Inside IALR

Hands-On, High Stakes: How the Bond Brothers Launched Careers in Defense Manufacturing

• Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

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Cedric and Ethan Bond are brothers who took very different paths before finding the same destination: training through the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program and careers at Newport News Shipbuilding. 

In this episode, they talk about career crossroads, the reality of hands-on training, and why building ships for the U.S. Navy feels personal—especially with a brother currently deployed at sea.

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Why This Brothers Story Matters

Caleb Ayers

Welcome to another episode of Inside IALR. Thanks for listening and joining us today. I want to share a really cool story that you'll get to hear from two brothers who recently completed the ATDM program. This is an awesome story of the impact that this program is having, not just on individuals, but on entire families, where we're seeing more and more siblings who both go through the program, or we've even seen three siblings go through the program either at different points or together, and the impact that that is having on their career trajectories, again, not just as individuals, but entire families, the economic impact that this program is making. But this story is especially cool to me. So these two brothers are Cedric and Ethan Bond, who you'll hear from in a minute. Their oldest brother is on an aircraft carrier right now on deployment. So they are going to work in a field, they'll both be at Newport News Shipyard, Cedric and Ethan will. Their work directly contributes to the tools and the resources being aircraft carriers and submarines and ships and those types of things that their brother uses and relies on in his active duty military career. So that's very cool to see that direct connection where they can understand the direct impact of what they're doing. If this is your first time hearing about ATDM, just a quick rundown of that. ATDM is short for accelerated training and defense manufacturing. It basically takes adult learners with zero previous manufacturing experience, or in some cases very little, and prepares them for a defense manufacturing career in four months. So it's 600 hours over four months. Scholarships cover tuition and housing, so students don't have that barrier. This program is designed to be hands-on and fast-paced, and it is designed so that students fresh out of high school can come. We've had plenty of those where it's 18-year-olds with no previous career experience to speak of. And we've had people in their 60s who have had multiple other career pathways and decide that they want to contribute to our national defense in a new way as their last career step. Everywhere in the middle of that, there's people who have decades of previous career experience in other fields. There's people who are in manufacturing already and decide to switch which part of manufacturing. There will be companies sometimes who send their employees through to upskill them. There's all different ways, all different types of ATDM students, I should say. Again, this is a moment to hear from Cedric Bond and Ethan Bond from Colorado. Both graduated from ATDM, now going to work at Newport News Shipyard. And without further ado, we will turn it over to them. This interview is conducted the day of Ethan, his graduation on May 8th. And this interview is conducted by myself and Daniel Dalton, our producer. Thanks for always producing some great content. So without further ado, here we go.

Cedric Bond

And I'm Cedric Bond, also from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Caleb Ayers

Tell us about how basically your career and education experience before ATDM. What happened before you got here?

Cedric Bond

I went to the University of Wyoming, got a Bachelor's of Science in Mechanical Engineering, graduated back in 2022, and then went straight into an engineering position out in Colorado. Did that for a while and realized that the reason why I went to school was to build things. And though I was an engineer at the company that I was working for, I wasn't really scratching that itch. And that's when I found out from my dad about build subs. Then that led me down a rabbit hole to ATDM, where I graduated back in December.

Caleb Ayers

Which track did you go through?

Cedric Bond

I did CNC machining.

Caleb Ayers

Ethan, how about you?

Ethan Bond

So I discovered the program through my brother, who discovered through our dad. Yeah, I had experienced six or eight years in sales and marketing. I went to the University of Northern Colorado in in Greeley, Colorado, with a business degree undergrad. And I did, yeah, like I said, six or eight years in sales and marketing positions and discovered really last year that that's not the the the where I wanted to spend the majority of my career. And so I wanted something really hands-on, something that I can point to and be proud of. And I was looking into trades and looking into trade schools and talked to several friends of mine in construction trades and and various subsequent things like that, and they'd said, hey, welding is very needed, very, very needed in the marketplace. Um we need welders. And so I talked to my brother, he'd said, Hey, ATDM, the program that I'm going to later this year, has a welding program. And so I applied and got accepted, and , it's been awesome.

Caleb Ayers

So you applied before he finished?

Landing Jobs At Newport News

Ethan Bond

I applied before he started, yeah, because of how quick these go. I mean, it's crazy. He started in August. So I I had been accepted in July, and so I knew I was coming when he was about to leave to go. And so I got to kind of see it through his eyes a little bit. Um obviously CNC and welding is a little bit different, but yeah, I got I got kind of a a closer view than most people before I started.

Caleb Ayers

And tell me for both of you, what are you doing now?

Cedric Bond

I am working at Newport News Shipbuilding as a nuclear engineer doing refueling operations.

Ethan Bond

And I just accepted a job at Newport News Shipbuilding, and so I'll be I'll be one of their welders, one of their nine thousand welders. That's what that's what they say, how many they have. So between 8,500 and 9,000.

Caleb Ayers

So are you guys gonna be roommates or how's that gonna go?

Cedric Bond

Didn't plan ahead. Uh my apartment barely fits me. We would have to alternate breathing. So no.

Building For Someone You Love

Ethan Bond

No, no, maybe in a year when our when our leases go up, maybe in a year if we're still still there. But right now, I'll be I'll be looking at apartments this weekend.

Caleb Ayers

So and I heard that y'all's older brother is in the Navy. So tell me about how that I mean, how does that affect? I mean, basically you you guys would see the impact of what you do. Tell me about that.

Ethan Bond

Yeah, I would say it's incredibly meaningful the work that we're able to do. Yeah, our brother is currently on the USS Abraham Lincoln on deployment. Uh he's a fighter pilot in the Navy, so he flies F-18 Super Hornets. And yeah, so the it's a very, very easily to pinpoint the the importance of the work that we're doing and how it could affect our brother and then you know all of all of the people that he's on the ship with. And so it's incredibly meaningful, and it's really cool that Cedric and I, we didn't get the opportunity to serve our country, you know, you know, directly in the military, , but now we have an opportunity to indirectly serve. Someone someone at this program told me something that really resonated with me. We get to protect those who protect us. And so that's that's about as meaningful as it gets. And so we're excited for that.

Caleb Ayers

Tell me about y'all's experience in the ATDM program. What was it like for you guys? How did those four months go?

Cedric Bond

It was a great experience. I would say I didn't really know what to expect going in. I mean, from day one, excellence was at the forefront, and everyone was happy to be there and excited to be there. And so every day we showed up to do something for free and use a quarter of a million dollar machine and learn my mistakes or you know, by success. But I certainly failed many times, but that wasn't that big of a deal. It was just, oh, you mess up, let's try again. Here's another piece of stock. Go ahead and try it again. I mean, I I certainly broke a couple of things as well. Uh you know, because you're learning and you're, you know, learned a ton about myself. Uh and yet I also learned that despite all of the mistakes, , you can get through it and come out the end with six CNC certifications and lifelong friendships, which that one was a total surprise.

Ethan Bond

So it was awesome. It was I kind of came in with the idea that it was gonna be really tough. And I knew that it would be as tough. Part of it was the program's gonna be tough, but I knew that I could choose if I chose the hard route and chose to really, really challenge myself to get everything I could out of this program, then I knew I'd be able to do it. And so it was awesome. Graduating with 10 certifications, it was incredibly hard work to learn a completely new trade, something that I had never ever done before, never picked up any sort of welder, didn't know anything about it. I did a little bit of research before, but you just don't know it until you do it. And so the instructors were incredible, learning, you're just teaching the basic knowledge to the really high-end stuff at towards the end and just everything in between. It was fantastic and great, like like he said, you know, friend great friendships, great crew of people, friendly competition of we're all fighting for for the most certifications in class and the highest grades and all of that.

Caleb Ayers

And did you get the most certifications? I

Who Should Apply And Why

Ethan Bond

I tied for the most. And I did get the highest grade by 0.02%. I found out yesterday. I'm quite and it's a mean it's almost meaningless at this point because we all graduated. But yeah, but yeah, I get to I get to rub it in their faces. So that's awesome.

Caleb Ayers

Yeah, now that you guys have both gone through, you well, one, once your brother comes out of the Navy, you can send him through. But when you talk about this program now to people you meet in the community, what is going to be kind of your pitch of who should come to ATDM and why?

Cedric Bond

I mean, I've had the opportunity to talk to a couple of people that have been wondering what to do in the crossroads that they find themselves. Um and my pitch to them is number one, do you like getting your hands a little dirty? Do you like doing mechanical things or touching the work that you're actually doing, not just sitting down and typing at a computer? If you like that, if you like to build or or or really use your hands, then ATDM might be the thing for you. Uh and the real kicker, the big kicker is that number one, I mean, you can just apply and see if you get in. There's a very low, you're not taking a huge risk by applying, number one. Yeah, not a crazy application fee. Um, and then you're not paying like $50,000 in two years just to get, you know, a bunch of certifications. Here, you come here and in four months and for free, you've gotten however many certifications, depending on your program. And your this program is actively, they they're like, please get a job. Here's all of this, these opportunities to get a job, and we're gonna help you, you know, refine your resume, we're gonna help you respond to you know these inquiries, like you're not alone. You will get a job if you want a job. And if you don't, it's it's like it's all up to you, and this is entirely up to you. ATDM provides so much opportunity, and we get to just take it and at like a zero risk. So if anyone's looking for that and doesn't know what to do in this crossroads, loves mechanics or touching stuff, ATDM is most likely for you.

Ethan Bond

Yeah, I agree. I think if you're I like what he said about crossroads, if you're at a crossroad in your career, consider ATDM and see, you know, what specifically, you know, the specific tracks that we that ATDM offers and see, you know, if it fits. And again, you know, if you like getting your hands dirty and doing the hard work hands-on, ATDM absolutely could be for you. A lot of our classmates when we were here are right out of high school. Um but we had the you know, the unique position of graduating a four-year university. And the difference of from a four-year university and ATDM is crazy. And I don't know if you would agree with me, but the the whole thing about the jobs, I mean, they are ATDM is so so that's the most important thing. Hey, you're getting this done, this, this, all these certs done, go get a job, and here's all of the ways we can help you do that. And every single day in class, it's hey, the specific thing we're learning is gonna help you in four months, in this specific job in four months. And so it's all very, very directly related. And for your university, it's more indirect. It's more okay, this is kind of very, it's more, more metaphorical and just like this this could help here, this could help there, but it's very clear, it's very clear that the the the specific hands-on learning and then what we'll be doing in the field.

Cedric Bond

And I'll just add that you know, this I think proves just the fact that we both have four-year degrees, yet we still came here and needed something like this to help in our journey to where we're ultimately going. And so for someone who is trying to figure out whether they do go to university or, you know, to a trade school, maybe you do eventually, but you know, it this seems this kind of program seems to be a lot more valuable and necessary to accomplishing the goals that you might be trying to accomplish.

Rethinking College Versus Trades

Caleb Ayers

Yeah, no, that's that's really cool to hear y'all's story and the I mean one yeah, to see brother, you know, brother follow brother through the program. And I just was just doing the math on that. That yeah, you you started like two weeks after he finished, then basically. Basically you had Christmas. But yeah, to see y'all both go through the program and then you know, with obviously your other brother being, you know, you you see the mission of what y'all are doing very, very clearly. That's really cool.

Daniel Dalton

If ATDM was around before or during four-year college degrees, you you mentioned like ATDM being hard work, getting your hands dirty, kind of thing. Is that something that your college self would have identified with, like that, that that kind of work, or do you think, you know, kind of like people think about later their decisions, you know, they reflect on their life, like oh, everything I've done has led me to this point now. So do you think that ATDM, if it was introduced earlier in your lives, how would that have would you have made the same choices as far as like the the certain track that you went into? Or doing it at all?

Ethan Bond

It's a great question. I would say I probably wouldn't have considered it. It came into my life at the perfect time. It really did. And every every job that I had, there was there were specific things that that I that I took away from it. Um and that I even now don't know exactly how it all is gonna fit together. Um I do, I am very interested in leadership, and I can see myself being in a position of leadership, and I know that four-year university will help that, and all of the all the experience I've had up till now will help that. But before, yeah, it's I I really I didn't I didn't consider I didn't consider a trade until the last year. And there was there's a a longer story of kind of why I ended up in that mindset of okay, I'm tired of having work that can be that can have four people look at the same work and everyone has a different opinion on on the level of that work. And I wanted something hands-on it's either good or it's bad, it's clear. You know, and you know, my welds, well, yeah, we do have NDT. You know, we can there's processes to see if this is good or bad work. And I didn't like the gray scale, the the the shade of gray of this is it's it's up to interpretation whether something's good or bad. I wanted something hands-on, and I wouldn't have been able to communicate that or even yeah, communicate that clearly even three years ago. I needed to have the experience in the marketplace that I did to make, you know, to come to the place that I came to last year and be like, nope, I realize now what I'm looking for. And so it kind of came into my life at the perfect time for me.

Cedric Bond

I kind of have a similar story. I don't think I would have appreciated ATDM in college. I had to have come out of college and had had the experiences and the dissatisfaction of those experiences to start to look for ATDM. If ATDM had been presented to me at that at that point in college, I probably would have just brushed it off. Um and I wouldn't have known the importance of it because I hadn't experienced the need for it when I ultimately started applying for jobs and and didn't realize I realize that my mechanical engineering degree would not actually get me far enough to to pursuing and doing the work that I wanted to do. So I, you know, that what if it's it's hard to really put yourself there. I'm thankful for it coming to me when it did. Um I can say that at least.

Caleb Ayers

Is there anything else that you would want to add or think it's important that people know about ATDM and your experience with the program?

Ethan Bond

I would just reiterate what I mentioned earlier of come to ATDM to serve those who serve us, which is our military. And I think a lot of people search for meaning in their work. And a lot of people it's hard to find. And I've searched for meaning in my previous jobs, and I a lot of those jobs I wasn't able to find meaning. And this is really meaningful. And so come to ATDM. Yeah.

Cedric Bond

If if you like hard work, come here, improve yourself, and then get a you know, launch yourself into the future from here. And I'll also add our brother-in-law is a Marine, and he, you know, he the Navy's taxicab to the Marine Corps, and so you know, he there is some there's also that. Uh it's not just my brother, our older brother, but there's a lot more. Um and I think you know, most people either know someone who's in the military and have like, you know, we really have the ability to impact random people that we'll never meet and those that we hold dear and make sure that they come back.