Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW): Practical Welding Course

• Duration: 5 days
• Qualification: Certificate (Accredited)

Individuals seeking to learn how to weld or those wishing to acquire a new skill or upskill themselves can attend any Monday to Friday session, once a booking is confirmed.

Assessment

Outcomes of training will depend on the individual’s ability to successfully undertake a Welder Performance Certification test as mandated by the various construction standards i.e. ASME section IX (required by Petrochemical Industry), (ISO 9606 required by Power Generation Industry) and AWS D1.1 – 6 (required for Structural Fabrication Industries).

Examples of the welding positions commonly used in welder training can be seen in the diagram below.

Entry Requirements

• Good hand-eye coordination is the most important aspect to allow one to excel in welding.
• Appropriate health as well as physical and mental capability is also required.

NB: The above pricing includes certification testing (Coding) to the desired Construction Standard most applicable to the work.

Personal Protective Equipment

Students are required to supply their own personal protective equipment (safety boots, flame retardant overall)

Career Opportunities

Welder

• General Welder: Perform welding operations in a variety of industries, including construction, manufacturing, and shipbuilding. Welders use different types of welding processes (e.g., MIG, TIG, Stick) to join materials such as steel, aluminum, and stainless steel.
• Fabricator Welder: Work in fabrication shops, assembling and welding metal structures or components based on blueprints and technical specifications.
• Structural Welder: Specialize in welding heavy structural components for buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure projects.

Welding Specialist

• Welding Technician: Work with advanced welding equipment and materials, performing inspections, troubleshooting, and recommending improvements to welding processes and techniques.
• Welding Foreman/Supervisor: Lead teams of welders on large projects, ensuring that welding operations meet safety standards, quality control measures, and project timelines.
• Welding Consultant: Offer expertise to companies and projects requiring specialized welding knowledge, including assessing the quality of welds, selecting the right welding methods, and providing training.

Welding Inspector

• Certified Welding Inspector (CWI): Inspect welds to ensure they meet industry standards and specifications. CWIs may work on construction sites, manufacturing facilities, or in welding laboratories, ensuring that welds are strong, defect-free, and safe.
• Quality Control Inspector: Focus on ensuring that welding processes are executed according to industry standards and customer specifications, preventing defects and ensuring quality control across projects.

Welding Engineer

• Welding Process Engineer: Develop, optimize, and improve welding processes in industrial settings. This involves researching new techniques, testing materials, and creating procedures to enhance efficiency, safety, and quality.
• Welding Design Engineer: Work with architects and structural engineers to design metal structures or components that require welding. They ensure that the welding specifications are met, ensuring the structural integrity of the final product.

Maintenance Welder

• Maintenance Technician (Welding): Work in maintenance teams for industries such as mining, manufacturing, or oil and gas. Perform welding repairs on equipment, machinery, or infrastructure to ensure they are operational and safe.
• Repair Welder: Specialize in welding repairs for damaged or broken metal components, often working in sectors like automotive repair, heavy machinery, and plant maintenance.

Pipe Welder

• Pipeline Welder: Specialize in welding pipes, often for the oil, gas, and chemical industries. Pipeline welders ensure that pipelines are securely joined, free of defects, and able to carry fluids or gases safely.
• High-Pressure Welder: Work with materials that will be used in high-pressure environments, such as boilers, steam pipes, and hydraulic systems, requiring advanced welding skills and adherence to strict safety standards.

Metal Fabricator

• Sheet Metal Worker: Use welding skills to fabricate, cut, and shape metal sheets for a variety of products, from HVAC systems to automotive parts.
• Metal Fabrication Specialist: Combine welding with cutting, bending, and assembling metal components into finished products. These can include structural components, tools, machinery, or artistic sculptures.

Construction Welder

• Construction Site Welder: Work on large construction projects, such as building bridges, skyscrapers, and roads. Construction welders join steel beams, rebar, and other structural elements to create safe and durable infrastructures.
• Welding in Heavy Construction: Focus on welding operations for high-rise buildings, tunnels, and other large-scale infrastructure projects.

Automotive Welder

• Automotive Body Welder: Specialize in welding and repairing car bodies, frames, and components. This role often involves working in collision repair centers or auto manufacturing plants.
• Automotive Manufacturing Welder: Work in automotive production lines to weld vehicle frames, parts, and components as part of mass production processes.

Entrepreneur / Welding Business Owner

• Welding Business Owner: Start your own welding business, offering services such as custom welding, fabrication, or repair services to both individual and commercial clients.
• Freelance Welder: Offer specialized welding services to a variety of clients, working on custom projects, repairs, or installations across various industries.

Welding Trainer or Educator

• Welding Instructor: Teach welding techniques and safety protocols to students at vocational schools, technical colleges, or apprenticeship programs.
• Workplace Trainer: Provide on-the-job training for new welders or employees in welding workshops, teaching them to operate welding machines and follow best practices in welding.

Research & Development in Welding

• Welding Researcher: Work in R&D departments to develop new welding technologies, materials, and methods. Research can focus on increasing efficiency, improving material strength, or exploring alternative welding processes.
• Innovation and Technology Specialist: Explore new welding techniques, such as automation or robotics, and help industries transition to cutting-edge welding practices.

Welding Equipment Sales and Support

• Welding Equipment Sales Specialist: Work in sales for companies that manufacture or distribute welding equipment. Provide advice and recommendations to clients on the best welding machines, tools, and consumables for their specific needs.
• Technical Support Specialist: Offer technical assistance and troubleshooting services for welding equipment, helping customers with machine maintenance, repairs, and optimizations.

International Welding Opportunities

• International Welder: Travel or relocate internationally for high-paying welding opportunities in countries with significant infrastructure or energy development projects (e.g., Middle East, North America).
• Overseas Pipeline Welder: Work on large-scale pipeline projects abroad, especially in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries, where skilled welders are in high demand.

The Practical Welding Course from SAIW equips students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, making them highly employable across various sectors. With ongoing demand for skilled welders in numerous industries—such as construction, manufacturing, energy, and automotive—graduates can find rewarding career paths both locally and internationally.