Highlights
- Ivan Espiritu used to be an automotive panel beater and assembler.
- He now restores tram parts such as sandboxes, stepwells and panels.
- He admits the job is stable and pays well and he would like to stay in the job indefinitely.
"I'm happy being part of something so Melbourne. When I'm with my kids and we're on the road, I point to the trams I restored and tell them all about the parts I repaired. I tell them, 'Daddy did that!'"
Former automotive assembler Ivan Espiritu shares that transitioning from working on cars to restoring trams was easy. He says that those looking to make the shift will be happy to learn that there's always work available.
Changing careers during COVID
Before arriving in Australia, Ivan lived and worked in Canada for 2 1/2 years.
"I did heavy jobs there; but when the recession hit, I was forced to go back home to the Philippines.
"When there was an opportunity to move to Australia through my experience in automotive, I took it. My family followed four years after - luckily, before we went on lockdown."
During the lockdown, Ivan shares that a COVID case in the former shop he worked in pushed the business to close for 2 1/2 months.
The Espiritu family Source: Ivan Espiritu
"Work was slow, so I had to look for other opportunities.
"I posted on Filipino Facebook groups, offering car painting and detailing. One person asked me if I wanted to do sanding work in the company he belonged to. It was far from where I lived, but I took it. I've been working there since. I'm now full-time."
The company Ivan moved to is a family-owned business focused on restoring trams and their parts.
The company Ivan moved to is a family-owned business focused on restoring trams and their parts. Source: Ivan Espiritu
"I've been so lucky. Even when COVID hit my own household, my boss allowed me to work from home. What would happen was a driver would bring the parts to my house, I would work on them, they would get picked up afterwards and new broken parts would be dropped off to me."
The process
Ivan works on tram parts such as stepwells, side skirts, canopies, windows, doors, consoles and sandboxes.
"I would first assess the parts when they arrive. If the parts are really broken, we grind them, replace the metal and fiberglass and restore. We then add filler, sand them and paint them. We pinhole them for finishing and add on a top coat."
When parts are restored, they are brought to Downer in Preston for assembly.
When parts are restored, they are brought to Downer in Preston for assembly. Source: Ivan Espiritu
"It's wonderful seeing the finished product, seeing the tram whole."
I'm a tram restorer
He says that it was easy transferring his automotive skills to tram restoration.
"The process is very similar to what I used to do. It wasn't hard transferring my skills to tram restoration.
"I was a panel beater and assembler. Now I'm a tram restorer.
"I was a panel beater and assembler. Now I'm a tram restorer." Source: Ivan Espiritu
"My boss is great. The work is stable and the pay is great. As long as there are trams around, I want to continue restoring them."
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