DURING the past week, 16 trainees of Magelang Municipality's BLK (vocational training center) have been busy making residents look great with their hair.
They come in and out settlements, including low-cost apartments (rumah susun) in Magelang Municipality, giving townsmen free haircuts.
They do cuts especially for men and children of all ages, with no money is changing hands, just free.
For some people, a haircut is a luxury spend. The BLK trainees want to help in any way they can.
On Wednesday (April 21, 2021), public employees and officials of Magelang municipal government, lined up at the front of a room of their office complex, on Jalan Sarwo Edhie Wibowo, waiting their turn for a free cut.
Eny Kusumadewi, Section Head of Employment Placement and Enlargement of Magelang Municipality Employment Agency, explained, the BLK students have been trained for months by experienced, professional instructors from Yogyakarta, prior to giving free haircuts.
"They are very generously donating their time, energy and skills to the communities. On the other hand, as part of field work practice, what they've been doing also becomes an opportunity to sharpen their skills to meet the demand", Ms Eny described.
Heru Kloro Prasetyo, a trainee, appreciates the BLK's program on barbering. The program enables him to learn theoritical aspects and subsequently apply them during practical tasks.
"I actually wanted to take a barista training at the BLK, but later I decided to choose barbering. I felt that cutting hair was my passion", Heru said.
He personally thinks that training methods applied in the BLK is pleasurable. Instructors do not only guide the trainees, but also supervise them after finishing the program.
"The BLK will inform us when there are any jobs available. Apart from that, they also encourage us to start and run our own business", he explained.
To make extra income, Heru also gives in-home service to those who need haircuts. By doing this, he has been able to save money, little by little, to start his own barbershop in the future.
"Someone has offered me a job, but the location was quite far, then I declined it", he uttered.[sahrudin]
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