Advice please

[wobbleo]

i really want to have a career in hairdressing and im hoping to do levels 1,2,and 3 at college and then work on a salon before going on to be a mobile stylist. I don't have any other qualifications can you suggest any i would need before starting level one? I don't intend to apply for a couple of years till my children are older. Thank-you

 

[Lamaur man]

Hi there.

You don't really need any formal qualifications as such, but some colleges expect you to have a general basic standard of education. ie grade D or E in GCSE English and Science. If you are a mature student, you should have no problems at all.
Hope it goes well for you.

Happy New Year.

Lamaur Man.

 

[Sammi74]

Hi,

i did nvq 1&2 at evening college over 18 months, i did have gcses and a levels, but i needed to just do a basic numercy/literacy test at college for entry and an interview, it was quite basic stuff. The interview is more important as you get to chat to the tutor and really show them you are passionate and going to be commited to doing the course and show them you are worth taking on.

I did have a years experience as a junior in a salon but that was 13 years ago, some of the things i learnt stuck and were relevant, other things had moved on a bit.

Whilst doing my levels 1 & 2 i volunteered a morning a week in a salon too, that is now a compulsory requiremt apparantly.

i would just plan well in advance, go and see the college's learning support advisors and they will explain all your options, it's really worth doing if its what you really enjoy doing. I haven't the opportuniy to work in a salon at the moment as i have a small child, so i have gone mobile straight away, which is good but very daunting at times and i think its only through age and life experience (am 36) that i can deal with some awkward clients or decide whether or not i am confident enough to do something or not.

if you're under 25 and not done an nvq before you get your fees paid for, which saves you about £600 plus you have to buy all your kit which can be quite pricey. Just things to take into consideration.

All the best anyway, hope you find the course you're looking for!!

 

[pippy]

you wouldn't need any qualifications and as a mature student (that's anyone with kids or over 27 yrs of age I think) all you would need is a genuine willing to do the course and gain the qualifications and to attend an interview with the college you are applying to you. that's what most colleges ask for anyway check the prospectus of the college you wish to apply to it should tell you all the details you need to do the courses.

 

[spikeyfaerie]

I went into Level 2 as a mature student with no previous experience...though it was a kind of Level 1/2 over one year.

Show enthusiasm for the course, they'll ask you why you want to do hair and where you want to go with it - fashion/freelance etc. Why did you decide to go into hair? That kind of thing.

Apply to everywhere cos there are so many people trying to get into the courses that the more you apply for the more likely you'll be to get in somewhere.

 

[njrivett]

you can now do a hairdressing apprenticeship in a salon at any age, you get paid £2.50/hr and it doesnt have to be full time - minimum 16 hrs/week, you would get salon experience this way and i would imagine that some salons would prefer to employ an older apprentice than some of the 16 year olds out there, get in touch with your local college for info

 

[spikeyfaerie]

Salons prefer taking on 16 year olds in apprenticeships because they don't have a minimum wage to pay. I spoke to a couple of salons who immediately told me I was too old to be taken on as an assistant.

To the OP - to do level 3 you need to be in a salon because it's part of the course to get commercial experience and you have to be able to practice the stuff you are learning more often than just once or twice a week in the college.

 

[lauren89]

To the OP - to do level 3 you need to be in a salon because it's part of the course to get commercial experience and you have to be able to practice the stuff you are learning more often than just once or twice a week in the college.

That depends on the college. At my college a salon placement on Level 3 is voluntary.

 

[spikeyfaerie]

That depends on the college. At my college a salon placement on Level 3 is voluntary.

Did you guys have to do placement for level 2?

It's so annoying how different each college can make their course to give out the same qualification.

 

[lauren89]

I attended a different college doing an apprenticeship for my level 2,
But yeah it's compulsary to have a placement on the level2 at the college I'm at now.

I know they should all be the same. I think it's to do with childcare and suff like that.