A Case For Minimum Wages For Vocational Trainees
Have you ever had to attend vocational training whilst you were an undergraduate? Or perhaps, after graduating with a degree, you need to complete a minimum period of working life as a trainee or pupil or houseman before you could qualify as a professional? How much were you paid during those period of work?
It is not surprising to find that many would answer a couple of hundred bucks. Perhaps in the region of RM500 to RM800 a month during those couple of months of compulsory training. Most employers deem this period of training as “doing the undergrads or graduates a service or favour” because otherwise, the latter would not be able to obtain the necessary qualification. Hence, they have no right to question or demand higher wages.
I beg to differ. And I will state why.
The period of so-called training is not a one-way channeling of benefit. If the employer gets nothing or very little in return during the training period, perhaps there are merits to the employer’s contention. However, it is not exaggerating to say that in most instances, the trainees are doing some form of work for the employer - be it research, handling correspondences or even handling files, including interviewing clients and all. Some of these work are arguably more technical or difficult compared to say, a general clerk’s job description. After all, the trainees possess some form of technical knowledge relevant and useful to the employers and could contribute something useful. So, shouldn’t they be paid the equivalent, if not a higher wage compared to a general clerk?
The fact that the training is temporary makes no excuse for treating the undergrads or graduates with discriminatory, and sometimes unrealistic wages. And let not some of the employers kid themselves into thinking that they are treating the trainees with dignity or as future fellow workers or professionals. It is no secret that some employers look forward to hiring these trainees as “cheap labour for mundane tasks” in the pretext of doing them a favour by training them.
Is there a way out of this vicious cycle? It starts with you (if you are an employer). Treat them fairly, decently and with dignity. The trainee whom you are getting on the cheap today could one day turn out to be your employer or customer instead. Think he won’t recall how you treated him when he was your trainee? Think again.
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