Despite the gloomy weather on a Saturday morning, the mood at The Otomotif College (TOC) during its Otto Camp open day was anything but gloomy. From the moment doors open at 10am till closing time at 4pm, TOC was buzzing with excitement all around the campus.

Guests were invited to free refreshments at the cafeteria before being invited into a presentation room to be given a briefing about the courses and facilities offered at TOC. Even at the early hour, the presentation room was nearly filled to its capacity of 80 people during the first session alone. After the presentation, the visitors were divided into smaller groups and taken on a tour around the facilities by TOC students. The visitors were encouraged to question their guides to find out more about TOC from a student’s perspective, where it matters most.

32 Youngsters get the opportunity of a lifetime to experience the joy, excitement and mysteries of the Automotive Industry and share blessings with Children's day care center Nur Salam

Prompted by eager parents hoping to woo their children away from computer and video games during the school holidays, I volunteered to put together a 2-day Holiday excursion; mixing and reflecting a dynamic learning environment of the automotive industry.

The idea was simple; kids already have a natural affinity towards cars and many can easily not only identify a model from afar, but rattle out the level of accessories and vehicle specifications. Some will put parents and adults to shame by easily differentiating between a sedan, pick-up, coupe, compact or SUV. I merely needed to build upon their interest in cars and my automotive contacts by visiting, exploring and discovering the operations of an automotive plant, tyre production factory, franchise dealerships, an equipment supplier and finally a visit to the NST where the motoring pull-out "Cars, Bikes and Trucks" is produced.