Men behind the wheels
FROM earning a wage of 50 cents a day to heading the transport department of Fiji’s oldest newspaper, Pravin Chand has come a long way from being a “boy” or helper at vehicle garages.
With just a class eight education and limited knowledge in reading and writing, Mr Chand says he never thought he will be supervising a fleet of vehicles for a company such as The Fiji Times.
The 49-year-old has been working at The Fiji Times for the past 10 years.
“I started work at Fiji Times as a mechanic. I come from a family of mechanics, my father and grandfather were both in the field,” he shared.
“When I left school at age 13, I spent most of my young life working as a boy or helper at garages. My wage was 50 cents a day but I learnt a lot of things under established mechanics. Even though I’m not educated, I was more into the practical work, I knew every vehicle part like the back of my hand,” he smiled.
When Mr Chand walked in for an interview at The Fiji Times office, his future employer took him for a routine test to work on a vehicle and after passing this phase, the supervisor asked him to write an official application letter.
But he didn’t know how to write a letter and his supervisor ended up helping him.
After working for about six years at the company, The Fiji Times human resources (HR) department decided that Mr Chand needed a qualification to complement his vast experience.
“I was scared, I told them I didn’t know basic English writing and reading but our HR department was insistent. They convinced me to attend a special supervisor trade course at Fiji National University, TPAF in Narere,” said Mr Chand.
“After completing the course, I was given a certificate. I took that certificate and came straight to my supervisor and our HR manager at the time. I was very emotional. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without The Fiji Times, they recognised my skills and experience,” he said.
Mr Chand is now the head of The Fiji Times transport department. He looks after a fleet of 19 company vehicles and nine drivers who work under him.
They are tagged as the go to people when the staff of The Fiji Times have to make that urgent work trip. As reporters go about collecting their stories for the newspaper, it’s the drivers that accompany them.
Whether its high up to the interior of Viti Levu or to the outer islands, Mr Chand ensures his drivers get their reporters to their area of assignment on time.