Am I too old to become an apprentice?

[gemsie1983]

Hi Girls,

Firstly sorry if this is not in the right section wasn't quite sure where to post it!

Wondered if I could ask you for some advice.

I work in Marketing for a media company at the moment and I've reached in my career that I really don't want to be doing what I do (and haven't for a while), I don't really enjoy my job and its not something I particularly want to progress in.

At the moment I am studying beauty therapy NVQ 2 1 evening a week and I have also recently completed the Creative foundation course.

I am really passionate about the hair, beauty and nails industry, I'm always reading around the subjects, (something I never do with Marketing) I'm always on geek, and I love going to the shows. I know that I want to be in this industry, but I feel like the longer I spend sat at this desk the harder it will be to make my dreams happen!

I have recently been researching into hairdressing apprenticeships, and I'm ready to make a pretty big career move but at 24 I can't help but wonder whether I am maybe a little bit too old to be an apprentice.

I suppose my main questions are this:

• What is the best route to take to gain training in hairdressing would it be best for me to do a part time college course one night a week, do a full time apprenticeship through college or get trained through a chain such as toni and guy etc.
• If I were to become an apprentice what kind of money could I expect to receive. I don't mind if you want to pm me about this. Obviously I realize i should expect to take a huge pay drop, but also i do have more outgoings than a 16/17 year old and I need to make sure that I have enough money to live.
• And finally would a hairdressers be willing to take me on as an apprentice at 24?

Thanks in advance any help would be appreciated, its a huge step to take but its something I am really passion about and I am more than willing to make sacrifices.

Thanks again

Gemma xx

:hug:

 

[Tashaonline]

hi gemma

I was kind of in the same boat as you , but I trained as a beauty therapist after school and then went to a saon then to a spa doing beauty , I am now doing 2 evenings a week studying hairdressing and it is NOT enough experience I cant stress how much , if you want to just do it as a hobby like some of the older ladies in the group then thats fine...I have actually left the spa doing beauty now to be a salon assistant in a salon but still dont actuallu get to do hair just shampooing,tea sweeping etc but at least I am getting to watch the stylists so I am getting experience that way

If I didnt have a 13month old daughter I would of done an apprenticeship but you have to be full time to do this , I know a few apprenticeships and none of them earn more than £80 a week , but then if you think about it in college you wouldent get nothing

you also have to be prepared to be treated as a school leaver, which was hard coming from having my own clients then to doing the laundry and teas!

if you can afford to do it for 2 years then go for it!

best of luck hun
xx

 

[sodabubble]

last year I tried to do the same thing (had already done my level one before switching to beauty) but got such a negative response from potential employers/work placement salons that I left feeling so disheartened! Thought my luck had changed when the age discrimination act came in, but still got told I was too old to be a trainee! After falling out with most of the salons round here lol, I wonder how many salons think of this when they advertise for 'school leavers' etc

But don't let my bad luck put you off, if you get a chance grab it with both hands and run like you've never run before! xx

 

[Abbie123]

ooo you make me sound old, i am a trainee hairdresser and i am 36 in a couple of weeks time. I worked as a PA in London for years and then had babies and then decided that i didn't want all the stress of commuting blah blah. I do one evening a week training at a salon and then another evening and morning watching the stylist. I have also completed Swedish Massage NVQ level 2 and have recently qualified as a Calgel Nail Tech - although am still practising on models and not charging for treatments. Do you have a college where you could do an evening course while you are still working? I do agree that you need loads of time watching and being in the salon tho and get as much experience as you can. The place i go to is a private college that has a hair salon attached to it. I definately do not think that you are too old to retrain - look at me!

Good luck!
Paula xx

 

[1999judy]

No way are you too old!!
Go girl x

 

[thebeautybank]

Gosh i wish some of you guys lived closer to my salon i would love to take you on as an apprentice can not think why other salons do not think the same.
I have employed older trainees and they have all been really good and do not let you down as much the younger ones.
Please keep trying and good luck. not all salon owners are the same.

 

[gemsie1983]

Thanks for all your replies girls they are really helpful - its nice to see some of you have already took the plunge it makes me realise that i'm not just dreaming!

I'm going to send off my cv over the weekend and see what sort of response I get.

I'll let you know how I get on x

 

[ValencianNails]

Both *Joanne* and Lotus Blossom started Hairdressing courses last year, both of them are in their 30's and both of them are enjoying it

Go for it and let us know how it goes x