College making me do level 1 first?

[Lovehair13]

Anyone know if I have any rights here??
I'm currently a qualified hair extensionist. My mother owned her own salon for 15 years. I used to help out but not on the cutting and colouring side. I'm not a qualified hairdresser but now I'm having a break from my teaching career to bring up my children I thought now is my chance to go to college and get my qualification. I wanted to go straight on to level 2, at the interview they have refused me to go to level 2 without doing my level one? Now I'm classed as a mature student and I have to pay a good few hundred for this course. Shouldn't they allow me to go straight to level 2 seen as I have to pay all this money and I know I've covered level 1 activities in my experience.

 

[sarah_clancy]

Anyone know if I have any rights here??
I'm currently a qualified hair extensionist. My mother owned her own salon for 15 years. I used to help out but not on the cutting and colouring side. I'm not a qualified hairdresser but now I'm having a break from my teaching career to bring up my children I thought now is my chance to go to college and get my qualification. I wanted to go straight on to level 2, at the interview they have refused me to go to level 2 without doing my level one? Now I'm classed as a mature student and I have to pay a good few hundred for this course. Shouldn't they allow me to go straight to level 2 seen as I have to pay all this money and I know I've covered level 1 activities in my experience.

They don't know what your capable of?
Prove yourself in level one and then maybe they will move you up?
Everyone should start from the bottom IMHO xx

 

[studentpucca]

They don't know what your capable of?
Prove yourself in level one and then maybe they will move you up?
Everyone should start from the bottom IMHO xx

I had a friend at level 1 that knew already a lot about hairdressing then they moved her to level 2. Made me jealous lol.x

 

[Clairdestiny]

I had the same problem :-( i worked in a barber shop as i trained to do the barbering in there and i still had to do level 1 :-( but it went fast and so did level 2 x

 

[faerififi]

Level 1 is kinda valuable for practising your cutting and colouring techniques in. If youve not had any experience in this then level 2 will throw you in the deep end with paying clients. Thats really the point of the year, getting all your styling signed off, learning all the techniques you need to be able to do in level 2 and being able to do them properly and in good time so you are confident enough when it comes to clients.

 

[Tomme]

It doesn't matter if your 16 or 60, the course starts at level one and I don't think anyone should be immune to it. Extensions aren't hairdressing and isn't a substitute for level one. There is a lot of health and safety to level one that I think should be mandatory, and like said above is where you actually learn to cut, colour and all the rest.
I know no one wants to spend more than they need to but its all worth it.
If it makes a difference I was in a salon art time while doing my level one at 16, maybe I should have been immune to it too? X

 

[Clairdestiny]

To be honest i have done level 1 and level 2 and i think its still not enough so im going back to do level 3 there is so much to learn xx i thought exact same as you when they said i had to do level 1 but beleave me it prepares you for level 2 im glad i done it x

 

[KayaPapaya]

I don't think it's unreasonable. Extensions is a completely different kettle of fish to hairdressing.

If you're really unhappy try another college, but you then might get put on a 2 year VRQ2 or NVQ2, so in essence it's the same amount of time

 

[lynn amber]

Im a qualified hairdresser of 15 years but it like this I have several beauty qualifications,if I wanted to do my nvq in beauty I would not expect them to let me into level 2 ,if you want to be successful in this industry yes you have to start at the bottom but also be humble and show some respect for the qualification you want .

Sent from my LT30p using SalonGeek

 

[charlene1983]

I'm a beauty therapist but also do hair extensions. I owned my own salon and went to college to learn hair as the salon was hair an beauty and I wanted to be able to cover both sides.
I was allowed to join straight into a mens hairdressing course which I got a mens hairdressing qualification diploma, I covered everything from shampooing to cutting and even colouring. I can now join to the ladies level 2 hairdressing course if I wished.
I'm not sure if this is the norm but its they way I was allowed to do it.
I'd check with different colleges because round here they give you an interview before joining the course to make sure you are joining the right courses at the right levels for you. Hth x

 

[Marilyn Monroe]

When I taught at college level 1 was for students we thought would struggle at level 2 and with basic English and Math. In my opinion of you have experience in the beauty or hair industry and are able to do the paper work you shouldn't be doing level 1.

 

[AcidPerm]

Go to a different college. Level 1 is really basic and as a mature adult, I imagine you can read and absorb a level 1 textbook within a few days. What you will get in level 1 is useful practical experience, but if you already have this from your mum's salon then you are wasting time, in my opinion.

Go to the library or buy a few textbooks covering levels 2 & 3 and spend some time reading them. Then go for another interview elsewhere and demonstrate your motivation and eagerness to learn. I'm assuming that your English & Maths skills are at least GCSE grade C or above.

When I started my level 2, (I didn't do level 1), I bought a level 2 textbook initially but passed it on quite quickly. I found it poorly written (especially the chapter on Health and Safety, which contained some minor inaccuracies) and it glossed over some areas too much for my liking.

I bought a couple of level 3 textbooks as they re-viewed the basics but obviously went into a lot more detail, which made the subject matter more interesting to learn. But I appreciate that most people don't study hairdressing this way and rely on the handouts from the tutors to learn the theory side of things.

What everyone needs though, is adequate hands-on practical experience and some colleges are better at providing this opportunity than others.

 

[topcuts]

I went back to college 8years ago as i had given up hairdressing previously.

I didnt tell them if my experience.

They pulled me out of class in 3rd week, asked if I had fpdone it before, assessed me in a cut/set/perm, moved me up & fast tracked me.

Fab.

The girls hated me!

 

[littlemissm]

Mature student usually do a intensive course level 1&2 together. It's the younger ones & ESOL that usually do it over 2 yrs.

 

[Papillion]

All I can tell you is what I experienced. I trained in Beauty Therapy NVQ level 2 & 3, then did the same with hair, both while in my late 20's/30's.

I was at no point asked to do level 1. One of the local colleges didnt even offer it, everyone began at level 2, and the other college stated level 1 was only for girls who had just left school (16) and most people (18+)therefore started at level 2. At both colleges starting at level 2 was the norm.

 

[Jodie4156]

Level 1 is more in depth now I think, when I did it we learnt nothing about colouring and now there are colouring units so maybe it's not so basic as you think, it will help you in the long run I found it quite boring as I was a fast learner and it seemed to drag on buy was worth the experience in the end xx

 

[Amberjox]

I went straight on to Level 2 with both NVQ and Btec. (only reason i did both was because I started NVQ level 2 in England then moved away)
xxx

 

[Lovehair13]

Thanks all, been really helpful reading all your replies.

For those who said hair extensions is not the same as hairdressing I am fully aware of this lol and was just giving detail of what I do right now. I do have higher than GCSE I have a degree and have also done by pgce I've been working as a teacher for the last few years. I have learned a lot from when my mother had her salon about hair.

This unfortunately is the only college around me that will do part time hairdressing course in the evening which suits my lifestyle at the moment so it looks like I will have to start at the bottom.

 

[lydia c]

I wouldn't call it the bottom , it's a start on to the career you want , at least doing level 1,2,3 you can say you have done it all ect , hope you enjoy the course ,and it doesn't make you any worse off doing the level 1 best of luck I'm sure you will be great Xxx

 

[Lovehair13]

Thank you Hun I can't wait to get started lol