HULU LANGAT: Diploma student Muhammad Amirul Arif Mohd Fadli can earn up to a four-figure income with his mobile phone repair skills.
The 19-year-old is determined to earn his own living rather than rely on his parents.
Armed with a screwdriver and tools given by his teacher, he has earned a reputation as a “young gadget doctor”.
Amirul said he began the part-time work after finishing school, gaining hands-on experience during an eight-month stint at a mobile phone service outlet before enrolling in a Diploma in Mechatronics Engineering at Port Dickson Polytechnic in Negri Sembilan.
Although now a full-time student, he continues to put his skills to use, taking on phone repair jobs since November last year.
“I didn’t know how to repair phones at first, but I learned from a mentor known as Cikgu Firdaus.
“I attended his class for two days and was fortunate to be offered a job with him.
“That’s when my interest grew. I learned gradually and took about three months to become proficient because there was always a phone to fix at the shop.
“At the beginning, I made mistakes, but over time I improved,” he said when met at his home in Desa Pinggiran Serai here.
Amirul said he is able to repair most hardware-related phone damage, except software issues, and finds customers through social media advertisements, while also offering door-to-door services.
“I travel to customers’ homes on my motorcycle as it’s easier to get around. I usually do this on weekends so it doesn’t interfere with my studies.
“Most customers are surprised when they find out my age and that I’m still studying, but so far I’ve had good customers from various backgrounds with no issues,” he said, adding that he finds satisfaction in helping customers restore their damaged phones.
Amirul said he never imagined reaching this stage and credited his family, especially his mother Hazliyana Hamzah, 47, and father Mohd Fadli Mohd Yunus, 45, for their constant encouragement.
“I’m grateful that my parents supported me from the start. Even when I made mistakes, they guided me.
“They also understand that I work on weekends and have little family time, as I leave at 8am and return at 1am the next day,” he said.
He plans to continue the work until completing his bachelor’s degree, as he aspires to become an engineer, citing young entrepreneur Ziyad Danish as his inspiration.
The second of four siblings, Amirul also hopes to establish a robotics club due to his strong interest in the field, noting that his lecturer, known as Wong, has frequently sent him to competitions since his first semester.
“One of them was in South Korea, where we won three gold medals and one bronze for the country,” he said.
Beyond the financial returns, he said phone repair work has taught him the value of independence and hard work in building a secure future.
“I want to save up to own assets such as a house and a car one day. Young people out there can do this too just, start early and don’t wait for everything to be perfect. I started with nothing before I could buy my own tools,” he said, adding that he plans to open a mobile phone repair kiosk on campus next year.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
