37-year-old Captain Muhamad Aidith, a pilot and instructor with Air Charter International, had no interest in his studies as a boy.
He ended up in a gang when he was just 12.
It wasn't until he struggled to find a job that reality hit him. With only one O-level pass in Malay, no one would hire him.
His journey to flying an aeroplane was anything but smooth.
As a young boy, he did poorly in primary school and his parents sent him to Johor Bahru, hoping the change would do him good.
Instead of studying harder, he ended up dabbling in drugs and joining a gang.
"We asked for money from other students, (and use it to) buy drugs," said Aidith, recalling how they could do "anything" just to get money to buy drugs.
Realising he had fallen into bad company, Aidith's parents brought him back to Singapore.
Without a PSLE certificate, his parents spent a year trying to find a school for him. Eventually, the principal of Fuchun Secondary school allowed Aidith, then 15, to enter Sec 1 after scraping a pass in the entrance test.
However, Aidith soon fell into bad company again.
Describing himself as "easily influenced", Aidith said he just "could not study" when he was younger.
The turning point came when it was time to look for a job. With only one O-level pass in Malay, he was rejected by many employers.
Fortunately for Aidith, he secured a job at the Changi Airport Group, as a baggage handler.
Working day in day out on the airport runway ignited a passion in Aidith for airplanes and flying.
A Korean pilot actually advised Aidith on where to take a pilot course. Aidith spent the next five years working three jobs to fund his flying lessons.
He obtained his commercial flying license in 2004, and has since worked for Singapore Airlines and Boeing. Even though his academic qualifications were not stellar, he passed all the necessary tests on his first attempt.
That's why today, Aidith hopes to be an inspiration to other boys and reach out to wayward youths.
