Unemployment in the country hit an all-time high of five per cent last year amid the pandemic. To address this, the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources has been training unemployed youth to help them find employment. Recently, a group was trained in Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy in Tsirang.
The youth attended a six-month training to acquire various skills related to Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy. They can now cut hair, provide professional hair care treatment services, do facial, pedicure, manicure, threading and waxing among others.
“People just think hair cutting is a simple job but when we enter into this hair and beauty therapy, we have a lot to do. And obviously, we still consider hair cutting and spa therapy as blue-collar jobs in our country. However, it is really a professional way to earn a living,” said Laxman Acharya, a trainee.
“Six months course is not enough for us to acquire in-depth skill and knowledge about hair and beauty therapy. So for now, I am planning to work in a salon for some years to gain additional skills and knowledge from experienced employees. Then, I have a plan to start a professional salon,” added Ngawang Choden, also a trainee.
Norbu International Wellness Institute based in Thimphu provided the course in collaboration with the labour ministry. The institute said, unlike other short-term courses, the national certificate level course like this will have a better weightage in the international job markets.
“Once you complete the National Certificate level course, it will be easier for you to absorb in any global job markets since it is an internationally recognized training,” said Dechen Pem, the Officiating Principal of Norbu International Wellness Institute.
“Whatever modules we have covered during the course are based on the current market demand in the country. And it is evident from the reports that we collect from on-job training. We found out every skill and knowledge on hair and beauty therapy learnt from the course has been fully applied during their two months on-job training,” added Sangay, the Lead Trainer with the institute.
They will soon be out on the field to stand on their own two feet. But only time will tell how many of them will actually take up hair and beauty therapy as their profession.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Sonam
