College/apprentices - am I over reacting?

[BeauTea Rooms]

I have an apprentice working for me who qualified in Germany but her qualifications dont stand up against British insurance so she is having to resit her Level 2 then 3, we have arranged this through the local college and she is now on day release 1 day per week and with me for 4 days. She is a lovely girl as has been working as a Hair Stylist & Make Up Artist on a adhoc basis, she also specialises in Vintage & Burlesque so is an assess to us.

The problem is I am keen to get her through and qualified & its just not happening, I spoke to the college and said I wanted a fast track course, however she has now been off College for two weeks (half term) & promised a onsite visit, its not happened. The last time she was in 2 students royally kicked off on each other & disrupted the whole class.

She cannot physically do anymore coursework, as I've had her do everything she was given, she is advancing nicely in the shop but I need to get her through the qualifications ASAP as we have a need for a 3rd Hairdresser, especailly leading into the holiday and then xmas party season

I've complained to the woman who set up the apprenticeship for me, she was very empathetic & said she was come back to me with a progress update.

Am I being too presumptious that I can get our Apprentice through quickly & what is going on in the colleges? Kick offs, swearing, people playing on mobile phones & Tutors not being able to handle the class & may I add these students ARE on placements - My apprentice said if she behaved the way they other did & I found out she'd dread to think what would happen to her.. sacked was my answer!! Anyone else having these problems?

 

[Pinkbunny28]

I hate to say this but that's just the way with kids who don't actually want to be there these days that mummy and daddy have forced to go else no pocket money...

It's such a shame, especially for girls like your apprentice who want to learn.

I think the only thing you can do is keep on at the college to fast track her more. x

 

[Pinkbunny28]

Can I ask which qualifications she has already? Might be worth a call to habia if you havnt already done so just to double check.x

 

[BeauTea Rooms]

Since I posted I've had a call and visit from the college Tutors trying to reassure me about my apprentices progress etc. I've now been given the programme scedule with dates on until September of what she will be doing etc, I said to the Tutor that I'll be monitoring the progress with my apprentice weekly... her face dropped as I think she knows I'm serious!

 

[melly07]

I have a feeling aswell, that some colleges don't get funding for students if they finish early? As they are being marked absent for classes ect>
I find aswell with alot of colleges that with hair and beauty being viewed as easy courses etc (We all know they are not) that alot of girls have chosen to do the courses because they can't manage anything else so they just mess about and it disrupts everyone. My college just tarred everyone with the same brush and it meant some of us didn't get pushed enough. This could be happening here? Glad you stepped up though. x

 

[Tonyarts]

I was apprentice, but my salon manager had her teaching cericates so I could just be marked in the salon and then site visits from saks lecturers so I got my level 3 done really quickly because I did a lot of assessments done.

Maybe college isn't the best thing for your apprentice?

I found college was fun of kids who didn't want to learn, rude and basically should of been kicked out but weren't because of the funding.

I am in OZ now and my NVQ 2 & 3 are fine over here because of the skills tests I had to do. So maybe get your apprentice on the floor if she is ready in certain aspects to get her ready when she is finished at college???

I had my own clients and they helped me with my male cutting which I didn't get told at college because a lot of courses are female hair or male hair.

Hope this helps?? You could get city and guilds to get her cericated and compare what she had missed and just do them missing units??

 

[anita_xx]

Reminds me of my course at college... couldn't act learn anything as half the girls there weren't really interested in the beauty course! I ended up going and doing my course again at a beauty school and was so much better, wish I'd went there in the 1st place! Hope it all works out wit your apprentice! xoxo