Employment | Success | Community

CET Training Provides Marketable Skills for John Spears

"CET helped me develop business and social skills to deal with people — in addition to learning building and maintenance competence, I also learned how to market myself and my skills." To think just a few years ago, I was on house arrest, after having been arrested for drug possession. CET changed my life!"

John was born in Chicago in 1973, one of four children, into a middle-class working family. "Both of my parents worked: Dad was an owner/operator truck driver and Mom worked at Spiegel. I had a stable childhood — we never struggled financially." An average student, John participated on both high school wrestling and football teams. He excelled as a full back and line backer in football, and preferred sports to academics. A natural entrepreneur, John had a small "barber business" in his basement from a very early age, so upon graduation, it made sense for him to pursue his interests: He graduated from McCoy Barber School in 1992.

Seduced by older friends to have a fancy car, nice clothes and other expensive diversions, John unfortunately followed his entrepreneurial nature into the world of street hustling and drugs. He tried working legitimate odd jobs at Sears, a paint store and the Chicago Public School System, but made so much more money selling drugs.

In the early 90's his fiancé and two year old son were tragically killed in an automobile accident and understandably, John became distraught and his life journey became increasingly more dangerous with heavy drug use and other illegal activities.

After being arrested, a long time family friend, Joe Massey, a CET Chicago instructor, who had always had a presence in John's life, approached him. "I remember when Joe coached my Little League baseball team... there's no better guy in the world than Joe — he suggested that I attend CET to learn a marketable skill. Initially I was under house arrest, so attending CET was the only way to get out of the house. With God's help in ending my drug addiction, and the skills I was learning at CET, I made a life change." John successfully completed the Building Maintenance training program at CET in 1999.

Engaged to be married, John currently has 4 children; 3 that live with him. "Looking into my children's eyes, and wanting them to be proud of me, gave me the courage and discipline to complete the CET program."

Once again relying on his entrepreneurial spirit, John recently founded BOS Inc., a building contracting company, and works in partnership with Genesis Financial to buy, rehab and sell real estate. His success is incredible: He currently employs 30 people, working 6 - 7 days a week on several large condominium rehab projects.

John is grateful for CET's training program and shared, "CET instructor, Joe Massey is an excellent mentor — in fact, all of the CET staff are wonderful. They treat me like family, and are always there for me. CET changed my life!"