To understand various nuances of being a vocational trainer, we visited the HUL Center, Hosur, run by LabourNet. The trainers at this center were full of enthusiasm while they spoke about their profession, their challenges and what it means to be making a difference in the lives of youth through skill-based training. Check out their stories below:
Manimegalai – Beauty Trainer
Manimegalai has done her Diploma in Cosmetology in a government college 10 years ago. She provides training in all types of beauty treatments like hair styling, make-up, manicure, pedicure etc. She has been a full time trainer for LabourNet and is employed by them. She doesn’t see any big challenge while training the students as everyone comes with a lot of interest. The students who complete this course want to either take jobs at other beauty parlours or open their own parlours and also do home based services too. They are exposed to all aspects of beauty. Most of the students in her class have completed their BSc. degree.
Hemachandran – Welding trainer
Hemachandran completed welding course in ITI in 2006. He was a supervisor in a manufacturing company for 10 years, in their welding department.  The company provided seating for all transport companies. He got an opportunity to train so he thought of giving it a try so he joined as a trainer a year back. The biggest challenge was to find students who are interested in welding and making them understand the importance and career aspects in this field. He feels a lot of awareness needs to be created so people come forward and take this course. People who do diploma in welding earn more than many engineering students so there is a lot of scope to earn money after completing this course. When they are trained at the Prabhat center, proper gear is used for safety etc. while training.
Chennamma – Apparel trainer
Before joining LabourNet, Chennamma worked in Trust as a trainer, she was always interested in stitching and designing. She got trained in Hosur in a training institute for 2 years. She learnt how to design blouses and dresses. There was a tailoring union in 1996 which provided her the training. Â
She doesn’t strictly follow the QPs of the SSCs, the center has customised it as they want to learn multiple things to sustain themselves. LabourNet. Multiple QPs are combined into one in apparel training. She is a senior trainer and has trained about 30 batches in each batch there are 20-25 students. She says all students are very co-operative. Initially they may not be interested but after 3-4 days they develop a great liking. They go back home and start stitching. Many have started their own small boutiques and some work from home.
Shilpa, Proprietor , Dhanush Garments and apparel trainer
Shilpa is an entrepreneur and trainer at Hosur, Karnataka who has set up her own tailoring shop where she has employed 20 people. She trains them herself. Â She did her training course In LabourNet. During peak season she employs additional tailors to meet the demands.
On questioning tailoring students at her center about how the training is helping them, Dakshayini, said she has joined tailoring to learn and earn. She wants to open her own garment stitching store. Another employee, Mallika, stitches both at home and at the centre and she is interested in designing. She is married and her husband too works at the center in delivering and collecting material.Â
