Skilled and Ready to Weld

Welding Students at there Center for Champions

The Center for Champions has offered welding training since its inception in 2008. Welding is a highly sought-after skill in Rwanda—it is used almost exclusively for metal fabrication and repair, from door and window frames for the country’s burgeoning construction industry to fixing motorcycles and bicycles.

Sophia, Jean-Claude, and Vedaste

Sophia, 19, and Vedaste, 22, are learning welding under the instruction of Jean-Claude. They both chose welding because it is in high demand and offers good income potential. Jean-Claude notes that welders can earn a minimum of RWF 5,000 a day (around five US dollars).

Sophia had dropped out of school in Senior 5 before coming to the Center for Champions. She recalls that some people were surprised by her choice: “People said, ‘This is not for girls—you can destroy your eyes.’ At the time I knew nothing about welding, but now I understand it and can find work in the job market.”

Vedaste had been doing casual work for a couple of years before enrolling at the Center. He now feels job-ready; the work he does in the training workshop closely matches what he will be doing professionally—making windows and gates for Rwanda’s active building sector.

Students working on a window frame

Jean-Claude has been teaching at the Center for almost a year. His students come from diverse backgrounds, so his first task is to help them adjust to school routines. “Only once they understand the behavior expected of them,” he says, “can they start in the welding shop.”

He regularly receives calls from employers seeking recommendations. “When I see someone working after graduating,” he says, “I feel great.”

Jean-Claude's class at Center for Champions - First Semester 2022