Fast track hairdresser

[Beckyjack123]

Has anyone ever done a saks nvq level 2 fast track hairdressing course? I need some advise on whether or not they are worth the money and will it make me a competent hairdresser? I will have to travel to London every Saturday for 38 weeks, and I'm hoping to be working in a salon as soon as I'm finished. All answers appreciated x

 

[sarah_clancy]

I wouldnt say you would be a competent hairdresser after doing a fast course.
I dont even think after a 2 year apprentiship I was 'competent' as such, It take years of experience and learning of other stylists to become a good hairdresser.
I would save the money and just take your time to learn, start from the bottom and work your way up.
hth!

 

[kimi1101]

I woukd say 100% not. Not just because it is such q short course (38 days is equivalent to 2 months at college) but at the moment in my area newly qualified stylists struggle to find work and as an employer there is no way I'd employ someone who trained in 38 days with no salon experience. My opinion.

X

 

[persianista]

I agree with the others. I only employ stylists who trained in a salon, not full time college.

 

[Beckyjack123]

Hi thanks for replys. I was an apprentice for 3 years aged 16-18 and was at college doing nvq level 2 and had to leave 6 months before the course ended to give birth to my son. Apparently I can't pick up where I left off now as the course has changed slightly so this is why I am considering this course As it is basically refreshing what I've learnt plus I would get the nvq. The only other option is to go back to college and do the two years again. Any advice is appreciated again! Thankyou

 

[persianista]

From an employers perspective, it would depend how long you were out of it between leaving the salon and starting the course really. The fact that you have a couple of years experience in a salon will really help your employability.

 

[redsadie]

I agree with the others. I only employ stylists who trained in a salon, not full time college.

How would a person gain that salon experience though if they are not an apprentice?

I trained for my first yr NVQ L2 as an apprentice 2008/09 (I'm 37 now) and the salon buggered me around no end - not being paid (the measly 80 quid a week) then after gong round in circles for months about opening another salon she folded.

Now I'm going back after a year out to complete my course but as a night student, 3 nights a week until next May/June including barbering, but if I had just done the college course and not had salon experience, how would I get that experience if no-one is willing to take me on? Especially the ones who imo I would consider to be the better ones in the industry who could help me much more on the creative side of hairdressing rather than just the technical knowledge I would have gained.

There is of course the option of going mobile but that's really lonely for a hairdresser, especially a newbie (as well as a beauty tech - I know I am one) and wouldn't give me the valuable experience I need as a new hairdresser in the industry.

Just inquisitive

Sarah. xx

P.S. To go back to the op question, no, I wouldn't think a fast track hair course is any good for someone who hasn't ever done hairdressing before, but in your case (and each one is different) I would think it would more than likely be ok. It depends upon your confidence in what you already know. If that's a bit shaky, then I'd say either try to find a salon which has an apprenticship program (quite hard to find as already mentioned) or go back and re-do the 2 yrs.

 

[persianista]

There are thousanands of people leaving college each year with an nvq2 in hairdressing that don't get jobs as hairdressers. Depends on the college and the determination of the individual, but the majority are nowhere near ready for work in a salon. Sadly with that NVQ2 we have to pay them full min wage. Faced with making a loss each week for an indeterminate length of time while we spend more time and money bringing them up to standard, most salons are no longer in a position to do this.
Apprentice trained young hairdressers don't have these issues.

 

[becki x]

After reading this thread i would be tempted to say based on your circumstances i would personally do the fast track HOWEVER i would voulenteer as many hours as possible in a salon :idea:

I was in similar circumstances to you,i went back to do the level 2 again and finnished within four months at college,they also allowed me to do some level 3 modules in this time as they couldn't find anything for me to do,i worked hard with the written work and knew what i was doing practically as i'd got years of salon experience so i flew through it ......... actually reading that back both option seem feasable :green:

 

[redsadie]

There are thousanands of people leaving college each year with an nvq2 in hairdressing that don't get jobs as hairdressers. Depends on the college and the determination of the individual, but the majority are nowhere near ready for work in a salon. Sadly with that NVQ2 we have to pay them full min wage. Faced with making a loss each week for an indeterminate length of time while we spend more time and money bringing them up to standard, most salons are no longer in a position to do this.
Apprentice trained young hairdressers don't have these issues.

Thanks for the reply hun I can see it from your point now, but it seems such a shame that the NVQ L2 doesn't adequately prepare people for real world hairdressing and as such, really sets people up for a fall when they 'qualify' and then find themselves unemployable.

Do you think it's unreasonable for someone to offer to volunteer for a few hours each week in a salon to gain the necessary experience?

Sarah. xx

 

[persianista]

My personal experience of volunteers is that they don't want to be here on the very busy days and a few hours in a salon will never equate to two Years as a salon apprentice.
I think it comes down to the type of stylist you want to be. Not every salon is the same. I can only speak from my own experience.
I tried to explain to a volunteer once that 2 hours on a tues wouldn't make her salon ready. She accused me of wanting slave labour!

I think the colleges have a financial agenda and mislead students as to how "qualified" they really are, and how much more is demanded by the public than the nvq prepares them for.

 

[becki x]

My personal experience of volunteers is that they don't want to be here on the very busy days and a few hours in a salon will never equate to two Years as a salon apprentice.
I think it comes down to the type of stylist you want to be. Not every salon is the same. I can only speak from my own experience.
I tried to explain to a volunteer once that 2 hours on a tues wouldn't make her salon ready. She accused me of wanting slave labour!

I think the colleges have a financial agenda and mislead students as to how "qualified" they really are, and how much more is demanded by the public than the nvq prepares them for.

:green: i'm honestly not playing devils advocate here but ..........

I volunteered friday and saturday paid for my son a childminder and paid to have my fil put on my hubby's car insurance as i don't drive and the salon was about 25 miles away :!:

My point is,i suppose ..... you'll get out what you put in and that year 2006 i think i won Leed's up aqnd comming stylist :idea:

Generally speaking i wouldn't recomend fast track courses in anything,but there is always and exeption to the rule
:hug:

 

[redsadie]

I can only speak from my own experience.
I tried to explain to a volunteer once that 2 hours on a tues wouldn't make her salon ready. She accused me of wanting slave labour!

I think the colleges have a financial agenda and mislead students as to how "qualified" they really are, and how much more is demanded by the public than the nvq prepares them for.

Thanks again hun. I do think as Becki said that each person is different and some want to do this more than others and are prepared to put in the hard graft. I can see, just as an 'outsider', that 2 hours a week will not ever make you a good hairdresser! It won't ever make you a good anything!

Personally, I would do as Becki has done to gain the essential salon experience and a busy day wouldn't faze me in the slightest, in fact I would welcome a busy day over a slow day anytime. Maybe that's just my age?? :lol:

As for the colleges financial agenda, again, I think you are right. They need to pass as many students as possible to gain the finances for the next year. It isn't right at all and as I said previously, it's letting the students down as well as the salons they may go to work in after.

So can anything be done about the nvq to make it a relevent qual instead of a glorified cutting course?? I think maybe they need to introduce a 'how to run a business' section and perhaps make it a 3 yr course...?

Sarah. xx

 

[nikki210769]

Hi everyone, i'm new to this site but thought i'd give you my views on the fast track courses. I started at saks academy in Covent Garden 10 weeks ago on the Saturday course. I was 40 when i started this course, hairdressing has always been what i wanted to do since i left school but what with mortgages and rubbish boyfriends it never really happened. Anyway, getting back to the point, i love it and have learnt so much in the 10 weeks, it really is hard work but worth it. I do accept that i'll need alot more experience when i leave the academy but luckily my hairdresser has offered me a job for when i leave, and this is in Rush, so a great salon. The other point is at my age no one would offer me a job as a junior so i think fast track is a great option.

Thanks for reading this, let me know your opinions.

Have a great weekend all,
Nikki xxxx