To be honest you shouldn't really weld bolted connections unless stated, if there moment connections sometime they are required for movement in the structure. As long as grade 8.8 bolts are used, ideally in shear, they won't go anywhere.
As for the welding, practice makes perfect:d Buy yourself a decent Arc welder, get some 10mm plate and practice with butt welds flat on the bench and when you get the slag to look like a scorpions tail (curls up and virtually falls off with a tap) then stand the plates up and practice vertical welds weaving from side to side and as you hover the rod over each plate count to 2 then swing to the other plate and count to 2 working from the bottom up and keep going. Not as easy to master as MIG but it is only practice. Obviously this is a very general idea, maybe the next time the lads come to do a weld have a chat and ask them to show you;)