Nonoy Paterno from Dumaguete City only finished high school at the Negros Oriental High School but that fact did not stop him from dreaming big dreams. After high school, he went to Manila to seek for a greener pasture.

But due to lack of education, it was difficult for him to find a full time and good-paying job so he had to settle for part time jobs to get him by. While working as a part time sewer for a bag factory in the morning, he decided to study in the evening.  He took up BS Electrical engineering in TIP Manila.

The meager income he got from working as a sewer made it difficult for him to support all his needs and continue studying, so he sought the help of his sister in-law  to search for a better job. He felt very lucky when he was offered a job as sewing machine mechanic in Capital Garments in Taytay, Rizal.

After two years of working there, he was promoted to be a senior mechanic.  But he is still not satisfied with his salary, so he decided to work abroad. The year then was 1990 and a job advertisement posted in the Manila Bulletin classified ads section got him a job as a tape edge sewing machine mechanic for a company in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The name of the company was Sleep High.

He had to compete with other 30 applicants and passed a trade test before he was offered the job. Only two of them were hired and the processing of all his papers took only two months.

Though difficult and painful, he chose to be away from his family in the Philippines and arrived in Jeddah, KSA on July 12,1990. Adjusting to the new environment was not easy. He had to get used to the humid weather and to make things worse; the Gulf War broke out after a month. 

Instead of going back to the Philippines, he (and his co workers) focused on doing his job well and soon Nonoy was able to get used to his new life in KSA.

His hard work and perseverance did not go unnoticed. Soon he was chosen to be a service technician. At that time, he also received recognition from the management. He was very happy because aside from the recognition, he also received a certain amount which was personally handed to him.

He is also proud of the achievements of the company where he is employed. When he first arrived in Sleep High, there were only a few workers and the factory was unfinished. Now, Sleep High received an award from a European Exhibition for beddings and mattresses.

To improve himself and to meet up with what the company expects of him as maintenance personnel, Nonoy continued searching for knowledge. He enrolled in a distance education class and gained an Electronic Technician Certificate Training from International Correspondence School of Scranton, Penn.

He also attended a workshop from the group OFWCC in KSA. In that seminar, he learned how to use the internet, and surfed several website where he can get more information about maintenance.

In September 2004, he was appointed as maintenance manager. This promotion surprised him some of his colleagues have a degree in Civil Engineering. Today, a company in Europe is inviting him to work for them. He considers this his greatest fulfillment in life.

Nonoy's message to all OFWs around the world?To my fellow OFW's, life is too short so use it well. Utilize your skills; don't just hide them where nobody can see. Filipinos have the talent so we should have the guts to show what we have. For those who are not able to finish schooling, don't lose hope. Look for ways to improve yourself and enhance your skills to succeed.