IFHTSE Global 21: Heat treatment and surface engineering in the twenty-first century Part 8 – Training in heat treatment and surface engineering

AbstractIt is well known that metallurgists, materials scientists and engineers all have some training in heat treatment and surface engineering (thermal processing) as an intrinsic part of their courses, irrespective of the qualification to which the course leads. However, for those who are going to work in the thermal processing industry or have responsibility for that area of their business, it has to be acknowledged that the level of training is not in sufficient depth to allow them to conduct the business in the best possible manner. In other words, additional training is required. How employees were trained some years ago is compared with the training that is available today, and measures to ensure that sufficient appropriately trained people are available to the industry in the future are proposed. Although the main thrust of this paper will be applicable to all businesses carrying out thermal processing, it is very much based on the author's experience of working for Bodycote, a major thermal proc...