From Electrical Engineer to Success Tutoring Franchise Partner: Thomas's Story

Engineers and project managers are not the first people most of us picture running a tutoring centre, but they are well represented among Success Tutoring franchise partners. In this testimonial, Thomas, an electrical engineer who has managed projects for more than 20 years, explains why he chose a tutoring franchise, what he found hardest about getting started and how he balances his centre with a part-time engineering role. If you have a technical or corporate career and a long-held interest in education, his story offers a practical picture of what the transition can look like.

From Malaysia to Brisbane

Thomas was born and raised in Malaysia and came to Australia to study electrical engineering at the University of Sydney. He fell in love with the country, moved here, and after living between Sydney and Brisbane eventually settled in Brisbane, where he lives with his "ever supportive" wife and their two daughters.

Professionally, he is an electrical engineer who has worked as a project manager on a wide range of projects for more than two decades. That experience shows in how he talks about his centre: organised, methodical and clear about where his time goes.

A lifelong interest in working with children

Underneath the engineering career, Thomas says there was always another ambition:

"Since I was young, I always wanted to work with children. I have a passion for education and motivating children to love learning."

He did not act on that passion earlier in his career. Finding out about Success Tutoring is what sparked him to pursue it. Today, he describes running a business that lets him fulfil that passion and make a difference in the lives of students.

This is a pattern worth noticing if you are considering a tutoring franchise. Many partners do not come from teaching. They come from careers like engineering, finance and corporate management, and bring a genuine interest in education alongside business and leadership skills. Success Tutoring franchise partners do not need to be teachers; tutor recruitment and tutor training are part of the franchise system.

The pre-sale learning curve

Thomas is candid that the hardest part was something his engineering career had not prepared him for: selling.

"The pre-sale journey was a big learning curve for me and involved a lot of hard work, as I've not done much selling in my life before."

Before a new centre opens, partners work to introduce the centre to local families. For Thomas, that was initially challenging. He says the head office team guided him through the pre-sale process with sales training and tips, which made the overall experience more pleasant.

He also found the experience changed him:

"Learning to sell built my confidence, and the biggest thing I take away from this is: never give up and just keep going."

For anyone from a technical background, this is one of the most useful parts of his story. Talking with parents and explaining what a centre offers is a skill, and it can be learned. Under the Success Tutoring model, launch and marketing support may be provided, with the details set out in the franchise agreement and disclosure documents. Ask what pre-opening training is included, and ask existing partners how they found the process.

A typical day: engineering mornings, centre afternoons

One of the most practical parts of the video is Thomas's description of his week. He still works part-time as a project manager, which he usually dedicates his mornings to. Then:

"I head to the centre in the afternoon at around 3pm, where I oversee the operations and interact with students."

He also uses drop-off and pick-up times to catch up with parents. That daily contact is a big part of running a community tutoring centre: families get to know the owner, and the owner gets to understand what each family needs.

His arrangement is his own, and every partner's situation is different. Anyone thinking about running a centre alongside other work should talk through their plans with the franchisor and consider the time the business will need, particularly during launch.

More fulfilment than full-time engineering

Compared with his years working full-time as an electrical engineer, Thomas says running the centre gives him more fulfilment and lets him make a difference in students' lives.

"I love working with children, so being able to work with them and create a positive impact is really enjoyable."

He describes the satisfaction of seeing some students who arrived unmotivated, sitting at the desk and not wanting to work, gradually settle in and engage with their lessons. For Thomas, those small changes in attitude are what make the work worthwhile.

Motivate, Inspire, Uplift

Thomas connects his reasons for joining directly to the Success Tutoring values:

"The vision of Success Tutoring is to motivate, inspire, and uplift students. This is exactly what I aspire to do and instil in the future generation."

He says that rather than focusing solely on academics, the centre focuses on these three principles to encourage students to build a love for learning. "Learning is a lifelong experience," he adds, "and that is exactly what I would like to motivate my students to do."

Takeaways for engineers and corporate professionals

Thomas's story suggests a few things to think about if you come from a technical or corporate career:

• Your project management skills transfer. Planning, organising and overseeing operations are central to running a centre.
• Expect to learn new skills. For Thomas, selling was the big one. Be honest about which parts of the business are new to you and ask what training covers them.
• Persistence matters. His biggest lesson from the pre-sale period was simply to keep going.
• Think carefully about your time. If you plan to keep other work, map out how your week will look and discuss it with the franchisor and existing partners.
• Make sure the purpose fits. Thomas's long-held interest in working with children is what made the change meaningful for him.
• Do your due diligence. Review the franchise agreement and disclosure documents with independent legal and financial advisers.

Frequently asked questions

Can an engineer run a tutoring franchise?

Yes. Thomas is an electrical engineer and project manager with no teaching background who now runs a Success Tutoring centre. Franchise partners do not need to be teachers, and many come from engineering, corporate and finance careers.

Can you run a tutoring centre while working another job?

Thomas still works a part-time project management role in the mornings and heads to his centre in the afternoons. That is his personal arrangement; whether it suits you depends on your circumstances, so discuss it with the franchisor and existing partners before deciding.

What did Thomas find hardest about starting?

He says the pre-sale period was a big learning curve because he had not done much selling before. The head office team guided him with sales training and tips, and he says learning to sell built his confidence.

Why did Thomas choose Success Tutoring?

He had always wanted to work with children and had a passion for motivating them to love learning. He says the Success Tutoring vision of motivating, inspiring and uplifting students matched exactly what he wanted to do.

Take the next step

If Thomas's story sounds like yours, read about the process of becoming a franchise partner, see the launch support that may be available, and explore more partner journeys on our franchise stories page.