How a Multinational Giant Exploited Me

I thought I had caught my first big break when I saw a job posting for Nokia in Oragadam. As a young job seeker, the name itself was a beacon of hope. I applied, ready to start my career. Instead of a proper contract job, I was offered a position as an NATS (National Apprenticeship Training Scheme) trainee. Despite my hopes for a real job, I accepted due to my family's financial pressure, believing that even a training role at such a famous company would be a valuable step forward. The reality was a carefully disguised exploitation scheme. From day one, I was not treated as a trainee. My Team Leader (TL) instructed me to perform the same repetitive, machine-like tasks as the regular contract workers. There was no training, no skill development—just the same monotonous work, day in and day out. When I gathered the courage to speak to my TL and respectfully asked to be involved in other processes or to receive the actual training promised by the NATS scheme, the response was not just a refusal—it was an ultimatum. I was told that if I did not want to do the assigned repetitive work, my only option was to write a resignation letter and leave. I chose to leave, refusing to be complicit in my own exploitation. The final insult was the pay. For two months of work—plus extra days—I received only ₹13,000. The contract workers performing the exact same duties were paid ₹15,000. And the ₹4,000 that is mandated by the government to support apprentices? I never received a single rupee of it. My story is not just about unfair pay. It's about how large corporations are systematically misusing government schemes meant to help the youth, replacing real jobs with cheap, disposable labour. They are not building futures; they are breaking spirits. I am sharing this so that no one else has to learn this hard lesson.