Community College of Philadelphia partners with United States Navy to prepare Philadelphians for high-demand jobs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2025

Contact:
Megan L. Fox
mlfox [at] ccp.edu (mlfox[at]ccp[dot]edu)

Community College of Philadelphia partners with United States Navy to prepare Philadelphians for high-demand jobs

Project will expand career training programs at CCP, leading to in-demand jobs in fields of naval welding and nondestructive testing

PHILADELPHIA – Through a U.S. Navy-funded partnership with BlueForge Alliance, Community College of Philadelphia has announced an Advanced Manufacturing education improvement project that will provide skills essential for the Naval shipbuilding industry. It will also increase the Philadelphia-based talent pipeline stream producing professional welders, nondestructive testing professionals, CNC machinists, and other critical workers needed in America’s maritime industrial base.

“Thanks to this exciting partnership, we are bringing new career opportunities to Philadelphians by expanding CCP’s Advanced Manufacturing program,” said Dr. Alycia Marshall, interim president of Community College of Philadelphia. “We’re training our students to enter professions that provide meaningful, family-supporting work. This partnership strengthens our city’s thriving workforce in advanced manufacturing fields.”

The new programs offer hundreds of hours of hands-on experience, helping students develop and refine their skills in the classroom while preparing them for lifelong careers. Learners can earn professional certifications in as little as four and a half months.

CCP will offer Naval Welding and Nondestructive Testing programs as noncredit, advanced technical programs, providing students education and training for careers in construction and manufacturing. Naval welding and nondestructive testing are two essential careers that have a high demand for new workers. In the Greater Philadelphia area, welders earn $54,000 and nondestructive testing specialists earn $77,000 per year on average.

This program will be the first collegiate Nondestructive Testing program in the City of Philadelphia and the Silicon welding program will be the first program of its kind in the country. The courses, set to begin in fall 2025, will be taught at the College’s state-of-the-art Career and Advanced Technology Center, located in West Philadelphia. Scholarships will also be available. The Naval Welding Institute is an execution partner supporting CCP in this project.

Learn more about this exciting opportunity for Philadelphians at ccp.edu.

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About Community College of Philadelphia

Community College of Philadelphia is the largest public institution of higher education in the City of Philadelphia. With an open admissions policy, the College serves all who may benefit – regardless of age, income, or ability. For more than 50 years, the College has lived up to its mission and goals by providing educational access for over 700,000 Philadelphians, setting families, businesses and neighborhoods on the path of shared prosperity and opportunity. For information on the College's degree and certificate programs, workforce development strategies, and community engagement initiatives, visit ccp.edu and follow us on social media @CCPedu.