Branch meetings and apprenticeships update

I have been reflecting on the changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has made to me and am fortunate that none of my family has been seriously ill, though quite a few relatives have had it to differing degrees. One of the more positive things to have come out of the way things have adapted are the BINDT Branch meetings. I am copied into other NDT organisations’ bulletins and often they will be advertising a meeting or event being held online and to attend there will be a cost associated with it. The BINDT Branch meetings are free to attend and are open to both members and non-members alike; additionally, the basic grade of membership is also available free of charge. What I find a little disappointing is the limited number of overseas attendees, but I do recognise that time zones could be a part of the issue. The Early Careers Branch is very active, has interesting plans and is not specifically linked to any geographic location. There is also the bonus of an attendance certificate, which can help with certification renewal and earning continuing professional development (CPD) points. The main gain is the information and knowledge learnt by attending the meetings. I recently attended a meeting that was discussing tangential radiography on in-service pipelines and, in just a few well-chosen images, we were shown debris collecting in the pipe and entrapped air and were told of a critical loss of pipe wall thickness that necessitated the immediate closing of that pipeline; unfortunately, the valve was several miles away. If the pipe had leaked its contents, which were extremely hazardous, it would probably have had life-threatening consequences. One of the disadvantages of the online meetings is that you must provide your own drinks and snacks and you do not get to socialise with old and new friends!

Many of you will be aware that I am involved in the English apprenticeship scheme and helping to provide the end-point assessments. These apprenticeships include the requirement for a project to be undertaken and the range of projects being worked on is extensive. Some of the Level 6 projects are very work-specific and technically complex, as would be expected for this calibre of apprentice. Many of the Level 2 and 3 projects are simpler, but the results have saved the employers money and the testers time, giving the customers a better experience. Some of the projects have centred around the control of consumables and the more difficult aspects seem to have been getting buy-in from existing colleagues who did not want to be bothered with more paperwork but, when they reluctantly logged the use of consumables, found that there was much less time spent chasing half-empty aerosols to complete a job. Sometimes the simpler things can be most effective. Is it time to look at your working practices to see if small improvements can be made to help workflow?

If you wish to be included in the Branch meetings, please email Karen Cambridge (karen.cambridge@bindt.org).

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