Considering a Career in Hairdressing or Barbering? What You Need to Know 

 By Tom Robinson

I was contacted recently by a young woman who had completed her Level 2 and Level 3 hairdressing qualifications but was struggling to find employment within the industry.

She had done exactly what she believed she was supposed to do: gone to college, completed her qualifications and put in the time. Yet when she was ready to start her career in hairdressing, getting that first salon job wasn't as straightforward as she had expected.

As a salon owner and employer, her experience got me thinking about whether we're doing enough to bridge the gap between gaining a qualification and being genuinely ready for life in a busy salon or barbershop.

Qualifications Are Just the Beginning

This isn't an argument against college education. There are fantastic educators doing brilliant work, and Level 2 and Level 3 hairdressing qualifications can provide an excellent technical foundation.

But being qualified and being confident in a commercial salon environment aren't necessarily the same thing.

Hairdressing and barbering require much more than technical ability. You need to communicate with clients, manage your time, work within a team, carry out great consultations, recommend products and services and, eventually, build a loyal clientele.

Some of these skills are taught, but many develop through real-world experience.

There is enormous value in spending time alongside experienced professionals: watching how they work, communicate with clients, solve problems and manage a busy column.

That's why I believe practical salon experience should be an important part of preparing for a career in hairdressing.

Are Hairdressing Apprenticeships Better?

Apprenticeships can offer a fantastic combination of education and hands-on salon experience, but only when they're done properly.

An apprentice shouldn't spend years simply washing hair and sweeping floors without being given opportunities to develop.

A good hairdressing apprenticeship should include structured training, regular progress reviews, opportunities to learn from experienced professionals and gradually increasing exposure to real clients.

Employers have a responsibility here too. Training an apprentice properly requires a considerable investment of time, patience and expertise. If we want more salons and barbershops to develop the next generation, those businesses need appropriate support to do it well.

College or Apprenticeship?

Perhaps this shouldn't be a question of one versus the other.

Instead, we should be asking how we can combine excellent education with enough meaningful industry experience to give young people the best possible start.

That could mean stronger relationships between colleges and local salons and barbershops, better work placements and more opportunities for students to gain genuine experience alongside their qualifications.

For young people – and the parents helping them make these decisions – it's also worth looking beyond the qualification itself.

Ask how much practical experience a course or apprenticeship provides. Find out who will support your development, whether you'll gain experience with real clients and what previous students or apprentices have gone on to do.

There isn't one perfect route into hairdressing or barbering. What matters is finding one that develops your technical skills, confidence and experience.

Supporting the Next Generation

The young woman who contacted me had worked hard, gained her qualifications and was eager to start her career – yet she was still struggling to get through the industry's front door.

That's what stayed with me.

Rather than debating whether college or apprenticeships are “better”, I think we need to focus on how educators, employers and the wider industry can work together to prepare young people for successful careers.

I love hairdressing. It has given me a career, a business and opportunities I could never have imagined when I started, and I want the next generation to have those opportunities too.

So I'd genuinely love to hear from educators, salon and barbershop owners, apprentices, parents and young people themselves:

If we were designing the best possible route into hairdressing and barbering today, what would we do differently?

Interested in starting your career with Tom’s? Find out more about our hairdressing and barbering apprenticeship opportunities and give us a call on 01522 683800.