Skilled Trades in Kazakhstan: How a Family of Welders Keeps the Country’s Industry Running

Why Skilled Trades Still Matter in Kazakhstan: A Three-Generation Family of Welders Defying the Age of Automation

As automation reshapes global industry, skilled trades in Kazakhstan remain the backbone of the national economy. Inside a vocational college workshop where sparks fly and metal takes shape, one family’s story explains why human craftsmanship still matters.

For the Urazaliyev family, welding is more than a profession. It is a legacy spanning three generations, reflecting the enduring value of vocational education and working professions in Kazakhstan.

A Welding Tradition Rooted in Kazakhstan’s Industry

Tubynyaz Urazaliyev, a retired welding instructor, still remembers the moment that sparked his lifelong passion.

“When we were kids, we ran to the railway to watch welders work. The sparks fascinated us,” he recalls.

That fascination grew into a career educating future welders—at a time when Kazakhstan’s industrial workforce was expanding rapidly.

His son, Almaz Urazaliyev, followed the same path and now works as a vocational welding instructor, training students with real tools, real metal, and real responsibility.

“Welders don’t need sparklers,” Almaz says. “We light them every day.”

After graduating in 1998, Almaz returned to the same college to teach—barely older than his students at the time. What began as a job soon became a family tradition when his own son enrolled years later.

Vocational Education and Social Mobility in Kazakhstan

Today, Daulet Tubaniyazov, the third generation, is a welding student at the same institution.

“I saw how respected my grandfather was as a professional,” he says. “I wanted to be like him and my father.”

The college reflects a broader Kazakhstan vocational education model: tuition-free training, meals, scholarships, and a strong focus on hands-on learning.

“Theory matters,” Almaz explains, “but instructors work with real metal. This is where skills are formed.”

Teaching, he says, is a two-way process.

“Students teach me patience and character. Every student is different.”

Why Welders Remain Essential to Kazakhstan’s Economy

Despite rapid advances in robotics and AI, welders in Kazakhstan remain indispensable.

“Nothing exists without welding,” Almaz says. “Buildings, bridges, cars—everything you see.”

His son adds that welding blends technical precision with creativity.

“A welder can be an artist. You can create sculptures, shapes, beauty.”

This human element, the family argues, cannot be fully replaced by machines.

Kazakhstan’s Renewed Focus on Working Professions

The story comes at a crucial moment. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has declared 2025 the Year of Working Professions, highlighting skilled trades as central to Kazakhstan’s economic development.

According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Kazakhstan will need around 1.6 million workers over the next six years, with nearly 900,000 roles requiring vocational or technical education. Welders rank among the most in-demand specialists in construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure.

Still, challenges remain.

“Housing and harsh working conditions push many young people away,” Tubynyaz says, recalling long pipeline projects in remote regions.

He also points to the decline of large-scale factories.

“Industry must be rebuilt,” he says. “Without production, skills fade.”

Skilled Hands Still Power Kazakhstan’s Future

As Kazakhstan modernises and rebuilds its industrial base, the Urazaliyev family’s journey highlights a powerful truth: technology may evolve, but progress still depends on skilled people—their patience, experience, and willingness to pass knowledge forward.

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