Graduate Connections – Meet Alfonso Cedillo

Alfonso, 20, was born and raised in Phoenix, and has lived in Arizona his entire life. Alfonso completed the seven-month Welding Specialist program at RSI in March 2025. 

Thanks for your time, Alfonso; did you go straight into the RSI welding program after high school?

I didn’t graduate high school. I dropped out during my junior year. I was supposed to graduate in 2023, but I left in 2022. I got my GED instead because I wanted to go to a trade school, and you need a GED for that.

So before getting your GED and starting trade school, what were you doing?

I was working. I was just trying to find any job I could. At first it was hard getting hired. My first job, while I was still in high school, was at a bakery earning $12.50. After I dropped out, I worked at Fry’s Food Stores – I just did jobs to get a paycheck. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. 

When did you decide you wanted to go to trade school, and specifically welding?

I never really thought about welding before. I just felt like I wasn’t meant for college or sitting in a classroom. I started seeing welding videos and schools in other states on social media – it looked really cool, the idea of joining two pieces of metal together. My dad works in HVAC, so I considered that for a minute, but welding just felt right. My parents wanted me to go to school and make something of myself. They didn’t really care if it was a university or trade school – they were just happy I was going somewhere.

How did you end up choosing RSI?

Actually, one of my friends enrolled at RSI for Electrical. They asked him if he knew anyone else who might be interested, and he gave them my number. That’s how I got connected. I had looked up other trade schools too, but RSI felt right when I checked it out on social media and took the tour.

When you toured the RSI campus, were you already set on welding?

My mind was leaning toward welding, but I kept my options open – maybe Electrical or HVAC. In the end, welding just felt like the right fit. It’s hard to explain – it just clicked for me.

What did you enjoy most about the Welding program?

Definitely the instructors. They were really helpful, always taking time to explain things in different ways until you understood. They cared about everyone’s progress. They showed us that there’s not just one “right way” to weld – you can find your own technique that works for you.

Did welding come naturally to you?

Not at first. In the beginning, I got frustrated and doubted myself, wondering if I’d chosen the right trade.

What kept you going during those days? 

My family, for sure. My girlfriend Evelyn and I have a three-year-old daughter, and she really motivated me to stick with it. I saw classmates quit over time, but I kept going for my daughter and my family.

Wow, you started a family young!

Yeah, I made mistakes earlier in my life, but she’s not one of them.

So, it sounds like welding gave you a direction – a way to build a better life.

Exactly. I’d bounced between low-paying jobs, and I just wanted to make something of myself, to feel important and to set an example for my daughter.

That’s awesome. So, where are you working?  

I’ve been working for GTI Fabrication for a couple of months now, it’s a fabrication warehouse. Our modular containerized structures are customized to each client’s specifications. At the moment we’re building large containers and shelving systems for big industrial batteries. The batteries get installed onto the shelves in after we build the whole container. 

Did the RSI Career Services team help you get that job?

Yeah, Jade Rodriguez helped me find it. I’m really grateful for that. I don’t think I could’ve done it without her and without the help of the school. I’m thankful to have been able to attend RSI. I think Jade was actually more excited than me when I got the job!  

Between finishing school in March and starting in August, did you have other welding jobs?

No, I was doing general construction while looking for welding jobs. I had a couple interviews where I did weld tests, but they never called me back. I followed up, waited a couple weeks, and just moved on.

That’s frustrating. So, how about that first paycheck at GTI – were you happy with it?

Definitely. Way better than before. They started me above what entry-level welders can usually expect, and there’s room for raises. After three months I can retake the weld test that got me the job, and if I pass, I could move up levels and get a raise.

That’s great. Are you enjoying the job?

Yeah, I like it. Everyone’s really cool – managers, coworkers. They’re big on safety and very supportive.

What’s next for you? Do you have specific goals or just taking it one step at a time?

I plan to keep learning, gaining more experience, and progressing my skills.  Eventually I want to do structural welding, but I’m taking it slow, one step at a time, looking to just improve my skills and move up when I can.

What do you enjoy most about welding?

Honestly, when I put my hood down – the sparks, the smell- I just love it. There’s something about it that makes me feel good. It’s really cool but hard to explain. Once the hood’s down, everything else fades away.

Did you make friends, some connections, at school that you’ve stayed in touch with?

Yeah, I have a group chat with my old classmates. We all have jobs now, but we still check in, share job leads, and help each other out when we can.

Keep that network. You never know when someone might have a lead on a great job somewhere.

Yeah, I believe that. It’s true – sometimes it is not what you know, but who you know.

What advice would you give new students starting at RSI?

I’d tell them not to give up. It gets better. If you put in the work, you will get better. When I started, I’d never even held a welding rod, so I had plenty of frustrating days where I had to walk outside, take a breath, and reset – but I kept going. I was doing construction during the day, hitting the gym, then going to school at night. It was exhausting, but I made it through. It wasn’t easy, but nothing worth it ever is.

If you’re an RSI graduate and would like to share your success and be an inspiration to others, please email [email protected] to be considered for a Graduate Connection interview. Please include details such as your graduation date (month/year) and program.