Hairdressing Apprenticeships Offer Hands-On Advantages
During a hairdressing apprenticeship, a cosmetology student assists an experienced, licensed hairdresser. In this way, the apprentice gains hands-on experience in salon procedures under the watchful eye of a professional. This means the apprentice is literally learning his or her trade on the job.
In the beginning, the apprentice is usually only asked to complete everyday, menial tasks. These may include sweeping hair from the floor, sterilizing tools, scheduling appointments for the other hairdressers and shampooing. As the apprenticeship continues, however, the apprentice will be asked to do more hands-on work with clients. In some cases, he or she may be scheduling their own clients by the end of the apprenticeship.
Benefits of a Hairdressing Apprenticeship
For self-taught hairdressers or those who cannot attend a traditional beauty school due to time or financial constraints, an apprenticeship offers a way to enter into the industry. Some salons accept apprentices with little to no formal training, since they will be trained on the job. Choosing an apprenticeship means that you can work and be paid for your time while also learning your craft.
Being an apprentice not only teaches skills and techniques for hairdressing, it also allows the student to see how a salon operates in the real world. One of the biggest benefits of an apprenticeship is that you learn business and marketing basics, as well as client relations and retention. From the beginning, most salons allow apprentices to wash hair and schedule appointments in order to give them an opportunity to build their interpersonal skills with customers.
Hairdressers rely on the rapport they build with customers to keep them coming back, and to advertise via word of mouth. People skills are one of the most important aspects of a cosmetologist’s job, and one that can only be taught through practice. As the apprentice becomes more experienced, he or she will also be allowed to assist in coloring, chemical treatments and styling. This builds trust with the customers, which is another important part of client development.
The Job Market After a Hairdressing Apprenticeship
Sometimes, the apprentice will be offered a full time job in the salon after the apprenticeship is completed and they have earned their license. Other times, however, the apprentice will be looking for a job at another salon. When this happens, the new salon manager can contact the apprenticeship instructor as well as others in the salon as references. This may offer an advantage over a student who only has experience in beauty school. Either way, it is not unusual for employment to begin with a probationary period of up to 90 days for stylists, no matter their experience.
Some states require an apprenticeship after completing a beauty school degree or cosmetology course that did not include hands-on practice. Others allow license seekers to complete an apprenticeship instead of a cosmetology degree program. While the usefulness of an apprenticeship in the licensing process may vary state to state, there is no doubt that it adds to your mastery of cosmetology techniques and your resume.
Have You Considered Evergreen Beauty College?
Evergreen Beauty College is a full-service cosmetology school with three campuses in Washington State. Give us a call or contact us to learn more about how to start your career in cosmetology today. We offer comprehensive, flexible degree programs in cosmetology, cosmetic specialties, instructor training and more.
