Become an apprentice in a salon.

What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships enable you to practically learn your trade as well as studying to gain the theory and enable you to receive your qualification. They are aimed at young people aged 16 and over to enable them to earn money whilst gaining experience in a hairdressing environment. An apprenticeship in hairdressing will normally involve you working in the salon every day bar one or two when you will be attending college. It can take up to 5 years to qualify as a hairdresser so if you have the patience and the commitment to keep at it then an apprenticeship would be for you.

Why do an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship enables you to earn money whilst working and gaining qualifications. You can use an apprenticeship to gain NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) levels which is what you need to become a qualified hairdresser. In addition to that you will also gain how ever many years experience in the practical environment as opposed to all that time studying just the theory at college. Employers like to see that their future employees are keen to learn and because of this salon owners are usually very keen to take on apprentices.

Will I enjoy an apprenticeship?
When thinking about undertaking a hairdressing apprenticeship, you should be certain that this is the career path you wish to take. You need to be really focussed to be successful and know that you will need to put in the work and organise your time really well. You must be prepared to be responsible for balancing your time at work with studying in order to get the most out of it; you can’t just work in the salon and not go to college because this doesn’t meet the requirements of partaking in an apprenticeship scheme. You should also be prepared to be able to work as part of a team and as an individual.

How long does an apprenticeship take?
This can vary from 1 year to 5; it is dependent on the contract you have drawn up with your employer and on your own ability also.

How do I apply to become an apprentice?
You can call the National Apprenticeships Helpline on 08000 150600. They will provide you with information as to where your nearest opportunities are and advise you on the career you wish to take. They will have access to many employers and be able to advise you on where learning providers are in your area.

You can also get in touch with employers directly and ask them if they take on apprentices or would be interested in doing so. If they do, then they will probably arrange to meet you as they would a proper employee and interview you to ensure you would be a good investment for them to make.

Use the internet as a tool to help you find where takes on apprentices in your area. Additionally, look in your local newspaper and visit your nearest job centre. You have to make sure you choose the right apprentice scheme to embark upon as well so look upon it as finding a job. Make sure you do your research before applying to ensure that you would be happy working there if you got offered the apprentice.