Brandon McDowell earned his 6GR Pipe Welding Certification through Tarkio Technology Institute (TTI). Brandon is the first graduate of TTI to receive the high honor.

In March of this year, Brandon McDowell received his 6GR Pipe Welding Certification through Tarkio Technology Institute (TTI) in Tarkio, Missouri. Brandon is the first graduate of TTI to receive the high honor.

Brandon is the son of Linda and Kevin McDowell of Shenandoah, Iowa. Brandon started welding at his father’s work place when he was in eighth grade and the AWS Certification he received in 2023 and the Pipe Welding Certification he just earned are the fulfillment of the dream. Brandon also graduated high school in May.

Scott Adams, TTI Welding instructor, has the utmost respect for Brandon, saying, “I’d hire him in a second. He’s always early, works late, stays on task and completes whatever he’s assigned.” Every single one of Scott’s welding students taught at TTI have certified on their first attempt.

Brandon attended TTI’s Basic Welding course during the 2022-2023 school year and returned for Pipe Welding training in the fall of 2023. He received his 6GR certification with 6” carbon steel in March in Shenandoah with Dennis Nance, CWI Certified Welding official. Dennis tests all welding students’ projects for Tarkio Tech. He has published numerous professional papers as well as writing portions of the TTI welding textbook, Modern Welding. The 6GR certification is one of the most challenging welding certifications to obtain, requiring welders to perform a full-penetration weld on a pipe in a fixed, inclined position, which simulates the most difficult scenarios welders face on the job. This certification is highly valued in the industry and is often a prerequisite for working on critical infrastructure projects, such as pipelines and power plants. Certification training is generally a 12-18 month training cycle. Brandon’s training and practice was completed in eight months, working two hours per day.

Brandon’s out-of-pocket training cost was less than $300 for a helmet and safety gear by attending during high school. The certification charge was additional. Brandon’s goal is to find employment in pipe welding and earn other forms of pipe welding certifications such as stainless steel and chrome moly.