NDT tough. Interview with Benjamin Nordstad, Level II inspector at Aker Solutions
July 2, 2026
Eighteen-year-old Benjamin Nordstrand is one of Aker’s youngest apprentices, working in non-destructive testing at the Aker Verdal construction site in Norway. His story reflects what it means to combine precision, responsibility, and the will to learn.
Benjamin, tell us a bit about yourself
“I’m 18 years old and an apprentice at Aker. I live about six minutes from here and started in August this year. Before that, I attended trade school for two years at TIF (Teknologi- og industrifag), Technology and Industrial Production. From there, I applied for an apprenticeship at Aker. I was pretty tired of regular school. I wanted to do something more practical - work with my hands and less writing. TIF gave me the chance to work with steel, be creative, and learn different trades.”
From hobby to profession
You mentioned you’re into motorsports - does that connect to your work?
“In my free time, I do a lot of welding. I probably started around 14, through school, and as a hobby. My hobby is motorsports, so I work on cars. I build and race cars and am currently working on a Volvo 340 that I plan to race at the local track. But I don’t want to combine my job and hobby - if you do, you can get tired of your hobby.”
Discovering NDT
How did you end up choosing NDT?
“A friend of mine was really interested in it. I heard about it from him, sent my resume, and got the job. I’m very interested in welding - how it works, the fundamentals, and the different testing methods. It’s fascinating to understand what makes a good weld and how to ensure quality.”
What role do you think NDT plays in society?
”I think NDT is a bit of an invisible line of work. You don’t really see it - it’s often just notes on paper - but it’s crucial. We conduct quality control to ensure the products we send out are safe and meet standards. If you skip NDT on welds, you can end up with weak structures that break. Offshore, that can be really dangerous. We’ve seen cases where bad welds caused cracks or even rigs to sink. It’s vital for the safety of offshore workers and for bridges and other structures.”
“I think NDT is a bit of an invisible line of work. You don’t really see it. It’s often just notes on paper - but it’s crucial”
Benjamin Nordstad,
Level II inspector at Aker Solutions
Building something bigger
What’s it like being part of the team at Aker?
“At this point, I’m pretty happy with Aker - with the opportunities here and everything I’m learning. It’s a good company to work for.
You get to be part of the building process - to see how everything takes shape. One day it’s just a pipe, and the next it’s part of a jacket structure, the massive steel framework that supports offshore oil platforms - the foundation that keeps them anchored to the seabed - that’s pretty cool.
There aren’t many other employers in the area within NDT, though there are in other trades. I chose Aker specifically because I’m very interested in the offshore market. I think it’s a sustainable line of work, and I can see myself doing this for many years.”
Latest three news
Focus topic. A conversation with Jan Bressendorff and Allen Gress about pipeline weld inspection
October 8, 2026
On a pipeline job, the X-ray system is chosen for the weld, not from a catalog. Pipe size and access determine how the crew can inspect it. The procedure sets what the image must show. Heat, weight and exposure time shape the working day. A poor choice can cost hours. A good one helps the crew get an image the inspector can assess without needless delay.
Read moreFocus topic. The HP/15 builds on two decades of proven HP/11 performance for digital detectors, in-line inspection and CT.
September 21, 2026
For two decades, the HP/11 has been the reference minifocus X-ray tube for high-resolution and high throughput radiography. The HP/15 keeps everything that made it trusted, and reengineers the rest for digital detectors, in-line inspection and computed tomography.
Read moreFrom the field. Cooler leakage with Pierre-Emmanuel Rigot at X-RIS
September 10, 2026
This is not primarily a story about a cooler leak - it is a story about what happens when insight arrives too late. About the cost of operating without remote access. About the difference between reacting to failures and preventing them. And about how weak signals only become meaningful over time when data is allowed to flow. At its core, this case shows why BLOX alone is not enough.
Read more