Not every successful person is an extrovert, plays sports, or likes the current trends, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t making their life their own. LCM alumni Robert Hughes is just this type of person and now works at Orange Specialty Automotive as a successful mechanic.

Hughes graduated from LCM in 2022, but high school wasn’t a typical experience for him. He said it wasn’t fun for him, and he didn’t have a lot of friends besides his one best friend.

“Robert was not a traditional high school student,” Robert’s mother, Jenny Hughes, said. “He was not interested in video games or indoor games, even as a young child, and several regimented hours a day of sitting inside were challenging for him. Occasionally, something would pique his interest like welding or Mr. Morris’ class. He preferred hands-on activities and did well with projects that produced a final, tangible outcome.”

According to Jenny, she knows he will succeed in his job as he has always been interested in how things work, and anything motorized.

“My job is really hands-on,” Robert said. “I didn’t learn anything in school specifically regarding my line of work, but you definitely have to know how to read and follow directions.”

Hughes had a natural transition into his current position, as he has had a lot of experience in that field.

“My truck was constantly broken,” Robert said. “I was constantly having to fix it. I liked to upgrade it in all kinds of ways. I did everything from taillights, headlights, rims, tires, speakers, and my engine. I even put in a train horn.”

As of January 23rd, 2023, Robert has been a technician at Orange Specialty Automotive working under his boss and father, Chad Hughes. Robert performs mechanical diagnostics, mechanical repairs, maintenance, and specialized A/C repairs.

“He is dedicated to his field of expertise,” Chad said. “He is the first person at the shop every day and is always willing to work overtime when we need it.”

Hughes said a typical day at work includes bringing in the shop dog, Jax, while speaking with customers to get their car diagnosed and, on many occasions, out on the same day. Hughes works on a salary and Jax gets a treat at the end of each day, but not all days are normal.

“We’ve worked on more than cars on a special occasion,” Hughes said. “We were able to build a custom-built airboat for a company all the way in Arkansas. We were able to test drive the boat down the Sabine River before sending it off. The boat ended up being sold for $180,000.”

According to Jenny, Hughes’ job now represents him well since he’s always liking things he can take apart and figure out.

“My advice to anyone going into my line of work is don’t start by trying to rebuild an engine,” Hughes said. “The easiest thing to do is to start small to keep yourself encouraged.”

This story was originally published on The Bear Facts on April 15, 2024.