Most testers are employed 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday. Some work swing or graveyard shifts and some are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fringe benefits usually include paid vacations, holidays, and medical and dental insurance. Most nondestructive testing shops prefer applicants with at least a high school diploma and classes in the physical science and mathematics. College courses in physics and engineering are also helpful.
Some employers provide in-service training.
To advance through the certification levels, workers with the required experienced must pass a written and practical test that is administered by the employer. Each examination level requires an established number of classroom and work experience hours in each discipline. Nondestructive Testers usually specialize in more than one area to increase their marketability, skills, and chances for promotion. Levels I and II are working levels, and level III is usually a supervisory level. Many level III testers own their own testing facilities.