Growing up in Rotuma, Jeremiah Jone Thomas Mani developed an affection for automobiles, particularly trucks as there were only a few around on the island and were being used to cart supplies and other essentials to villages.

The desire to learn more about automobiles, drove Mani to pursue a career as a trade mechanic after leaving school.

Mani joined Fiji National University’s (FNU) National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC), to undertake the Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanic course in 2013. After completing the program, he joined Carpenters Shipping as an Assistant Mechanic.

“I chose to take up this field because I have always had a passion for trucks. We did not know how to fix trucks growing up on the island, so I found a way and became a little helper to a cousin who would carry out minor repairs on our district trucks,” Mani shared.

“While I helped my cousin, I decided to become a mechanic after high school. I come from a family of island mechanics, so I intend to keep this trend going,” he added.

Mani, who hails from Noa’tau village, admitted he took time to adjust to city life when he moved to Suva but continued to keep his dreams alive.

“After my high school education, I joined FNU to study Heavy Mechanical Engineering, but things did not go as planned. I diverted a bit and dropped out. But thanks to strong family support, I joined NTPC to undertake the Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanic course,” commented Mani.

“I was fortunate enough to get a job at Carpenters Shipping straight out of NTPC. I worked as an assistant mechanic for three years before joining the Tong Zing company, which is an agent for Chinese trucks, where I gained three years of experience. From there, I joined Searoad Logistics, a sister company to Patterson Brothers.”

“My experience with NTPC was one of the best. The lecturers and tutors were tremendously helpful. I would highly recommend them if you wish to take up this field because I would not be who I am today if it were not for their shared knowledge.”

Mani said the automotive industry is a challenging field where he has to keep himself updated according to the job requirements and changes in technologies.

“There is and will be a high demand in the automotive field due to the upgrade in technology. The employment market is also in demand for qualified mechanics with lucrative offers overseas. So if you want to move abroad in the future, I can guarantee you that this field will take you there,” he said.

“In the next five years, I hope to be in a position that will help nurture our young mechanics of tomorrow.”

His advice to young people who want to have a career in the automotive field is to “never let failure ever be an option in whatever you do. The sky is always the limit, and you only get better when you try.”

Currently, Mani works for Goodman Fielder International (Fiji) Pte Ltd as a Fleet Technician.

Interested students and stakeholders can learn more about FNU’s TVET courses by visiting https://www.fnu.ac.fj/tvet-pasifika/

Prospective students can also text on 857 or email on admission@fnu.ac.fj if they face difficulties completing the process online or need further information on enrolment. For enquiries relating to NTPC programmes email info.ntpc@fnu.ac.fj