In 2016, Nino and Emmalaine Opena moved to Australia after years working in the automotive industry in Dubai and the Philippines. Three years later, they founded DC Power Automotive Solutions, a thriving auto electrical business in Mackay which is a testament to their abilities and determination, as well as being a story about the success of skilled immigration.
WHAT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES DO YOU OFFER HERE AT DC POWER?
NO: We do auto electrical and air conditioning on heavy machinery, mining equipment, small vehicles, passenger vehicles – when it comes to automotive, anything that has wires and is electrical!
YOU MENTIONED MINING. WHAT WORK DO YOU DO FOR THE MINING INDUSTRY?
NO: We have a business relationship with other workshops that specialise in the mining industry. We work on the electrical and aircon side of things, on rebuilds and new installs and on different kinds of mining equipment with them.
YOU ALSO SELL PARTS VIA YOUR WEBSITE TOO?
NO: Yes, that is an additional service that we provide through our website and is run by my wife Emmalaine. If the customer isn’t sure what they need they can ring
the office and we can guide them as to what parts they require.
HOW MANY STAFF DO YOU HAVE AT DC POWER?
NO: There are four us – me, my wife Emmalaine, Ryan who started working for me in 2019, and our apprentice Quinn who started working for us in December.
As well as overseeing the sale of parts, Emmalaine runs the office, does all the bookkeeping and handles all the bookings – everything administrative.
WHEN DID YOU ESTABLISH THE BUSINESS?
NO: In April 2019. We actually started as a mobile service but moved into this location in October 2019. We still offer that mobile service.
WHAT AREA DO YOU SERVICE?
NO: We have been as far as four hours away. It depends on the customer requirements but we try to adjust and go above and beyond to help them out even if it means travelling up to Claremont. However, we don’t go to the mines as a personal preference. There are certifications that are required to go to the mines like Standard 11 etc. These are usually my alibi to not go there and also means that we can focus on the workshop.
YOU CAME TO AUSTRALIA AS A SKILLED MIGRANT. WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND IN THE INDUSTRY?
NO: I finished my training in the Philippines in 2007, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in industrial technology with a major in automotive electrical. I worked in the Philippines for two-and-a-half years at Motortech, a dealer for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. I then moved to UAE in 2009 for career advancement.
I was in UAE for 7 years working in different automotive roles that included an auto electrician role in a GMC dealership, and supervisor in Emirates Transport overseeing about 20 staff in the auto electrical department. I then moved to Dnata as a ground support technician at Dubai Airport that broadened my experience and exposure to heavy machineries. Also, this opened an opportunity for me to apply to Adaptalift here in Australia. Though that didn’t push through, it became a gateway for me to explore what I can do even more.
I became part of AXA Power as a Technical Engineer, had extensive training in Denmark for a month, then travelled to several countries to supervise installation, perform commissioning and facilitate training of engineers and technicians in their airports.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO AUSTRALIA?
NO: As I mentioned, I had been offered a position in Adaptalift by one of their representatives. I was in my 20s, a newlywed and I knew having kids was not too far away at the time.
I believed that moving to Australia would give my family a chance for a good quality life. We even compared living in the US vs Australia and obviously the latter came out ahead. Aside from the wonderful scenery it was the beautiful nature of the people that really brought us here.
Though moving to Australia wasn’t an easy decision because the visa we had has its limitation, all went well in the end and we have no regrets.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE VISA PROCESS YOU WENT THROUGH.
NO: It was around November 2013 when I was offered a job to go to Australia as an auto electrician/ground maintenance at Tullamarine in Victoria. Me and the other applicants were told that the visa would be a subclass 457 (employer sponsored) and so my wife Emmalaine jumped online and researched the visa requirements and we went through on completing it.
I had my IELTS and skills assessment ready to be submitted but the recruiting person suddenly had issues. We tried contacting Adaptalift directly but had been running in circles so we stopped chasing them and looked for other visa options through the immigration website.
That’s when we found the Skillselect page. My wife submitted our documents and qualifications and was invited to apply in just 2 weeks. We applied for a 489 visa (State Sponsored – QLD) which was granted after 4 months. Then about 3 years later, we got our permanent residency and just last year we pledged our loyalty to Australia and its people as citizens.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY’S FUTURE. AS AN AUTO-ELECTRICIAN, IS THAT AN EXCITING DEVELOPMENT FOR YOU?
NO: They are the future and we are very willing to go through the transition. In fact, we already have a course from Repco that at least gives us an introduction to EVs. In talking to MTA Queensland, we understand there will be modules for us to transition and be able to look after those vehicles. We are, in a sense, already in that field.
WITH THAT TRANSITION IN MIND, WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE FUTURE?
NO: We plan to invest in training and tools. We will continue to hire more people through apprenticeships and give opportunities to young people who are interested in the auto electrical trade.
We have proven that training young minds suits our business well. Ryan is the first apprentice we employed and is almost ready to be signed off after just 3.5 years. Though we cannot compete with the mines when it comes to wages, we strive to be competitive and offer a pleasant and healthy work environment.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE YOUNG NINO JUST STARTING OUT?
NO: You are doing a great job. Your perseverance and hard work will pay off, always grab the opportunity when it arrives, and always remember what your father is always telling you, “Whatever is worth doing, is worth doing well”
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MEMBER OF MTA QUEENSLAND AND WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BENEFITS OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP?
NO: We have been a member since 2019. MTA Queensland has given us a set of standards by which you should operate, and we stick to that. Beyond that, being a member helps us with our suppliers. Even if you are new, if you are a member MTA Queensland they will treat you like their old customers. And that is because you are part of this group.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (April 2023)
14 April 2023