There are many objectives and benefits of qualifying welding procedures and welders/operators. Qualification to a standard provides assurance that only safe & reliable welded products are produced. There are numerous qualification requirements outlined in the various industry standards. This chapter introduces the organization and scope of two qualification standards addressed in this book, namely the American Welding Society “Specification for Welding Procedure and Performance Qualification” (AWS B2.1), and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers specification for “Qualification Standard for Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Procedures; Welders; Brazers; and Welding, Brazing and Fusing Operators” (ASME Section IX).