonus package to ramp up activity in the residential building sector, stimulate the economy and support around 2,600 local jobs. The $20,000 Building Bonus grants are open until 31 December 2020 to any homebuyer who wishes to build a new property. The scheme is not means tested and has no cap on the property value. The $20,000 grant builds on the Federal Government's announcement that it will provide $25,000 for some owner-occupiers who build a new home. This means those Western Australians who are eligible for the Federal grant, could receive up to $45,000 for new residential builds. Builders’ Panel to Support Construction Sector The State Government is calling for proposals from qualified, experienced and financially capable builders to be part of the new Design and Construct
and Housing Refurbishment Builders Panel. Formed in response to a request from the Department of Communities, the panel will deliver a high volume of single and grouped housing, and undertake social housing refurbishment works across Perth over a period of two years, with possible extension.The Request for Proposals process runs until 7 July 2020. For information, visit http://www.tenders.wa.gov.au and search for tender reference number HOU9600620. Government Launches STEM Skills Campaign The Western Australia Government recently launched a STEM campaign to ensure young people are ready for the jobs of the future. The 'Take 2 STEM' campaign aims to encourage more students to select at least two STEM subjects. The campaign also speaks to parents and school staff as research shows they are students' key influencers when selecting subjects. For more information, visit the Take 2 STEM website: http://www.take2stem.com
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENT Town Hall Meeting With face-to-face meetings less viable (and less appealing) for many people for the foreseeable future, Weld Australia is trialling virtual member events. To kick off, we are holding a series of virtual ‘Town Hall’ meetings across Australia. A session for Western Australia members will be hosted by your State Committee Chair Lee Oakley and Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden on Tuesday 7 July at 6pm. These virtual meetings are an opportunity for members and Weld Australia representatives to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now. Event Details • Date: Tuesday 7 July • Time: 6.00pm • Venue: Zoom meeting. Details will be provided after registration.
REGISTER NOW For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135.
Western Australia Division Contact Mehdi Tajfar, Welding Engineer 0417 044 370 m.tajfar@weldaustralia.com.au
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Northern Territory Division News This month, the Northern Territory Division brings members an update on news from the around the state, including a move towards cheaper, cleaner renewable energy and positive growth in the construction industry.
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENT Town Hall Meeting With face-to-face meetings less viable (and less appealing) for many people for the foreseeable future, Weld Australia is trialling virtual member events. To kick off, we are holding a series of virtual ‘Town Hall’ meetings across Australia. A session for Northern Territory members will be hosted by your State Committee Chair Grant Ryan and Weld Australia CEO, Geoff Crittenden on Thursday 25 June at 11am. These virtual meetings are an opportunity for members and Weld Australia representatives to come together and talk about what is important to you, your business, your community and the welding industry right now. Event Details • Date: Thursday 25 June • Time: 11.00am • Venue: Zoom meeting. Details will be provided after registration.
Delivering Cheap, Clean Power Through More Renewables In another significant step towards 50% renewables by 2030, the Northern Territory Government recently announced priority electricity market reforms to: address system security and reliability, encourage private investors, and maximise the amount of renewable power in the network. These priority electricity market reforms will encourage investment in innovative solutions to the challenges of a modern energy market. Better integration of new, cleaner and cheaper power technologies in the electricity systems will boost industry and create jobs for Territorians. With current and committed large scale solar projects planned for construction in 2020, and projected residential and commercial rooftop solar system installations, renewable energy is expected to supply up to 16% of electricity consumption by the end of 2020.
Buy Local Boosting Territory Jobs The recently released April 2020 construction update shows the Northern Territory Government’s infrastructure investments are putting local business and local workers first, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. During the month of April, 45 construction contracts valued at $17.1 million were awarded to local businesses, with work directly supporting 70 local jobs and hundreds more indirectly. There are a further 29 construction tenders out to market worth more than $105 million, which will support many more jobs for Territorians. These new infrastructure projects include: • Improvements to Lajamanu School • Upgrades to Port Keats Road • Upgrades to Gillen Primary School in Alice Springs • Improvements to Trower Road and Sabine Road in Darwin • Remote housing works
REGISTER NOW For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135.
Northern Territory Contact Paolo Corronca National Manager Engineering 0438 012 099 p.corronca@weldaustralia.com.au
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Tasmania Division News Weld Australia and TMEC Team Up to Upskill Tasmanian Welders Weld Australia is currently working with the Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council (TMEC) on the delivery of several courses for Tasmanian welders. The first course will be the International Institute of Welding (IIW) International Welding Inspector - Basic (IWI-B) certification, commencing on 7 July (pending any COVID-19 restrictions). The IWI-B online course is run over five weeks, and includes at least ten live lectures and practical work. The course covers: General Introduction to Welding Inspection; Mechanical Testing on Welded Joints; Weld Imperfections; Testing Methods; and Quality Assurance. The second course will be face-toface training for the Certificate
10 Welding Supervisor. This includes three 1-week blocks, which are scheduled to run in October and November 2020 (pending any COVID-19 restrictions). Both of these qualifications offer significant rewards and can lead to a career that is both engaging and promising. If what you want is a stable career in which you will thrive and find fulfillment, then one of these courses may be for you. Plus, these qualifications demonstrate to employers that you are dedicated to continually learning and growing in your field—qualities that are essential for success in team leadership roles, or to work on more complex projects. For further information about these courses, or to enrol, contact advancedwelding@tasminerals. com.au
TMEC's Advanced Welder Training Centre TMEC's Advanced Welding Training Centre features five portable welding simulators available for use by industry, schools, TAFE students and trainers to develop welding skills in a safe environment. The virtual reality simulators mimic real welding experiences and are compatible with live welding equipment. They provide statistical feedback on weld quality, accuracy and comparative improvements in technique. The Advanced Welding Training Centre is located at the TMEC Manufacturing Centre of Excellence in Burnie. This industry led facility is a collaborative environment incorporating simulated work environments, the UTAS Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) workshop, along with many other immersive technologies. The TMEC Advanced Welding Training Centre is also able to conduct weld testing and examination of welders to allow certification to ISO 9606 Qualification testing of welders - Fusion welding for inclusion on Weld Australia’s Australian Welder Certification Register.
TMEC's Advanced Welder Training Centre.
The welding simulator training centre can be booked by contacting the Advanced Welding Centre Coordinator, at advancedwelding@tasminerals. com.au.
Town Hall Meeting The date and time for a Town Hall session for Tasmanian Weld Australia members are being confirmed. Be sure to keep an eye on the Events page of the Weld Australia website. For more information, contact membership@weldaustralia.com.au or (02) 8748 0135.
Tasmania Division Contact Victor Blain Senior Welding Engineer 0409 823 991 v.blain@weldaustralia.com.au
TMEC's Advanced Welder Training Centre.
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Advanced Welder Training Courses Fusion Welding Courses There are two ISO 9606 Qualification test of welders — Fusion welding —Part 1: Steels courses listed on Training.gov.au, the National Register of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in Australia. This is the authoritative source of Nationally Recognised Training and Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). These courses were developed in Victoria in 2018. One is intended for inexperienced welders, the other for experienced welders. Both use augmented reality welding simulators as a key component of the training. Transition Workers To be awarded a certificate for the Course in Fusion Welding to AS/NZS ISO 9606 for Transition Workers, you must successfully complete seven units of competency (four core and three elective). Core units: • Simulate fusion welding processes using augmented reality equipment • Identify welding processes, safe welding practices and use of hand and power tools • Interpret and apply AS/NZS ISO 9606 for fusion welding processes • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the procedures of ISO 9606-1 (Steels – carbon steels) Experienced Welders To be awarded a Statement of Attainment for the Course in Fusion Welding to AS/NZS ISO 9606 for Experienced Welders, you must successfully complete three units of competency (one core and two elective). The core unit is: Interpret and apply AS/NZS ISO 9606 for fusion welding processes. Elective Units Other elective units available include: • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the procedures of AS/NZS ISO 9606-1 (Steels – stainless steel) • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the requirements of • AS/NZS ISO 9606-2 (Aluminium and aluminium alloys) • Perform fusion welding procedures to meet the requirements of AS/NZS ISO 9606-3, 4 or 5 (Exotic metals) • Perform routine manual metal arc welding • Perform routine gas metal arc welding • Perform manual heating and thermal cutting • Read and interpret technical drawings and make measurements for a welding procedure
Enrol in a Fusion Welding Course Today
You can enrol in a Fusion Welding course through any of the Advanced Welder Training Centres across Australia. These are all listed below. Queensland TAFE Queensland Caboolture Campus https://tafeqld.edu.au Tallon Street, Caboolture, Queensland TAFE Queensland SkillsTech https://tafeqld.edu.au 247 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge, Queensland South Australia TAFE SA Regency Campus https://www.tafesa.edu.au 137 Days Road, Regency Park, South Australia Tasmania Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council https://tasminerals.com.au 13 Wellington Street, Burnie, Tasmania Victoria Box Hill Institute https://www.boxhill.edu.au 465 Elgar Road, Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria Bendigo TAFE http://www.bendigotafe.edu.au 23 Mundy Street, Bendigo, Victoria Federation University https://federation.edu.au Lydiard Street South, Ballarat, Victoria
Further Information For further information, please contact: training@weldaustralia.com.au or +61 2 8748 0100, or visit www.weldaustralia.com.au.
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Expand Your Audience. Grow Your Business. Advertise with Weld Australia.
Weld Australia is happy to offer you and your business the opportunity to promote your products and services directly to the decision makers in the welding and fabricating industryÂ. We have a range of cost effective advertising and editorial packages available, in both Weld Connect and Australian Welding.
For further information, contact: Donna South on d.south@weldaustralia.com.au or +61 (0)2 8748 0130