Hair Stylist Education and Training in Renton
If you are hoping to become a hair stylist in Renton, then you should join a cosmetology school in Renton and take a cosmetology course. The Washington State Department of Licensing is the governing body for stylists or cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians, and manicurists in the state of Washington. Washington is a great place for hair stylists to work, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Washington ranks third in the nation when it comes to the average pay for cosmetologists, with stylists earning an average of $34,160 per year as compared to the national norm of just over $26,000.
Hair Stylist Education and Training in Renton
Once you have decided to become a hair stylist, your first step is to get a high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED), if you have not already. No cosmetology program in the state will grant admittance to students who don’t have a high school diploma or GED.
Applying to the school of your choice is the next step. Financial aid is generally available for those who qualify, including grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the state of Washington. There are also government student loans and private loans available, as well as scholarships and other types of assistance available. Most cosmetology programs will provide the student with information regarding aid opportunities.
Certification
All applicants must be at least 17 years old and have graduated from a cosmetologist school that is approved and licensed by the state of Washington. The student must have attained the required number of hours for the program of study. For cosmetologists, the hair stylist must go to school for 1600 hours and must work as an apprentice for a minimum of 2000 hours. Once schooling is complete, the student may sit for the exam needed to be licensed to work as a cosmetologist.
There are two exams that must be passed: a written exam and a performance exam. Exams are given by the National Testing Network, which is the only exam provider for the state of Washington. Most students can complete their hair stylist/cosmetology training in less than two years, although the rate at which the program is completed is obviously affected by the time frame that is chosen, and whether a student attends the school full or part time.
If students want to offer more than just standard cosmetology services, they will need to take additional training. For example, if a student wishes to also offer manicure services, an additional 600 hours of training will need to be completed. This is in addition to the other basic hair stylist education and training in Renton that the student has completed.
