Wed, 06 March, 2024
Veronica Warner, Chief Welding Engineer based at Babcock International’s Devonport facility in Plymouth, became the first female to win the EWF Best European Welding Coordinator!
The award, presented at EWF’s Annual General Assembly held in Lisbon in November 2023, is a testament to an individual’s ability to deliver the responsibilities of a Welding Coordinator in accordance with standards such as ISO 3834, EN 15085 or EN 1090.
Available to individuals who:
- hold the European Welding Engineer Diploma
- have been working as a responsible welding coordinator (rWC) for a minimum of 12 months, at,
- an organisation who holds company certification in accordance with one of the above standards,
This award is a means for individuals, and their company, to showcase their knowledge, skill, and competence to deliver products and services according international requirements.
As an Approved Nominated Body for Company Certification (ANBCC), TWI Certification Ltd (TWI CL) is asked each year by EWF, the European Federation for Welding, Joining, and Cutting, for its nominations for the award. Nominations require the submission of a letter by the employer detailing the competence and contribution of their employee, and a statement from the employee expressing how their Diploma (and their Certified EWE (CEWE) status, if held) has aided in their competence and career achievements.
In Veronica’s case, EWF’s decision was easy.
As the Lead rWC, in a group of five, Veronica was able to distinguish herself through her CEWE and thus demonstrate that she has the “skills to combine the knowledge I learnt on the diploma with my experience within the workplace, but also to translate that knowledge into efficient and quality led processes which can help the business maintain high weld quality.”
Not only is Veronica a competent rWC she is also keen to share her knowledge with others. From creating a presentation on the requirements of ISO 3834 that was rolled out to thousands of people, to supporting Babcock’s graduate engineers, Veronica is keen to aid in the development of others. She defined and set up the first ‘Graduate Materials Engineer’ roles at Devonport, participated in a host of STEM activities – inspiring children and teenagers to become the next generation of engineers – and actively promotes women in engineering through campaigns such as the “Lottie” dolls.
These educational and supporting activities are in addition to Veronicas role as a head of department within the Welding and Non-Destructive Testing (W&NDT) department of Babcock, where her obvious enthusiasm and knowledge, coupled with her approachability, makes her a well-respected member of the team by both colleagues and clients alike.
We wish Veronica our sincerest congratulations on her achievement and best wishes for the future.
Do you think you could be the next EWF Best European Welding Coordinator? Or perhaps you have a “Veronica Warner” at your company? Then nominated them today for the 2023[1] award!
Contact us for full details of the nomination requirements and process. Please note the deadline for submissions to TWI CL is 31 March 2024.
[1] Please note the award is made for the EWF Best European Welding Coordinator for the year preceding. Veronica’s win was for 2022, and the 2024 award will be for the best welding coordinator for 2023.