Spa therapists earn more than minimum wage

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KOTA KINABALU: Those working in the spa industry could easily earn more than RM1,200 per month.

“For the spa industry, the minimum wage of RM920 per month will not be a problem as the wages of workers in the spa industry are usually commission-based so that the more they work, the more they earn,” said Excellence Skill Academy’s manager, Stella Matuya, when asked to comment on the implementation of the minimum wage order which will be enforced starting July 1.

She emphasised that it is not uncommon for people in the spa industry to earn more than RM3,000 per month even in Kota Kinabalu.

She added that her recent batch of trainees in spa therapy comprise of 50 people who were already employed.

“Some of them are in Sabah while others have gone to Penang to work,” she said.

“Although they are new, it wasn’t difficult for them to get a monthly wage of RM1,500,” she said.

Despite the attractive income involved, Stella said, it is not easy to get trainees to sign up for the free spa therapy training which received support from Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera, an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department.

“I even had to resort to knocking door to door to promote the training,” she said adding that the main hurdle in getting people to sign up for the training was their negative perception towards the career.

“There is a need to change the negative perception towards the industry,” she said.

The next intake for the training is in June, 2016 and is open to Bumiputera women between 17 years old and 23 years old.