Shillong, Jul 6: A young woman from Jaiñtia Hills who had gone to work in Pune has returned home after finding that the beautician job she was promised was actually to give massages in a spa.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, was trained under the state government Skills Meghalaya initiative as a beautician. Upon reaching Pune, however, she found that the job involved providing body massage services instead.
The beautician course she completed was a three-month training programme held in Khliehriat. The programme was implemented by the Meghalaya State Skills Development Society in collaboration with other departments of the state government.
Apart from the beautician course, Skills Meghalaya also provides skill development training in various fields to young people across the state and arranges employment opportunities for successful trainees through agencies that have agreements with the Meghalaya government, including agencies outside the state.
According to the young woman, there are several other young women from Meghalaya who are also working in massage-related jobs that do not match the training they received.
She further stated that when she informed the management that she wanted to return home, they demanded around Rs 25,000 from her. She also alleged that many people instructed her to keep the nature of the massage work a secret and not tell anyone about it.
While trying to return home, the young woman sought help from one of her relatives, who in turn contacted people he knew in Shillong. Through their intervention and discussions with those involved, she was eventually able to return home without having to pay the Rs 25,000 that had been demanded.
