Military veteran leaves oilfield, enjoys new career in HVACOctober 06, 2022

Eric Phillips said that getting laid off from his oilfield job during the spring of 2020 at the beginning of the COVID pandemic was probably the best thing that could have happened to him.

“I graduated from Stanton High School in 2007 and went straight into the Marine Corps,” Phillips explained.    “While in the marines, I worked in Supply & Logistics for 4 years at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  When I was discharged from the marines in 2012, I came back to West Texas and got a job in the oil and gas industry, where I was employed for eight years—first for Key Energy and then for Great Plains Drilling.”

Phillips said that when he got laid off, he was ready for a change and tired of the cyclical employment trend of the energy industry.

“My cousin is an electrician,” he said.  “He makes a decent living, and isn’t at the mercy of the oilfield, so I did some research to see what opportunities there were along those same lines.  That’s when I discovered the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Technology program at Midland College.”

Phillips started taking courses in the program in January 2021 and within one year, he had obtained a Level 1 Certificate.  The very next month—January, 2022—Bosworth Company hired Phillips as a residential HVAC technician in training.  He continues to take classes at Midland College in the evenings working toward an Associate of Applied Science degree, which he is on track to obtain in December.

“My mother passed away this past March,” he said.  “She was my motivation for obtaining a degree and pursuing an HVAC career.  

 “Bosworth is a wonderful employer.  They have a great reputation and was the company that I always called when I had air conditioning or heating problems.  So, after I obtained my certificate last year, I decided to submit my application to Bosworth and was immediately hired.  I don’t think they would have granted me an interview had I not gotten a certificate from Midland College.  Even though I’ve had to sacrifice my evenings to attend classes, in the end it will be worth it.  I really enjoy the work that I’m doing.”

The demand for air conditioning and heating technicians is climbing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for HVAC technicians is expected to rise 15 percent through the year 2026, which represents 48,800 new job openings. In addition, the increased complexity of both home and commercial air conditioning and heating systems will create more job opportunities for service. Environmental concerns and new governmental regulations will require replacement of older units no longer in compliance.

“The technology is always changing,” Phillips said.  “That’s one thing I like about HVAC work.  I like to learn new technology so that I can stay ahead of the curve.  Fortunately, when I complete my degree at Midland College, Bosworth continues to offer professional development opportunities to help their technicians stay current with the latest technological advancements.”

Phillips will continue to be a technician in training for Bosworth until March, at which time he will be promoted to technician.  He currently works and goes on calls with another technician, Levi Garcia, who also graduated from Midland College’s HVAC program.  

“There’s several of us at Bosworth who were trained at Midland College,” Phillips said.  “Jaroy Roberts [Midland College’s lead faculty member for the HVAC program] is a great instructor.  He really knows the industry and technology.  I learned a lot from him that helps me with my job at Bosworth.”

Phillips lives in Midland and has two children—a son Diesel, age10, who is a 5th grader at Fannin Elementary School, and a daughter Ava, who is 13 and in the 8th grade at Goddard Junior High School.  In his spare time, he enjoys watching movies with his children and riding and working on motorcycles.