Hairdressing Apprenticeship - Feeling very despondent!

[Mrs.Clooney]

I am posting this on my daughter's behalf. This is long so please bear with me whilst I explain.

My eldest daughter is now 18 and has been excited about becoming a hairdresser. With 7 GCSE's (including Math, English and Science) successfully under her belt she left school at 17 after repeating a year due to illness and joined our local state funded college on NVQ Level 1 for the first year and progressing to level 2 second year. This was the only college option as they changed their course and she had to begin at level 1 which compulsorily included basic facials mani/pedi for which she had less interest.

She had tried to apply for apprenticeships, but with the economic downturn and struggling salons, the jobs were few and far between. It also became apparent that salons were not willing to take her on for 2 reasons: she will be 19 in January, hence they will have to pay her minimum wage and they tend to want 16 year olds so they can 'mold them from scratch'. Is this not discrimination?

At college she was only doing 15 and 1/2 hours per week. Classes were large and most students not really *rsed about being there, so lessons were slow and disruptive. The college gets funded for bums on seats so they are reluctant to get rid of disinterested, disruptive students. She was given no theory and became frustrated.

She then managed to enroll in a new college which came recommended and which takes students based on them finding an apprenticeship although she achieves NVQ L1 & 2 in one year. Her first salon let her go after 3 weeks due to financial restraints although they assured her she was hard working. Then she helped out at another salon to cover staff leave. Again she got very good feedback and she got to do a couple of blowdries and was praised for her work. This was followed by a trial day at another salon who again gave her very positive feedback but took on a 16 year old instead (the reason being that they wanted somebody they could train their way. Last week, she trialed at another salon with, yet again, very good feedback as well as been told that she was right for the salon. However on Monday, the manager told her that they did not have a place for her and could not take her on!?!

These are the salons where she has managed to get trials. I have not mentioned the ones where she has personally handed in her CV or been interviewed. She even filled out an online application for a large London chain and without even meeting her, they said 'sorry, but we cannot consider your application'. She has had her CV looked over by a person who is trained at helping people find jobs including another administrator for hairdressing employment and we were told that her CV was spot on.

So, understandably now she is gutted and feeling self concious and low. Her dad and I have always been of the mind set that life comes with it's knocks and bumps, but you pick yourself up and dust yourself down and move forward. However, even we are now very despondent for her. We have seen how hard she has worked and tried and persevered and even we are becoming weary of what seems like a somewhat 'fickle' industry.

Please can you advise, suggest, comment. Is this just a huge glitch? Is it usually this tough for a trainee? Are we missing something? Anything please?

Thank you.

 

[Tomme]

I'm sorry to say but it's how the industry is, when you want someone who needs to learn from scratch you dont get "well te college said to do this or that" they learn what your clients expect and not what an assessor who is looking at the basics expect.
It's true that school leavers are more desirable, but the downside is they don't understand the meaning of work, many expect it to be a easy ride and to be cutting in the first week.
I think that a lot of the salons she has been to are struggling and I can understand as much as you must be able to that they can't magic money to pay her wage nor can they magic clients to come in to make more money, but take a look online, in Wales is a scheme called jobs growth Wales, there may be a similar one for England. Xoxo

 

[jamiereid92]

It is really hard as a trainee, salons, cannot afford to take people on unless they are on the apprenticship scheme, and it is easier for them to take on a 16 year old because it is cheaper for them. The best thing your daughter can do, is carry on her college course, and volunteer in a salon (make sure its one she really wants to work in) then she gets all the benefits, the only thing is obviously she wont get paid.

I was on apprenticeship for a year and a half, i got bullied by the stylist and manager, the boss didnt care, and then she cut my hours down when i turned 19 so she didnt have to pay me as much.

Its not always better in a salon, but i wish her all the best and hope she feels better soon

 

[Theden]

Just because she is 19 doesn't mean she has to be paid minimum wage for the first year of employment she will get apprentice wage I personally prefer older apprentices as they understand what hard work is one of my new assistants is 22 and I couldn't of asked for a better employee x

 

[Loren93]

Hi I'm currently doing an apprenticeship in a salon, I started at fall time college but left because they didn't have enough time to teach you the ins and outs of what I was learning so I went for a few trials and they said that I'm too adapted to college ways, so I went for the job at the salon I'm in now and I said to my boss that I was willing to start my entire training again as my boss told me I'm unlikely to get a job in a salon when I've trained in a full time college, and I'm 18. So she may have to weigh up learning they way the salon would like

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Just because she is 19 doesn't mean she has to be paid minimum wage for the first year of employment she will get apprentice wage I personally prefer older apprentices as they understand what hard work is one of my new assistants is 22 and I couldn't of asked for a better employee x

She has tried to sell herself as being maturer at 18 and she most definitely is very hard working, but her age really does seem to be against her, sadly.

Hi I'm currently doing an apprenticeship in a salon, I started at fall time college but left because they didn't have enough time to teach you the ins and outs of what I was learning so I went for a few trials and they said that I'm too adapted to college ways, so I went for the job at the salon I'm in now and I said to my boss that I was willing to start my entire training again as my boss told me I'm unlikely to get a job in a salon when I've trained in a full time college, and I'm 18. So she may have to weigh up learning they way the salon would like

My daughter made it clear that she is willing to start from scratch and be trained the salon way. To be honest she hardly learned anything in her Level 1 course.

 

[Loren93]

I haven't done level 1 and not been asked too x

 

[LikeAnAngel]

When I taught hairdressing a few years ago, the training provider started at level 2 as that was considered to be a basic enough level to start at but the local college, where I also worked started at level 1.
Is it a funding issue?

 

[crazybek]

The last 4 trainees we took on were 18,18,19 and 20.

They all went on to complete upto level 2 and 2 of them are now working at building a full column of clients within the salon.

To say salons only like to take on 16 year olds is a falacy.Maybe in your area its like that but we struggle with the 16 years olds as its harder to teach people and social skills as well as everything else.

When a salon takes on trainess they have an obligation to help them to becoe very good and competant at their jobs and as a trade.
Not all salons are fickle about trainees and its not always about the money as even at 19 they still get a training wage for the first 12 months.

Its an awful lot of effort for all staff in a salon,and a salon owner trying to fit in training sessions and assessor meetings etc etc aswell as trying to earn a living in your own business.

Its a shame she hasnt found a placement as she sounds more than willing and its a very big plus point in my opinion to have a 19 year old who already has knowledge and people skills and if you were in our area we would most definatly be looking at her cv seriously.

We took on 2 trainees 2 years ago and are just about to embark on searching for another now our 2 are busy but these things take alot of time and potentially money away from an already hard industry to be in under the current country issues we all have.

I really wish her luck.Tell her not to give up,keep ploughing on and someone will notice her and snap her up
x

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Thank you everyone for your replies. If anyone has anything to add, please do. Any input is appreciated.

 

[northernamy]

It is really tough out there for a lot of people at the moment. In these times if she is struggling to get experience in the field that she wants, if I was her, I would try to get ANY experience working anywhere. At least then she can demonstrate transferable skills like customer service, timekeeping, organisation, commitment. Can she afford to do some voluntary work just to get some experience? Are there any family and friends she can perform regular treatments on so that she can come armed with personal recommendations from clients, or a portfolio containing evidence of her previous work that she can show potential employers? Could you book an appointment with a salon manager and ask their advice - get some insider knowledge in your local area. make sure she does all the work because it doesn't look good if the parent does the groundwork on their behalf.

Also, Level 2 is equivalent level to GCSE, so she is not progressing up the ladder. She really needs to concentrate on completing Level 2 then hopefully progressing onto a level 3. Once at the level 3 stage, you have generally got rid of all the messers. Level 1 is beneath GCSE and can often attract people without any GCSEs or study skills. Tell her to pay no attention to the others in her class, she is not there for them, she is there for herself. I was in my mid twenties training with 16 year olds - I had to just work with them to the best of my advantage and leave all of the bad points. She could even try an evening class that attracts adults instead of younger students.

Most of all, keep trying. Giving up or losing heart is not the answer and although it is a long hard journey, it will make it even more worth it in the end. There are an awful lot of young people in the same situation and unfortunately it is just a sign of our times.

Good Luck

 

[vixxm]

my last apprentice was 18, had just finished a 2 year "diploma" at college in hairdressing..in my eyes she was unemployable as a hairdresser and that was what the college had sent her out as,she has never cut a mans hair, never permed, I agreed to employ her , on the basis she retook her level 2, which she could fast track but she needed more skills, aside from the increased wage after the first year we also have to pay for over 18's to attend college so that also is another thing to considerbut saying that, I much prefer older apprentices, ... where abouts in Hertfordshire are you ?

 

[Bethbowers90]

I was in the same position. I was 19/turning 20 when I started. They can pay you apprentice wage for a year, but once that year is up they have to pay you minimum wage which my salon wasn't aware of until I brought it to their attention. I was just pushed to complete my level 2 in a shorter space of time, which has made me a much better and confident stylist! There are really low points when you first start, I can't even remember the amount of times I came home crying to my parents! The key is to just stick at it, try as hard as you can and you'll get through it. I learnt so much more being in a salon, as like you say some people on the course just can't be bothered and don't wanna be there! Also, you can guarantee college standard of hairdressing is completely different to salon standard! Hope this helps

 

[Kristalinx]

I had this same problem, I was going around salons for over a year and kept getting "oh we are taking on in a few weeks so we will keep your CV" I even did a few trials but never heard anything back.

It wasn't until I spoke to a college that I was told no one will hire you because you are 22. It's so hard and it does feel like there are just no options once you get passed 19. I know some people have said they take on older apprentices but in the area where I live they definitely don't. :/