KC accredited as American Welding Society test site

Kishwaukee College has been accredited as a test site for certifications by the American Welding Society (AWS). Kishwaukee is one of only six AWS accredited testing facilities in Illinois and can conduct testing for local business and industry welders on campus or on-site. Pictured is Zach Caccia, Welding Technology instructor, with a welding student.

Kishwaukee College has been accredited as a test site for certifications by the American Welding Society (AWS). Zachery Caccia, Kish Welding faculty, stated, “Area businesses have been requesting a local test site for their employees to receive AWS certifications so we pursued accreditation. We are excited to receive accreditation to serve the needs of local business and industry.”

AWS is the internationally accepted standard for welding professionals and it took Caccia, the Kish Welding Tech department and Career Technologies division nearly a year to complete the accreditation process, which included an on-site audit of facilities. Kishwaukee is one of only six AWS accredited testing facilities in Illinois – the other five are Carpenters’ J.T.F. of St Louis in Belleville; ETI School of Skilled Trades in Willowbrook; Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby; Rock Valley College in Rockford; and Valley Fabrication, Inc. in La Salle.

AWS Test Facilities test and qualify welders to receive certification in a variety of welding and fabrication skills. Caccia noted, “Many workplace contracts will specify that only certified welders can work on projects. Now local business and industry can contact Kish and we can test their employees either on campus or on-site.”

According to the AWS website, business and industry that use AWS accredited test facilities to test and qualify their welders will save money, improve productivity, and reduce liability. The result has been an increase in businesses that use AWS test sites for employee certification. Caccia added, “This is also a great addition to the Kishwaukee College Welding Tech program, too. Our students are better prepared to receive their certifications having learned to weld in a AWS facility.”

For more information on the Welding program at Kishwaukee College or AWS certification testing, contact Zach Caccia at 815-825- 9703 or at zachery.caccia@kishwaukeecollege.edu.