Nondestructive testing (NDT) is an extremely critical step in many industries. The safety of individual parts, entire systems, and even people can be directly tied to NDT. A single missed defect in an airline or spacecraft could cost millions of dollars and most importantly result in the loss of human life. For these reasons we need to ensure that NDT personnel are competent, qualified, and certified.
Each of these terms are separate things, but they can also interrelate. You can be competent but not be qualified or certified. You can be qualified and competent, but not be certified. If you are certified, you should be considered competent and qualified, but even that will only be in the specific method of your certification. Having a certification from an employer and not from a national or internationally recognized society or standard can, in some cases, still can mean you are not competent and qualified. This can typically only occur if the employer’s written practice does not conform to industry standards and guidelines or if there is outright fraud.