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.
Categories: 60th Anniversary, Student Spotlight
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Culinary Arts Students Take on the PA Farm Show
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Alum and Former Athletic Director – Ollie Johnson
From a student athlete at CCP and Temple to a career in the NBA, where he played for the 76ers among other teams, Ollie Johnson returned to the College in 1991 as the assistant director of Athletics, where he had the opportunity to help students acquire the same skills at CCP that had shaped his journey. As part of the 1969 CCP championship team that won both the Eastern Pennsylvania Community College Athletic Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Junior College Conference, Ollie honed his leadership and teamwork skills while at the College.
The ‘linked destinies’ of teachers and students
Educators and their students share a powerful link. That’s the teaching philosophy of Njemele Tamala Anderson, CCP alum and award-winning English teacher at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber. It’s an idea she shares when coaching new teachers.