Getting started · Start here
Start Here: Your First 30 Days
≈ 5 min read · Print / save as PDF
You do not need to finish this book before you start fixing things. Follow this plan: learn safety first, practise on broken devices nobody needs, then do your first simple paid jobs — and only then register the shop. Every step points to the chapter that explains it.
What to buy first (minimum kit)
Buy these before Day 1. They are enough for your first paying jobs. The complete station-by-station list, with example models and specifications, is in Chapter 19.
| Got it | Item | Why you need it | Chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precision screwdriver set (with Phillips, Torx, Pentalobe, Tri-point bits) | Every repair starts with screws | 3 | |
| Opening picks, spudgers, suction cup | Open phones and laptops without damage | 3 | |
| ESD wrist strap + mat | Protect boards from static | 1 | |
| Magnetic screw mat | Never lose or mix screws | 1 | |
| Digital multimeter (auto-ranging, with diode mode) | Your “eyes” inside the circuit | 3 | |
| Isopropyl alcohol 99%, brushes, lint-free wipes | Cleaning ports, boards, adhesive | 3 | |
| Heat plate or heat gun | Soften screen and battery glue | 13 | |
| USB-C power meter | Check chargers, cables and charging | 9 | |
| 32 GB+ USB drive with Ventoy | Your bootable software toolkit | 3, 8 | |
| Metal bucket of sand + fire extinguisher | Battery fire safety | 1 | |
| Temperature-controlled soldering station + flux + wick | Start practising soldering in Week 2 | 4 |
Where to get practice devices
- Ask family, friends and neighbours for old, broken phones and laptops (explain they will not be returned). Do not wipe them yourself — ask the owner to sign out of their accounts and factory-reset first if the device still works.
- Buy scrap boards and “for parts” devices from junk shops and online marketplaces. Get a receipt and avoid devices that are still locked to someone else’s Apple or Google account.
- Buy a cheap soldering practice kit with through-hole and SMD components (Chapter 4 labs).
The 30-day plan
| Day | Do this | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set up your bench exactly like Figure 1.1. Test the wrist strap. Put the sand bucket in place. | 1 |
| 2 | Learn the battery rules. On a scrap phone, practise disconnecting the battery first. | 1 |
| 3–4 | Water analogy, Ohm’s law, short vs. open. Do Lab 2.1 on a breadboard. | 2 |
| 5–6 | Multimeter drills (Lab 3.1). Start your known-good notebook. | 3 |
| 7 | Full teardown and reassembly of a scrap laptop with a screw map (Lab 1.3). | 1, 9 |
| 8–11 | Soldering practice every day: through-hole, then 0805 → 0603 → 0402 parts (Labs 4.1–4.2). | 4 |
| 12 | Build a USB toolkit: Windows installer, Memtest86+, a Linux live system (Ventoy). | 3, 8 |
| 13 | Build or rebuild a PC and install Windows cleanly (Labs 6.1, 8.1). | 6, 8 |
| 14 | Laptop cooling service with before/after temperatures (Lab 10.2). | 10 |
| 15–16 | Open a screen-first and a back-first phone (scrap). Replace a screen and battery. | 13 |
| 17 | Charging port cleaning and port replacement on a scrap Android. | 13 |
| 18 | Put an iPhone into recovery and DFU mode; do an Update. Run Android diagnostics. | 14, 15 |
| 19 | DC power supply practice: record current patterns of a working phone board. | 16 |
| 20 | First “real” jobs for family and friends — free or at cost: battery, port cleaning, SSD upgrade. Use the Job Order form. | 18, App. B |
| 21–24 | More real jobs. Time each one. Do full QC on every device. | 5, App. B |
| 25 | Calculate your price list from real times and parts costs (pricing figure in Chapter 18). | 18 |
| 26 | Write your warranty policy and privacy notice. Print the forms in Appendix B. | 18 |
| 27–28 | Start registration: DTI business name online, then barangay clearance. | 17 |
| 29 | Mayor’s Permit and BIR (ORUS). Ask DTI about SRE accreditation. | 17 |
| 30 | Create your Google Business Profile and Facebook page. Announce your services. | 18 |
Your first ten sellable services
Start with jobs that are low risk, quick and in demand. Add board-level work later as your skill grows. Each one has a step-by-step Job Card in Chapter 21.
| Service | Skill level | Risk | Key tools | Chapter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charging-port cleaning | Easy | Low | Plastic pick, IPA, brush | 13 |
| PC/laptop clean + thermal paste | Easy | Low | Screwdrivers, paste, pads | 10 |
| HDD → SSD upgrade with cloning | Easy | Low | SSD, USB adapter, cloning software | 8 |
| RAM upgrade | Easy | Low | Screwdrivers | 6, 10 |
| Windows reinstall / malware removal | Easy | Low (back up first!) | USB toolkit | 8 |
| Laptop battery replacement | Medium | Medium (battery) | Screwdrivers, plastic tools | 10 |
| Phone battery replacement | Medium | Medium (fire risk) | Heat plate, picks, IPA | 13 |
| Phone screen replacement | Medium | Medium | Heat plate, picks, adhesive | 13 |
| Laptop screen / keyboard replacement | Medium | Medium | Screwdrivers, plastic tools | 10 |
| Charging port replacement (Android sub-board) | Medium | Low–Medium | Screwdrivers, spudger | 13 |
For your first month, say “no” to liquid-damaged boards, data recovery from dead phones and anything that needs microsoldering on a customer’s device. Practise those on scrap boards until your success rate is high. Your reputation is built on the jobs you choose not to take, too.
Get an official National Certificate (free)
This handbook does not replace a TESDA qualification. Customers, employers and schools in the Philippines recognise the National Certificate (NC II). Two qualifications match this book:
- Computer Systems Servicing NC II (280 nominal hours). Covers computers, laptops, networks and maintenance (Parts II–III).
- Electronic Products Assembly and Servicing NC II (about 260 hours). Covers soldering and board-level electronics (Part I and the board-level chapters).
Ways to do it at no cost:
- Free online study. Take the TESDA Online Program course at e-tesda.gov.ph to learn the theory.
- Free face-to-face training. Apply for a scholarship (TWSP, PESFA, STEP or Tulong Trabaho) at your TESDA provincial or district office, or at the scholarship desk of an accredited school. Scholarships cover training and the assessment fee.
- Assessment only. If you already have the skills, book the competency assessment directly at an accredited assessment centre.
Read the official Training Regulations PDF first: it lists exactly what the assessor will check. Links and QR codes are in the Resource Directory.
Daily 30-minute practice routine (after Day 30)
- 10 minutes — microsoldering drill on a scrap board (remove and refit 5 small parts).
- 10 minutes — measure 5 new points on a known-good board and add them to your notebook.
- 10 minutes — watch one diagnosis video from the Resource Directory and write down the technician’s steps.
Progress is saved in this browser.