Screening Filipino Welders: TESDA SMAW and MMAW Levels

A CV that says “TESDA certified welder” leaves several questions unanswered. Which welding process was assessed? Does the qualification cover carbon steel or stainless steel? Does it address plate, pipe, or both? Is the certificate still valid, and does the supporting evidence match the client’s work?

For overseas staffing agencies screening Filipino welders, the certificate is a starting point. A useful screening file connects the exact qualification to the candidate’s identity, recent experience, and the employer’s technical acceptance requirements.

There is also an update agencies should understand before using an older SMAW certification chart: TESDA now lists the SMAW NC I–IV Training Regulations as superseded and publishes revised qualifications under Manual Metal Arc Welding, or MMAW. (TESDA Training Regulations catalogue)

Start With the Exact Qualification: SMAW or MMAW

TESDA’s current MMAW regulations explain that MMAW is also known as Shielded Metal Arc Welding, or SMAW. This is the process commonly called stick welding. However, the revised qualification documents should not be treated as an unchanged copy of the older SMAW framework. (TESDA MMAW NC I Training Regulations, Section 1)

Record the qualification title exactly as it appears on the candidate’s certificate. When interpreting its scope, use the corresponding TESDA document rather than silently relabelling an older SMAW certificate as MMAW.

The catalogue’s “superseded” label describes the qualification standard. It should not, by itself, be used as proof that an individual certificate is fraudulent or expired. Check the certificate’s dates, registry record, and any applicable transition or renewal requirements with TESDA.

SMAW and MMAW NC Levels: Material and Product Scope

The following comparison summarises the qualification definitions in Section 1 of TESDA’s official Training Regulations. Each linked scope leads to the relevant primary document.

The distinction at NC III and IV matters. “Alloy steel” in an older document should not be carried forward as a claim that the revised qualification covers every alloy used in industrial work. Likewise, the revised NC IV definition includes both plate and pipe; describing it simply as an alloy-steel pipe certificate misses the updated wording.

Use this table to identify the relevant qualification family. It does not establish that a candidate is qualified for every material grade, welding position, thickness, pipe diameter, or production procedure within a client’s contract.

Verify the Certificate Before Presenting the Candidate

First, establish what document the candidate actually holds. TESDA distinguishes a National Certificate, awarded for competence across all units in a qualification, from a Certificate of Competency covering a particular unit or cluster. A training completion certificate should not be presented as proof that the candidate holds an NC. (TESDA assessment and certification FAQ)

Build the verification record around three checks:

• Identity and qualification. Compare the candidate’s identity documents with the certificate. Record the full qualification title, NC level, certificate number, and issue and expiry dates. If a scan is unclear, request a legible copy rather than completing missing details from the CV.
• Registry confirmation. Use TESDA’s official Registry of Certified Workers entry points, selecting the appropriate issuance period. Compare the available record with the submitted certificate and keep the lookup date. If the result is missing or inconsistent, record verification as pending and contact the issuing TESDA office; an unsuccessful search alone does not establish forgery. (TESDA registry for 2017 onwards, with a link to earlier issuances)
• Validity and renewal. TESDA’s FAQ states that NCs and COCs have a five-year validity period. Check the actual certificate dates and any renewal evidence. The FAQ also says that, when new Training Regulations have been promulgated, renewal on expiry involves assessment against the new standards. Confirm the applicable route with the TESDA office where the original certificate was issued. (TESDA FAQ, certificate validity and renewal)

Separate TESDA Certification From Project Welding Qualification

The standards referenced by a training regulation do not establish the full scope of an individual welder’s project qualification. Avoid presenting an NC as automatic approval to work under every AWS, ASME, API, or ISO requirement mentioned in training materials.

For example, the revised MMAW NC I and II definitions reference AWS D1.1, while NC III and IV reference AWS D1.6. Agencies should therefore avoid copying one generic list of welding codes across all levels. The relevant references are in the linked TESDA regulations above.

If the client requires a particular welding qualification, request the corresponding performance qualification or test record. Ask the client’s welding or quality representative to confirm whether the record’s scope and acceptance conditions meet the job requirements.

The AWS Certified Welder programme illustrates this distinction: candidates perform a test using a specific Welding Procedure Specification, and the completed weld is evaluated against the applicable acceptance criteria. A general certificate label does not convey all of that information. (AWS Certified Welder programme)

For screening, request the process, material, joint and product form, test position, applicable code, test date, and supporting results. Where required, obtain evidence that the qualification remains current. Leave technical acceptance to the party authorised to approve welding qualifications for the project.

Match the Evidence to the Client’s Actual Work

Start with a written requirement. “We need welders” is too broad to determine whether a candidate’s evidence is relevant.

TESDA lists GMAW, GTAW, and FCAW separately in its qualification resources. Where a job combines processes, request evidence for each part of the work. (TESDA qualification downloads)

Recent experience should be checked separately. Ask candidates to describe the materials, positions, procedures, and inspection requirements they worked with, then seek supporting employment or test records. Record unverified experience as unverified.

Screening Findings That Need Follow-Up

Follow up when a certificate number or name conflicts with the registry record, the submitted document is unreadable, renewal evidence is missing, or the qualification does not match the process and material being claimed.

Avoid treating a missing lower-level certificate as automatic proof that a higher-level credential is invalid. For example, the MMAW NC III training entry requirements allow completion of MMAW NC II training or possession of that certificate. Training prerequisites and possession of a separate lower-level NC are different questions. (TESDA MMAW NC III Training Regulations, Section 3.3)

Before submission, label each item clearly: verified certificate, documented experience, technical acceptance pending, or further testing required. This gives the client a usable decision record without overstating readiness.

Give Your Philippine Recruitment Partner a Clear Brief

For screening Filipino welders, send the role, headcount, destination country, welding processes, materials, plate or pipe scope, required positions, and the client’s testing criteria. Agree who will verify TESDA records, arrange practical testing, and approve technical qualifications.

Jezem Manpower Agency works with overseas staffing agencies on Philippine sourcing and screening. Read about the agency partnership model and use the hiring compliance checklist to frame the broader recruitment discussion.

Send Jezem your welding requirement with the technical brief and required supporting records so the screening scope can be agreed before candidates are presented.