Phil’s Journey to Phil Positive

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to speak with students at Chicago Public Schools about my career path, working to encourage them that opportunity does exist in America, if you reach for the knowledge in your schools. I’ve also had the privilege of speaking to aspiring future electrician apprentices at the Chicago Urban League (CUL) regarding the electrical apprenticeship training program and what it involves.

It was an early Saturday morning in the 1980’s and I had just graduated from the apprenticeship program and became a journeyman electrician while working at the James Thompson Center in the Chicago Loop. A journeyman electrician that I met while working on the new Olive Harvey College construction project had called me and said that the JW that was scheduled that day was unable to make the speaking engagement at the (CUL) and would I be able to step in because there was a room filled with people waiting for a speaker. Then he went on to say, Phil, it’s your time. Well, that day became my first speaking engagement and I might say a job well done.

Years later on various construction sites, young JW’s would walk up to me and shake my hand and say I remember you giving your speech at the (CUL) because I was in that audience and I just want to say Thank You.

Looking back on my career even at a very young age, it’s been a pleasure to have learned from some of the most remarkable people who were extremely instrumental in helping me to enhance my professionalism at every level in life.

“Everything that I’ve tried to do in my training and also in the business environment, is to follow a positive path and develop a belief system that would ultimately carry me through Life’s experiences and even the ups and downs. (The ING) With proper planning, scheduling and implementing your dreams can become a reality, (The IT) If you can dream it and believe it with guiding focus, you can be it. My passion for life, family and friends is Electric!”

2004