A Future in Welding: Sequoia Alldun’s Story

Sequoia Alldun recently completed Community College of Philadelphia’s Welding program and is now working in an apprenticeship at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Sequoia grew up around welding because her dad was a mechanic, and when she moved to Philadelphia, she figured she’d give the profession a try herself. CCP was a fast and affordable option to get her started.

Now in her apprenticeship, Sequoia feels like CCP prepared her for the different kinds of welding that she has encountered. “I think preparing for the work I'm doing now is quite difficult, but it prepared me with the knowledge of welding for the different jobs that we could have,” Sequoia said. “But the work we did at CCP outside of the classroom in the welding booths was a pretty on-spot training for getting us ready to take the tests and to start welding.”

Sequoia is grateful for the knowledge that she gained at CCP and for the inclusive space she felt it gave her. “Just the culture at CCP was really nice,” Sequoia said. She appreciated that there was so much diversity in her program. “No one in my class had the same experience or background at all,” she said. “We had a teacher, someone just out of high school...a mechanic, a foreman from a shop. Like everyone was from a different field...which was really refreshing.”

Sequoia has about three years left of her apprenticeship at the Navy Yard. Once that is completed, she will be considered a journeyman, which will set her on a path for further upward mobility or shifting to a different industry.