Phil Kowynia, Jr. didn't think he could beat out a national pool of talent in the Sheet Metal Workers National Apprenticeship Contest as a second-year apprentice in 1999 - and he was right.

"I went in there thinking, 'how can I beat these guys?'" he said. "So I beat myself. I finished in fifth place last year. But as a third-year apprentice, I went in with a different attitude, and I thought if I put forth my best effort, I'd do well."

This year, Kowynia was right again. The Sheet Metal Workers Local 292 apprentice first won his local union's contest, then was tops in the regional contest for third-year apprentices in March, then he won the 2000 Sheet Metal Workers International Union's Apprenticeship Contest held last month in Philadelphia.

He said he entered for the "friendly competition," but the prestige of being on top again, plus the $2,000 in cash and the $5,000 annuity he won in the International competition, are major motivators for his plans to enter the 2001 contest as a fourth-year apprentice. Phil and his wife Tracy plan on using the annuity to start college funds for daughters Elizabeth, 2, and Heidi, 7 months.

The contest requires apprentices to show their skills in a written test, in drafting, plans and specifications, and shop fittings.

"For me the plans and specifications were the toughest part, but the fitting can make or break you," he said. "We had to make a Y-branch in Philadelphia, and I knew it wouldn't be a problem."

At the banquet where the winners are announced, Kowynia said the order that the winners were announced starts with third place and ends with first place. He said he felt both relieved and nervous when his name wasn't called for third or second place, "but then you start to think, 'what if they don't call me at all?'"

Kowynia said his Local 292 instructors, George Livingston and Fred Engleman "are the finest instructors around. They run a great school." He also thanked his employers at Durr Industries, "who bent over backward to make sure I had time to study and to provide me with everything I needed."

Engelman said Kowynia is the first Local 292 member to secure a place, much less win, the national competition. "Phil is a hard worker who is extremely self-motivated. I was ecstatic when they called his name, and George and I are very proud of him."

Local 292 Business Manager Robert Donaldson said he is always impressed with the amount of extra study and preparation put forth by the apprentice-contestants. "It takes a lot of dedication to compete and win the competition at that level," Donaldson said. "But I've known Phil for quite a while, and he's good worker and he's very bright. I fully expect that he will be running a company in a few years or achieving any goal that he wants to achieve."

ON HAND AT the banquet honoring Sheet Metal Workers apprentice contestants last month were (l-r) Dean Carlson, Local 292 JAC labor representative; International Union President Mike Sullivan, Local 292 Business Manager Robert Donaldson, Third Year Contest winner Phil Kowynia, and Local 292 Apprenticeship Coordinator Fred Engelman.