Former Aircraft Mechanic Becomes Car Salesman After Losing Job During MCO
Muhamad Firdaus lost his two-year job in an aviation company during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
By Yap Wan Xiang — 08 Sep 2020, 06:55 PM
A Malaysian has gone viral on Twitter after sharing his journey from working as an aircraft mechanic to becoming a car salesman as a way to make ends meet during the Movement Control Order (MCO)
23-year-old Muhamad Firdaus is among thousands of employees working in the aviation industry who were laid off in retrenchment exercises.
"Before the implementation of the MCO, (my former) company had taken steps to reduce staff, but I was not involved in the retrenchment," he told Harian Metro.
"However, at the end of last July, I finally received the same fate. I was terminated."
Firdaus said he had been with the company for two years.
Following the termination, Firdaus expected the worst to happen
At one point, he was ready to become a food deliveryman as a temporary solution.
Fortunately, shortly after two weeks of being laid off, car manufacturer Perodua accepted his application to become a salesman.
"I have applied to many companies, but there were no vacancies out there because most companies were affected by COVID-19," he said.
"So I just accepted a job offer as a car salesman, despite my initial self-doubt due to my lack of experience."
"The job requires me to change 360° from the routine I was familiar with. So, for sure, the change felt awkward for me," said the former engineer, who holds a Diploma in Aircraft Engineering from the Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology at UniKL.
He said he foresees the challenges ahead in trying to convince people into buying cars, especially at a time when most people are more inclined to saving money than to spend.
"However, I will try to adapt and use all my skills and see to this challenge as a new experience," he said.
Firdaus added that he does not see his current job as a 'downgrade' from his former position
"I have to admit, at first, I felt demotivated because I was retrenched by the company," he shared.
"But after I got this job now, I am slowly regaining my motivation. I am pumped to receive this opportunity."
Firdaus also said he was grateful for his mother and father because they gave him a lot of encouragement, convincing him to pick up a job in a new field.
When asked if his current income matches the salary he used to get as an aircraft mechanic, Firdaus said he has yet to get there
"At this juncture, I have only been working for about a month, which the first two weeks were for training," he told SAYS.
"Hence, I have yet to make the same money as my previous job. I have only started to sell vehicles recently."
The 23-year-old said as long as he is hardworking, he believes he will get back to his old income level.
At the time of writing, his tweet has garnered over 7,600 retweets and 5,600 likes
Many netizens flooded the replies to send well wishes to Firdaus.
"May Allah bless you with prosperity," said one Twitter user, while another added, "Wishing you great success ahead. Not all will be bad."
