It's time to become a hairdresser!

[Enhanced-Barbie]

Hey everyone
I am a qualified nail technician, and wish to add hairdressing to my list of qualifications.
So, I was hoping some of you could let me know what you wish you knew before you entered the industry? Any tips on where to start, etc?

I have to wait for my fiance to get a job before I can stop working and start studying, so Ive got some time to work everything out and stuff before I jump into it, which is good cos I usually jump into things too fast and regret not doing my research first, like when I studied to be a nail tech, the course I chose wasnt of the best quality.

So any advice or information is welcome, while I use google and this website to see what I can come up with

Thanks for any comments

 

[Enhanced-Barbie]

I guess no one has any advice...

 

[Tazzie]

Hay,

My only advice really is to research different training providers and decide which way you want to do it. How much money you want to spend is a big thing you really need to look at. I did the same thing however i studied my nail course in the uk and then decided to move to Australia and did my hairdressing training here. I wish I had stayed in the UK and done the 45 week Vidal Sassoon Diploma, I only really looked into the different pathways once i had finished my training ;-) (i do the head first thing too). So just have a really good look into things.

xxx

 

[Enhanced-Barbie]

Hay,

My only advice really is to research different training providers and decide which way you want to do it. How much money you want to spend is a big thing you really need to look at. I did the same thing however i studied my nail course in the uk and then decided to move to Australia and did my hairdressing training here. I wish I had stayed in the UK and done the 45 week Vidal Sassoon Diploma, I only really looked into the different pathways once i had finished my training ;-) (i do the head first thing too). So just have a really good look into things.

xxx

Thanks for your reply
When you study hairdressing, can you just learn certain things to specialise in, like just colouring, extensions etc. Im less interested in the cutting part, although I would like to learn it too. I know that in your first year you learn mostly colouring and stuff and dont cut until year 2, but im guessing that you need to do the whole lot work in the industry?
Also, what kind of questions would you ask an education provider to decide whether their course is a good one?

 

[Tazzie]

Hay,

I did a full time course over here which is good because you don’t need to go through the 1st year of being an expert cleaner (that gets reduced to about 6 months) As far as I know over here you wouldn't really get much work if you just learnt colouring.

If you learn all of it you can say you specialise in colouring. Your colouring skills are improved with your cutting knowledge because you learn the way the hair feels and sits much better so your colour placement would be much better!! As for extensions, you could train in just extensions and do those however cutting is useful there so you can blend the clients' natural hair into the extension etc..

At first I thought the same as you however once I got my head around the cutting side I love it!!

As for questions...... Go to your local salons (those with fantastic reputations) and ask their advice, then go to all of the colleges in your area and see their facilities - if you’re paying a fortune and the facilities are worn out , dated and in need of up-dating it will really bug you as time goes on!

Ask them where the teachers were trained and how long have they worked in the industry as a hairdresser. Do they still work in the industry during holidays? How do they structure the courses and what units you will cover first?

How many students do the teachers have at one time? Are you going to waste half of your time waiting for the teacher to come round and check your work before you can move on?

Decide if want to be an apprentice or if you want to go down the full time route.

I will warn you that although I wouldn't change the fact that I did it full time I have had to work extremely hard to build my skills up in time and to prove myself to some hairdressers who have done 'the hard yards' although not everyone is like this and I can see their point in a way x

Hope I have given you some useful information xx

 

[sarahpoppy24]

Hey!! I have one piece of advice...make sure you get salon experience while you are training even if its just one day unpaid. This is so important because with out it you will be hard pressed to get a job plus you learn so so much in a salon that you dont learn in college!!! Go with an open mind as you may find that the things you dont want to do are the things you love to do!! Hope this helps u xx

 

[Enhanced-Barbie]

Hey thanks for the advice and info from the both of you Really really helpful thanks!!

 

[cybergal13]

I am also a nail technician been 6 years now! In september I started an NVQ1in hairdressing at my local college. It's a full time course but is actually only 14 hours a week over 3 days so I am still able to work. I plan to do NVQ2 next year. We have a working salon at our college and this gives us plenty of hands on training which is very important. This covers all aspects of hairdressing. I have heard of other colleges in my area offering NVQ's in hairdressing but their standards aren't very high! So definitely ask around in salons what they would recommend, because every hairdresser I know done their training at the same place I'm doing mine!

 

[Bionic]

---do not recommend.

 

[katwoman79]

Hi,

I am a qualified nail tech too and I have just started NVQ 2 in hairdressing in my local collage but I chose to do it in the evening freeing up my days for kids and nails!! Have you thought about an evening course and then maybe you wouldnt have to give up your day job?? Or use your days to gain experince in a salon.

 

[Enhanced-Barbie]

Hi,

I am a qualified nail tech too and I have just started NVQ 2 in hairdressing in my local collage but I chose to do it in the evening freeing up my days for kids and nails!! Have you thought about an evening course and then maybe you wouldnt have to give up your day job?? Or use your days to gain experince in a salon.

Hi

An evening course would be perfect, but I dont think you can do anything like that in New Zealand... Everything I have seen is just full time during the day

 

[Elz22]

Hi, I would highly recommend this trainning organisation in the Wigan , Lancashire area.

Try there website,

www.venturelearningltd.co.uk

 

[loubylou]

Hi, I would highly recommend this trainning organisation in the Wigan , Lancashire area.

Try there website,

www.venturelearningltd.co.uk

I think this may be a bit to far to travel for enhanced barbie as she is from New Zealand hun :hug:

 

[Bionic]

Most colleges are now offering Level 2 and 3 of NVQ and they are not as expensive and burden on your pocket. You are usually supposed to work in a salon so you can make money while you aquire your qualification at the same time.

 

[Missy G]

Aw what an interesting thread , Ive always wanted to be a Nail technician and a Colour technician in hair, is it poss to do just colouring alone then?

 

[allyd]

Hi Tazzie
I am hoping to go to Oz as well to possibly do Hairdressing, can you give any advice please?