Gyason Technoengineering Limited, in collaboration with Koforidua Technical University (KTU), the Ghanaian Institute of Welding (GIW), AKTIVA I.I.T.T.C. Limited, and the Ghana Welding Bureau (GWB), are set to hold Ghana's National Welding Competition on May 17, 2025. The event will take place in the Welding Technology Laboratory at KTU.

The event will begin with a webinar – “Introduction to modern welding technologies, " followed by the National Welding Competition. However, registration of welders for the welding competition has ended. Over two hundred welders across Ghana expressed interest. Contestants will be evaluated on four welding processes: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), and Oxy-Fuel Gas Welding (OFW).

The National Welding Competition is the first of its kind in Ghana and throughout West Africa. Welders from academia and industry will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the science of welding while showcasing their technical and vocational skills.

The event is important for several reasons. It provides a platform for welders to apply their skills in testing conditions, identifies welding talents within our communities, creates a database of welders ready for employment, highlights the needs for welding education, training, qualification, and certification, addresses the necessity for reskilling and upskilling welding personnel, and develops pathways and routes towards economic activities in welding for job creation and entrepreneurship.

Winners in each of the welding processes will be selected to represent Ghana in the upcoming International Welding Competitions in China and Germany.

The significance of our participation is vital to Ghana's image, particularly in showcasing our welding capabilities to the international welding community and attracting attention to welding capacity building and investment opportunities in Ghana aimed at job creation. Together, we can place Ghana on the global map of welding through such local and international welding competitions.

The International Welding Skills Competition in Weifang, China, is also scheduled to take place from the 5th to the 10th of September 2025. Additionally, the International Welding Competition for young welders in Essen, Germany, is set for the 15th to the 19th of September 2025. The event in China is hosted by the Organising Committee of the “Arc Cup” International Welding Competition/BRICS Alliance of Skills Development, while the event in Essen, Germany, is organised by the German Welding Society (DVS). Both events receive institutional support from the International Institute of Welding (IIW).

Participating countries include the 53 member societies of the IIW, such as Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., the U.S.A., Japan, China, Romania, Greece, South Africa, and others. 

Key benefits of the international welding competition include enhancing the development of young welding professionals in welding and related joining technologies; gaining unforgettable experiences that will strengthen participants' welding skills; familiarity with international welding best practice and opportunities for networking, research collaboration, joint venture businesses, potential investments, and employment in Ghana.

We have received acceptance and recognition from institutions such as the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, Arc Cup China, and the German Welding Society for both local and international welding events. 

However, organising welding activities of this nature is expensive, particularly due to the costs involved in purchasing welding consumables. This is one of the reasons we encourage the use of welding simulators, as they play a major role in reducing costs, time, and deliverables, such as training welding personnel and testing.

We want to take this opportunity to appeal to the Government of Ghana to support initiatives and programs in welding technology, as we all share a common vision of resetting Ghana through the formidable 24-hour economy policy for economic prosperity. We also urge donors and development partners of Ghana, including UNIDO, EU, AU, GIZ, UNESCO-UNIVOC, and the World Bank, to support initiatives and programmes in welding skills development to achieve the targets set in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all; promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work; and building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation", said Dr. Paul Frempong, a professional engineer and the Ghana Welding Bureau (GWB) - International Institute of Welding (IIW) representative in Ghana

We urge welding companies, industry professionals, and businesses to support and sponsor the Ghana National Welding Competition.