Fast cars and car parts are the sort of things you would usually associate with men.
It’s unusual to even think of a woman becoming interested. But then that’s because you obviously haven’t met Cherith Kirita Fretton.
For the 32-year-old, a career in the motor vehicle industry was her destiny, especially since fixing cars is in the family blood.
Her father is a mechanic by trade and as long as she can remember, she has always been tinkering with vehicles.
Ms. Fretton says she understands that it is not a “normal” career choice for a woman. But after returning to Samoa and finding that there was an opening for a Tyre Coordinator at ASCO Motors, Ms. Fretton knew that was her opportunity.
That was over two years ago. She was soon promoted to the role of Parts Supervisor.
Then last year in September, she was given an opportunity to attend a regional Skills Contest in Fiji for the Parts division.
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To get there, she had to sit an exam. The exam was assessed by Toyota, which later confirmed that Ms. Fretoon was among the top three.
The prospect was challenging, she confesses, especially since she was the only woman in the competition. Following the finals in Fiji, Team Samoa was given a spot to attend the Regional Toyota Tsusho Group Skills Contest in Sydney Australia.
Ms. Fretton was even more nervous since she would again be the first woman to undertake the competition. She said Fiji has taken the overall prize every year. This time though, Ms. Fretton won the “best of the best” award for Samoa.
Speaking to the Samoa Observer, she said the competition was very challenging.
The contest was made up of two parts; the practical and oral tests. She competed wi th ASCO counterparts from Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, and American Samoa. Other competitors came from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
The competition is organised every year to up-skill the employees. By winning the competition, Ms. Fretton will get the chance to participate in the Toyota Motor Corporation’s Assembly of Champions in Japan.
ASCO’s Service Manager, Nikolao Simone and Pouoa Toa, a Technician, accompanied Ms. Fretton to Australia. Mr. Simone had won the service category in 2009.
Asked how she felt, Ms Fretton said she is deeply “humbled” by her success.
“I am only too happy to set an example,” she said.
She strongly believes that her success will be motivator for others from ASCO to compete in the contests.
And her being the first woman would also mean she has just opened up a door for other “women in the industry to enter the contest.”
For ASCO Motors however her success in Sydney Australia “has boosted staff morale.”
Ms/ Fretton’s win is the first time in 15 years since competing in the contest that Samoa has taken a top spot in the service division of the contest as well as overall winner.
“Before I entered I was nervous about Fiji (counterparts) but after competing and winning others can now say – I can do it too.”
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