Arc Welding Processes I

Welding · Level 4 · 3 Chapters

▣ What this unit covers

In this unit, you will be able to confidently set up and operate arc welding equipment to create strong, precise welds on metal materials, all while maintaining a safe and organized workspace. You’ll learn to read welding drawings like a pro, prepare materials accurately, and adjust welding parameters to meet job requirements. By mastering these skills, you’ll be ready to contribute effectively and safely in real-world welding tasks, ensuring quality work and a secure environment for yourself and your team.

■ Where this takes you

Arc welding is a skill that opens doors to many hands-on jobs across Kenya’s growing industrial and informal sectors. Whether you join a team on a construction site, set up your own metal-fabrication shop, or keep farm equipment humming, the abilities you master in this unit are directly valued by employers and customers alike.

Construction sites in Nairobi’s CBD and industrial estates - you read welding drawings, set up the right parameters and join structural steel members safely, earning a daily wage or a contract rate as a certified welder on high-rise projects.
Metal-fabrication workshops in Kiambu and Nakuru - you assemble and maintain arc-welding machines, prepare cut metal plates and produce gates, frames, and agricultural implements, earning a salary or profit from selling custom-made metal products.
Boat-building yards along the Kenyan coast (Mombasa, Malindi) - you perform flat-position welds on hull sections up to 6 mm thick, ensuring watertight joints for fishing boats and tourist vessels, and receive piece-rate payments for each completed section.
Automotive repair garages in Kisumu and Eldoret - you repair chassis and exhaust systems by interpreting technical sketches, adjusting welding parameters, and keeping tools in top condition, earning a fixed wage or commission per repair job.
Mining support workshops in Kitale and Kakamega - you fabricate and repair steel brackets, conveyor parts and safety cages, applying preventive maintenance on welding equipment to minimise downtime, and receive a steady salary in a union-run operation.
Agricultural machinery service centres in Meru and Embu - you prepare and weld components for tractors, irrigation frames and grain-processing equipment, charging farmers a service fee for each repaired or newly fabricated part.
Small-scale renewable-energy firms in Nyeri - you join steel supports for solar-panel frames, following strict safety procedures and clean-room housekeeping standards, earning project-based payments.
Independent mobile welding services in towns such as Thika, Nakuru, and Garissa - you travel to client sites, set up portable arc-welding rigs, troubleshoot faulty tools, and charge hourly or per-job rates for on-the-spot repairs and fabrications.

Mastering these practical skills means you can move confidently between salaried positions and your own entrepreneurial ventures, building a reputation for safety, precision and reliability that keeps work coming your way. Keep welding, keep growing!