Glasgow welding company celebrates 30,000 trainee milestone

28/01/2020
Paul Flynn, a time-served welder with 25 years experience, was the 30,000th graduate

JOHN Tracey Specialist Welding has reached a major milestone after the 30,000th welder graduated from its training centre.

The Glasgow-based company – part of the Malin Group – attracts welders from all over the world, and at all stages of their careers, as they travel to train and be tested with JTSW.

Paul Flynn, a time-served welder with 25 years experience, was the 30,000th graduate – receiving his latest certification for working with Titanium 6G.

He said: “John Tracey has a worldwide reputation and companies know that if you’re John Tracey certified, you’re trusted.  As a welder, you need to show that you are trained and tested to very specific standards and that’s the same regardless of where you are in your welding career.

“It’s an ongoing process. I hold 18 different codings and every one of them needs to be re-tested every three years. This is an industry where standards are very high and you are always learning, always being tested so that there is no doubt about your skills.”

John Tracey Specialist Welding (JTSW) is a welding-fabrication company specialising in the fabrication and welding of industrial pipeline services and specialist welding fabrication work for the offshore and onshore industries.  It also provides a comprehensive welder testing service for companies and individuals who require performance qualifications in line with International Standards.  Welders from as far afield as Australia and Columbia travel to be accredited with the Glasgow firm.

Iain Wilson recently joined JTSW as General Manager – 20 years after he was accredited by the company as a trainee. He said: “John Tracey has a strong history of supporting apprentices and trains people of all ages and abilities, from young apprentices to time served welders with decades of experience behind them.  It is a one-stop-shop for welding training and certification. 

“The certifications they receive from JTSW are invaluable. There are lots of pitfalls in the welding game and there can be significant risks and repercussions if mistakes are made.  Considerations of safety are paramount on all of our projects – sometimes we have little knowledge of the end use, so we treat all welds as if they are safety critical.

“This means that our clients can be confident that our welders have the skills required to ensure risks are eradicated. The John Tracey name is associated with technical expertise, and welding integrity so we make sure any welders coming through here are trained and tested to the highest standards.”

All personnel meeting the company’s exacting requirements are issued with a unique examination and identity certificate. Test results are made available for endorsement and certification by recognised authorities such as Lloyd Register, D. N. V. and A. O. T. C.

JTSW is part of the Malin Group and is due to move from its current base in Renfrew to the Scottish Marine Technology Park being developed by Malin on the Clyde – a centre of excellence for marine manufacturing that could create 1000 jobs.

Malin Group offer a range of services through Malin React, Malin Consult, Malin Workboats, Malin Subsea, Malin Renewable, BWC, Cleanship Solutions, Henry Abram & Sons and Malin Marine Consultants. Each are built on the core Malin value of heritage, expertise, innovation and a commitment to the environment to offer the marine industry the end to end solutions they require.

All are delivered by a dedicated team of over 100 staff including marine engineers, structural engineers and naval architects – underpinned by the Malin Group’s 120 year marine engineering pedigree.

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