UOB One Account x Shentonista — Getting Ahead

Hafiz, Car Mechanic. 

People tend to think of mechanics in two manners: the first, covered in axle grease, knee deep in car parts in a dingy, grimy workshop, and driving a hard bargain; the second, working with gleaming, souped-up sports cars and luxury models, and still driving a hard bargain. When we met Hafiz, those misconceptions were put to rest. The workshop he works at in Jurong East, while not entirely spotless, was mostly ordered and neat, flooded with natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and filled with the busy movement of four other similarly young mechanics. Here, Hafiz went about his tasks with comfortable, confident ease, and as we spoke to him about just what he’s working so hard for, revealed his simple, down-to-earth nature.

How did you become a mechanic?
I used to take apart my toy cars when I was a kid. When I got older, I realised that I’m quite a hands-on person, but I never thought I would actually make it into this industry. I was a barista before this, and my friend introduced me to my current job. I’ve always dreamt of working at Volkswagen or Lamborghini but everyone has to start somewhere lah! This is the first workshop I’ve worked in—it’s the start of my fourth year here, actually, so it’s been awhile—and it’s been great so far. I actually have a NITEC (National Institute of Technical Education Certificate) in electrical technology so this industry was a jump; I’m really doing this out of passion.

What’s one thing about your job that you think people might not know?
People think that workshops are trying to cheat them of their money. I used to have an Italian bike which I took care of dearly, so I know how a customer feels when they come to the workshop. I think that what customers don’t know is that we, as mechanics, just want to take care of their cars to prevent them from coming back. We do want them to come back, of course, but not because their cars are damaged. It may seem to most customers that we’re just recommending more and more items or products but all we want is for them to be safe on the road.

Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to join this industry?
It might be demoralising at first because your superiors will get you to do sai kang (unpleasant or undesirable tasks) like washing the floors. You start off by cleaning used parts, or throwing old parts away, or passing tools to your senior mechanic. From there, you learn as you observe. One day, there’ll be more jobs than mechanics and that’s how you’ll get your first job. Without you knowing, you’ll be working on cars. So I would say: be patient. That’s the key to everything you do, because nothing comes easy. In this line of work, don’t be afraid to ask if you’re stuck. Take a step back and plan out your work before starting.

What kind of skills are required for your job?
I guess you’ll need to know how to handle customers, because you’ll interact a lot with them. There’s also a need for planning and scheduling as you’ll need to know how long each car will take in the workshop. All these come with experience. Besides that, you’ll need to want to get your hands dirty. You need to be brave with cars. You really learn as you go, but you also need to want to learn new things.

When it comes to hard work, do you have a role model you look up to?
Yes, there’s my manager, Leonard, who has been more than a manager to me. He’s led both the team, and me, to become more independent. He’s also a very knowledgable and motivational person. There are also the people in Japan, the takumi (a Japanese word meaning “artisan”), who are the experts. It’s an honour to be labelled a takumi; they’re people of perfection and skill, and I aspire to be one someday.

What’s the toughest part of your job?
When a job doesn’t go according to plan or schedule. At times you might face problems like an unexpected breakage of a part or a seized nut or screw. It gets tough as there are other scheduled cars coming in, and the owner of the car you’re working on is watching you.

What’s something people don’t really know about you?
Wow. I like to sing! I have my own karaoke sessions in my car. I’m pretty much open to all kinds of music, from Beethoven to Bullet For My Valentine. I’m also a BMX rider. I was on my way to tuition when I was in secondary school, saw some kids doing stunts at a void deck, and I found it really interesting. The moment I got home, I took out my bicycle (which was some small mountain bike) and tried out some stunts such as the bunnyhop. I learnt purely from memory because Youtube wasn’t around at the time, but fortunately I stumbled across some guys who were already in the scene and they taught me tricks. One of the craziest stunts I’ve done would probably be a drop from a really high ledge at a loading bay in Pasir Ris.

What’s one thing you wish you had more time to do?
I wish I had more time to spend with my friends and family because right now, I feel that all I’m doing is “work, home, sleep”. It’s a boring routine. Sundays are the only days I get to spend with my family but it’s their rest day, so we don’t get to hang out much.

What does your family think about your job?
My family knew that I was interested in cars, but we’re all surprised it’s gotten this far. When I landed this job I was in the process of finding myself, and right now they’re very comfortable with my job as a mechanic. They’ve seen me mature into a responsible adult. As parents they give their fullest support, but it’s just that at times they worry about my fatigue and wish that I wouldn’t be so hardworking!

What’s something that you’ve learnt from your time at work?
I used to be very impatient, but I’ve learnt that there are just no short cuts for some things, especially when working with cars. My time at work has also made me a more organised person, and taught me to plan for the future. I used to hate planning, but now I work around a schedule of a work-life balance.

What drives you? What are you working so hard for?
It’s actually both my best friend’s and my dream to open a workshop in Australia; it’d be nice to have one in a shophouse. We work together in this workshop; I ‘reserved’ a spot for him here while he was in National Service when I started working first. The goal is to open a workshop in Australia in the next ten years, by hook or by crook. Otherwise I’ll try to take over this company! (laughs) I’m kidding, though. The automotive market in Australia is less restrictive, especially when it comes to modification laws. It’s a known fact that Singapore is quite strict about modifications on cars, as well as racing. There are more race tracks in Australia; it’s an automotive homeland. I think it’ll be difficult to start out so what I plan to do is to go there and work for a year or so to get used to their culture first. I’ll learn how they operate their workshops there and hope to open my own, eventually!

How are you working towards that goal? Any advice?
I save the typical way—I don’t go out as often anymore, and I don’t spend as much as well. I’ll try to eat at home and only buy the necessities; I try to be as thrifty as possible. If I want to buy something, I’ll sit on it for three days. I’d only get it if I’m still thinking about it after the three days, because I know I need it. This helps me in saving. There have been days where I’ve been really broke—I used to skimp on food for the sake of motor sports, and I know that’s unhealthy. So I came up with an alternative solution: I sold my car to lessen my financial burden, and on the side, I also help out with the people in the Suzuki Swift community, doing refurbishment of engine mounting. I get some extra income from that, and I’m really thankful to the Suzuki Swift community for supporting me through this.

This is a Shentonista project for the UOB One Account, which works just as hard as you. Find out more here.