For The Otomotif College (TOC) student Awangku Faresmane, The Ultra Racing Gymkhana Trials Challenge 2012 held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) over the weekend of June 9 and 10 would be etched to his memory as an unforgettable introduction to the exciting world of motorsports. Going by Fares, the sophomore year Diploma in Automotive Technology student entered in less than ideal circumstances and overcame every hurdle to walk home with a trophy on his debut!

The love for cars runs in Fares’ family, and having a supportive elder sister helps. More so when said elder sister is none other than Faye Kusairi, the newest addition to Ultra Racing Motorsport Division and a force to be reckoned with on the track! No doubt getting plenty of pointers from his big sister, nevertheless once behind the driver’s seat it all boils down to him!

Fares admitted to his first experience being nerve-wracking. ‘Scary’ was the exact word he described it in fact. This was made more so from drive shaft problems that threatened to eliminate him from the competition entirely. Thankfully, the supportive organisers were able to call in a seasoned mechanic to help bring his blue Proton Satria back to working condition. That’s certainly a more dramatic debut that he would have liked, though Fares is unlikely to forget the experience anytime soon!

Exhibiting a calm grace under fire rare for one yet seasoned in the sport, Awangku quickly put the initial setback behind him. With every successive maneuvre, his growing confidence and skills quickly asserted himself on the track. Bouncing back from what could have been a potentially disastrous debut that threatened to end in elimination, Fares ultimately bagged the second prize in the student category instead. Not bad for a first try!

Fares is naturally happy with his performance, especially when winning a trophy seemed all but impossible the day before! He found the Ultra Racing Gymkhana Trials Challenge 2012 to be a welcoming experience with great practical learning experience to motorsports. Prior to enrolling at TOC, Fares wouldn’t have dreamt of following in his sister’s footsteps. But between the growing knowledge from classes, getting to know the motorsport community and having someone in the family to look up to in the sport, the event was simply too good an opportunity to put knowledge into practice to pass up.

Needless to say, the exciting weekend was just the first step for Awangku Faresmane, and a bigger world awaits. As a new week of lesson beings, one thing is for certain: Fare will have some interesting personal stories to share with his classmates at TOC!

Fares (far right) with his elder sister Faye Kusari, Leona Chin and a fellow participant at the Ultra Racing Gymkhana Trials Challenge 2012.

Fares being presented his trophy for winning second place in the student’s category by Leona Chin.

Mr. Waiky Foo represented TOC next, by speaking about the courses and facilities offered at TOC, and the career opportunities that await students after graduation. His exciting delivery and warm personality kept the crowd excited and interested. Between Mr. Foo and Mr Kee, the crowd had no doubt that the automotive industry offers a bright future!

Two important questions remain: what’s it like working at Hap Seng Star? And where does TOC come into play? Four TOC graduates currently working at Hap Seng Star answer those questions. Among them, Fong Weng Hong, describes his experience as nothing less than enjoyable. The service advisor of 4 years is well regarded by his colleagues and tells of his daily routine with working with prestigious cars like Mercedes-Benz is something every automotive student dreams of. It’s a dream that’s become reality for these four TOC graduates. The others, See Zhan Wei, Roy Cheong and Syed Izwan who are working as a service advisor, sales executive and technical warranty executive respectively and they are just as happy working at Hap Seng Star !

The attendees also had a rare, behind the scenes tour of the Hap Seng Star service centre for Mercedes-Benz cars. Being a world recognised luxury brand, customers naturally expect the best care to be given in the servicing of Mercedes-Benz cars. That quality isn’t just in the equipment and parts used, but also by having the best qualified professionals to do the job. Hence Hap Seng Star’s preference for TOC students in their hiring criteria: customers feel reassured they’re placing their beloved machines in the right hands! The dealership also boasts a service facility that impressed even TOC students. That’s a big deal, especially when students are already seeing luxury cars and sophisticated technology at TOC’s own campus on a daily basis!

After the tour, visitors were treated to light refreshments. Although the program was officially over by then, TOC counsellors and Hap Seng Star staff alike found themselves busy answering questions from excited visitors about life in the automotive industry. Be it staff, parent or student, everyone found the career fair to be an eye-opening experience, and the TOC students left feeling even more motivated to carve a name for themselves!