It’s not too often parents get to celebrate their child’s graduation at the same time as their own. But that’s what happened at Hillsborough Community College’s Welding Program graduation on Friday morning.

“When [my dad] was in the military he wasn’t around as much, but I’ve always loved my dad and got along with him,” said Sean Singleton, who graduated with his father, Todd.

But when Todd retired from the military, he struggled to find something to do.

“I had the anxiety when I got out of the military ... 'I don’t know if I’m going to fit into civilian world,’ ” Todd said. “I tried a few things here and there and it didn’t work out and I was left wondering, wow, what’s going to happen?”

But Sean had the answer at HCC’s welding program. And now, a year later, the father and son duo graduated together with college degrees.

“(My dad) saw me graduate just a couple years ago from high school, and now we’re both walking the same stage together and that’s pretty cool,” Sean said.  

“We got used to living with next to nothing and now we’re facing an opportunity where we can have a good lifestyle with good paying jobs,” Todd said.

HCC not only offers night and day welding courses for students, but it's also offering Saturday courses.