Uganda’s state-owned oil giant has launched a rare opportunity for aspiring welders – but the competition will be fierce.
The Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), in partnership with the Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba (UPIK), is offering 20 fully-funded scholarships for specialised 6G coded welding training, a high-level qualification aligned with ASME IX international standards.
The scheme, running for eight intensive weeks, is part of a push to develop homegrown expertise in the country’s fast-growing oil and gas sector.
But applicants will need to tick several boxes before they can even be considered. Candidates must be Ugandan nationals aged 18 or above, have a National Vocational and Technical Crafts certificate in welding and metal fabrication, plus a 3G coded welding certificate from a recognised body. Strong English, maths, and physics skills, as well as good eyesight and physical fitness, are also mandatory.
UNOC has made it clear that female applicants are “strongly encouraged” to apply, part of a broader push to bring more women into technical oil and gas roles. Preference will go to those with prior welding training, but all participants must commit to living at the training centre for the entire course.
Hopefuls will need to download and submit application forms via the UNOC careers website before the strict deadline of Friday, August 22, 2025 at 5pm EAT. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted – and any attempts at lobbying will mean instant disqualification.
In a statement, UNOC stressed that both the training and accommodation are completely free of charge and warned applicants to ignore anyone asking for money.
With Uganda’s oil industry preparing for major infrastructure projects like the controversial East African Crude Oil Pipeline, industry insiders say this could be a “career-making” opportunity for those who make the cut.
