If all turns out as planned, around 1,500 barbers in the city will be trained by celebrity hairstylist Javed Habib. The Maharashtra government has decided to sign a memorandum of agreement (MoU) with Habib for the same by the end of August.
"We are in talks with Javed Habib, and hopefully by the end of this month, MoU will be signed with him. The trained barbers will be allowed to use the brand name 'Trained by Javed habib' in their salon," said Deepal
"We have been talking with Javed Habib and hopeful that by end of this month's, MoU will be signed with him. The salon people will get the skill and even they will be allowed to use the brand name of 'Trained by Javed Habib' in their salon. It will help them to get the customers and charge little higher side. And the customers will be also happily pay higher for the services. It will be win-win situation for both of them," said Deepak Kapoor, the principal secretary of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship department.
When contacted Javed Habib, he confirmed the development. "The Maharashtra government has taken this innovative step to train the unorganised sector and it would be the first state to do so. We will give barbers three months of training," said Habib.
"During the training, barbers will be taught the way to behave with customers, latest hairstyles, cleanliness and dealing with the corporate clients. These skills will help the barbers to enhance their income," said Kapoor.
Another government official who is a part of this project said that, Javed Habib has collected the data base of all 1,500 barbers, to whom the training will be given. "These barbers will be trained at Javed Habib Career Academy in Mumbai. The trained people will have to maintain the standard of Habib. If they fail to do so, then they will not be allowed from using the brand name of Javed Habib in their salons," added the official.
"Training cost will be shared by the to-be trained barbers and the state government. The success of this pilot project will determine the duplication of it in other parts of the state. Barbers have the basic skills, so getting the latest hairstyle skills will not be a major issue for them," said Kapoor.
