SECTION TOOLKIT

The Section Request Form is to be used to submit a request to AWS HQ for support. Examples include having an announcement distributed to the members of your Section/District, a website update, a Facebook post, or requesting access to an AWS-provided online meeting account. 

Click here to complete the Section Request Form.

The Post-Event Report Form (formerly known as the Welding Journal Submission Form) is to be used to report happenings of AWS District, Section, and/or Student Chapter meetings/events as well as to have activity considered for publication in an upcoming issue of the Welding Journal.

Click here to complete the Post-Event Report Form.

The Section Agreement Form is to be used by Section leaders who wish to take advantage of the opportunities for their Section to benefit from an AWS Seminar and Exam that is scheduled to take place within their Section's boundaries.

Click here to complete the Section Agreement Form.

Organizational Manual for Sections, Divisions and International Sections

Guidelines for establishing a new AWS Section, Division or International Section
*Last revised 2/16/2018

AWS Manual of Operations for Sections and Divisions

Need to know how to run your Section? This manual provides all you need to know in a searchable pdf.
*Last revised 5/18/2018

Suggested Duties and Responsibilities for Section Officers and Committee Chairmen

This document outlines the various roles and responsibilities of Section Officers and Committee Chairmen and explains how these positions are filled. A must-read for Sections who want to ensure they are utilizing voluntary leadership in the most effective way. 
*Last revised 12/8/2017

Treasurer's Tutorial & Guidance

These guidelines are designed to supplement the AWS Manual of Operations For Sections and Divisions and bring the best business practices for Sections’ Treasury operations. Each Section should review, analyze and evaluate these guidelines and make necessary changes in its existing operations.

Section Compliance Checklist 

This tool is intended to be used to provide Section Officers with a quick overview of best/required practices for the operation of a healthy and productive Section. Click here to view a webinar that was conducted on September 26th to provide an overview of the checklist and review of the recommended practices. This is suggested viewing for all Section Chairman and Treasurers. 

AWS Whistleblower Policy
This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable Employees and others to raise serious concerns internally, so that AWS can address and correct inappropriate conduct and actions.

Publication Purchases and Resell Policies
AWS Sections are entitled to receive a discount on AWS produced publications. It is recommended that the proceeds from selling these publications be used toward the Section’s scholarship fund. The Section discount is 40% off the list price.

• For the procedure on ordering AWS publications using the Section 40% discount, click here.
• Section Officers, especially those tasked with the resale of publications by your Section, should be aware of, and understand, the AWS Board-approved resell policies.

2024 AWS SECTION ANNUAL REPORT

The 2024 AWS Section Annual Reporting process has now begun.

Please be advised: The Section Annual Report is a bylaw requirement of the American Welding Society (AWS). The Section Annual Report covers the fiscal year - June 1 to May 31 - and must be received by AWS World Headquarters in order for AWS to issue an Anniversary Payment and Dues Rebate to your Section.

Please review the appropriate area below (North American Sections OR International Sections) to view details relating to the Annual Report your Section should be completing and corresponding deadlines.

North American Sections (all Sections in Districts 1-22)

The 2024 AWS Section Annual Report is, once again, being conducted in 2 parts:

Part I (Secretary's Report) is now available. Members recognized in the role of Section Secretary and Section Chair for the 2023-2024 Section year were emailed with instructions on how to complete the Part I on Friday, May 31st. 2024 AWS Section Annual Report - Part I (Secretary's Report) online form for full details.

The Part I will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and must be completed in a single sitting. The system will not allow you to save your work and return at a later time to complete the form. We encourage you to use the 2024 AWS Section Annual Report - Part I (Secretary's Report) Worksheet to gather the information needed and then proceed to complete the 2024 AWS Section Annual Report in a single sitting.

When you are ready to proceed with completing the online form, please click the following link: 2024 AWS Section Annual Report - Part I (Secretary's Report).

Part II (Treasurer's Report) instructions were emailed directly to all Members recognized in the role of Section Treasurer, with Section Chairs copied, between Thursday, June 6 and Friday, June 7.
*For Sections who will be submitting the Part II using FreshBooks; Please review the presentation that has been prepared to guide you through the process: https://slides.com/lapka1983/deck
Please email the Treasurer's Report to annualreport@aws.org

Part II (Treasurer’s Report) will be distributed to all active domestic (North American Sections) Section Treasurers via email in early June.

Please note that the 2024 AWS Section Annual Report is due July 1, 2024. A 25% penalty will be applied to your Section's Annual Rebate if your Section's Annual Report is received after July 1, 2024, but before September 15, 2024. A 75% penalty will be applied if your Annual Report is received after September 15, 2024, but before December 15, 2024. Reports received after December 15, 2024, will be accepted for documentation purposes but the Section Rebate and Anniversary Payment will not be issued. Please complete the report as thoroughly as possible, but do not to miss the July 1 deadline. Should your Section be unable to complete the report prior to the July 1 deadline, please email annualreport@aws.org to discuss. 

International Sections (any Section outside of Districts 1-22)

Please note: The International Section Annual Report will take approximately 15 minutes to complete and must be completed in a single sitting. The system will not allow you to save your work and return at a later time to complete the form. We encourage you to use the 2024 AWS International Section Annual Report Worksheetto gather the information needed and then proceed to complete the 2024 AWS International Section Annual Report in a single sitting.

When you are ready to proceed with completing the online form, please click the following link: 2024 AWS International Section Annual Report

Please note that the 2024 AWS International Section Annual Report is due August 1, 2024.
A 25% penalty will be applied to your Section's Annual Rebate if your Section's Annual Report is received after August 1, 2024 but before September 15, 2024. A 75% penalty will be applied if your Annual Report is received after September 15, 2024 but before December 15, 2024. Reports received after December 15, 2024 will be accepted for documentation purposes but the Section Rebate and Anniversary Payment will not be issued.

Strong Sections are led by informed and empowered leaders. Properly onboarding a new volunteer leader will help to ensure they are on a path to provide the greatest support and gain the greatest benefit from their participation. 

Resources relating to Section Leader Onboarding will be compiled over time and placed here for easy access. To get started, please review the December 2022 AWS Section Solutions Conversation during which we focused on the topic of Onboarding Section Leaders, noting that proper onboarding will help to ensure:

Awareness - a properly onboarded volunteer leader will be aware of their role and responsibilities and how to enact that role to support the Section's efforts.

Ability - a properly onboarded volunteer leader will have - or will gain - the ability to enact their role through the use of specific resources, many of which can be found in the AWS Section Toolkit.

Satisfaction - a properly onboarded volunteer leader will be more likely to find satisfaction in their efforts, serving as an effective ambassador of the AWS and proudly sharing their passion for the industry with others. 

Sustainability - properly onboarded volunteer leaders will be more likely to remain involved for longer periods of time and their actions will help to ensure the sustainability of the Section they are supporting, reducing the likelihood of periods of inactivity/inaccessibility within a Section. 

We encourage all volunteer leaders review the Suggested Duties & Responsibilities for Section Officers and Committee Chairmen to become aware of their role(s) and related responsibilities. 

Our monthly AWS Section Solutions Conversations are a great way to remain informed and up-to-speed on recommended practices for Section operations. 

For those involved in helping to onboard a new Section Leader, please review the Onboarding Timeline below. 

Onboarding Timeline

1. Connect the new Section Leader with other members of the Section's leadership team.
   - This should be done within the first 2 weeks of a new leader's involvement. This introduction could be an in-person meeting or phone call/web meeting to get everyone connected. AWS HQ can provide access to a Zoom account to facilitate the process. 
2. Ensure the new Section Leader has access to the Suggested Duties & Responsibilities for Section Officers and Committee Chairmen and has reviewed the outline for their role(s). 
   - This should be done within the first 2 weeks of a new leader's involvement.
3. Review the Section's plan of action with the new Section Leader. This will help to ensure they are aware of what the Section is working to achieve and see how their role will be activated in support of the effort. Invite the new Section Leader to provide their thought on the efforts. Allowing a new leader to provide feedback will enhance their feeling of being welcome to contribute and allow them to get a better understanding of how the Section's leadership team interacts. This may also help other leaders to see from a different perspective. 
   - This should be done within the first 2 weeks of a new leader's involvement. 
4. Check in with the leader. If the new Section Leader is not actively involved in a task or if they are working on something but you haven't received an update since they began the project, check in with them. This will help to ensure all are on the same page and moving in a direction to support the Section's goal(s). 
   - This should be done within the first 30 days of a new leader's involvement and at least once a month once a Section Leader has become involved. 

AWS Section Officer Communities

AWS World Headquarters offers complimentary, unlimited cloud storage to ensure all Sections have the ability to store documentation and resources relevant to Section operations. 
Click here to view a video which provides an Overview of and Best Practices for use of AWS Section Officer Communities.

For any questions or requests for support with the onboarding process, please email sections@aws.org

Before your Meeting/Event

Liability Insurance
Depending on the circumstances, Sections may be required to obtain liability insurance for an event(s). Email sections@aws.org to request a Liability Insurance request form.

Insurance Certificate & General Information Form

Post Card Templates
Both the New Jersey and Philadelphia Sections have provided the templates they use for sending Members reminders to be sure their contact information is updated and current. The Philadelphia Section also submitted their template for meeting reminders.
Click here to download the post card templates.

During your Meeting/Event

Cash Receipt Template
Click here to download a template which can be used for creating a cash receipt for Section use.

Recording Minutes

• Minutes - Executive Committee
  Template to record minutes of your Section's Executive Committee meetings
• Minutes - Section Meetings
  Template to record minutes of your Section meetings
• Roberts Rules of Order
  To assist in conducting Section meetings

After your Meeting/Event

Evaluation Form
Click here to download a form which may be helpful to Section Officers who wish to gauge the success of Section meetings and special events.

Other Commonly Used Forms and Templates

Monthly Section Reconciliation Form and Instructions
For use in tracking Section finances throughout the year, as well as in completing the Section's annual financial report.
Click here to download the Section Reconciliation Form. 

Invoice Template
Click here to download a template which can be used to create a Section invoice.

Section Solutions Conversations

These monthly online meetings are intended to enhance ties between AWS HQ and AWS Section leaders by providing timely updates and tips on Section operations.

Next Up: TBA

Recordings of past conversations will be found on a new AWS Section Solutions Conversations page.

The AWS Speakers Directory has been developed to help AWS Sections and Student Chapters identify the presenters needed to facilitate meaningful educational and technical programs.

If you are an AWS District, Section, or Student Chapter leader looking for a speaker for an upcoming meeting/event, please contact AWS Sr. Manager, Sections and Student Chapters, Darrill A. Gaschler (dgaschler@aws.org) to attain access to the AWS Speakers Directory. 

If you are a speaker interested in sharing your experience in – and passion for – the industry while educating and inspiring others, being listed in the AWS Speakers Directory can help you achieve that goal. 
Please visit aws.org/speakers to complete the AWS Speakers Directory Speaker Information Form and share your experience and passion with us. 

AWS has seen many of our Sections begin to host meetings and events online to ensure Section activity can continue despite limitations on in-person gatherings, and we are grateful for that. An added benefit has been that Sections have become more accessible to members who live outside of the traditional "hubs" of Section activity – a bonus we are excited to experience.

Visit our Online Meeting Resources page to learn about how AWS is providing support for online meetings. 

Sections can award Professional Development Hours (PDH) for meetings/events where technical presentations that cover one or more of the areas indicated in AWS B5.1, Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors, are given. PDHs will be credited based upon each contact hour of activity, consisting of not less than 50 minutes of instruction. Currently, a maximum of 20 PDHs may be accepted for 9-year CWI and SCWI recertifications.

AWS QC1:2016, Specification for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors (QC1:2016-AMD1) includes an overview of PDHs and the many different ways a candidate can achieve them.

One question we are receiving often as more meetings/events turn to a virtual format is;

Does our Section's online meeting/event qualify?

16.5.1 of AWS QC1:2016 notes that:
PDHs may be earned by participating in any classroom, correspondence, or distance learning in one or more subject areas listed in AWS B5.1, Specification for the Qualification of Welding Inspectors, Table 1.

How does our Section inform AWS of PDHs we have awarded?

Sections are asked to complete this form each time they host a technical presentation in which they issued Professional Development Hours (PDH) to attendees. Information submitted via this form will go into a database that will allow AWS Certification personnel to easily review the event details which will help AWS provide better support for Certification candidates who are seeking to apply PDHs to initial certification and renewal. 

Some Sections also use this Meeting Attendance Log to keep track of meeting attendees should the AWS Certification Department need to verify a certification candidate’s record of attendance.

*The AWS Section Officer Community – the “cloud” storage that AWS HQ provides to all active AWS Sections, upon request – is a great place to store documents like this for long-term safekeeping.

Visit our Awards section to learn more about AWS Awards, including eligibility and nomination information.

The Digital Marketing Kit for Sections page contains digital content to be used for marketing your AWS Section.