Hi I teach and assess on both qualifications. The delivery and structure is more or less the same depending on what option units are chosen so you will learn the basics regardless which one you do. The main difference is NVQ is more for apprentices, has a lot more assessments to complete than the vrq so can take up to 2 years. Vrq is completed in a year and as someone else posted you don't need to get 100% in the theory exams, it's something like 60%! You would def need to progress to vrq 3 to work as a stylist in a salon as it covers more creative colour, cutting, bridal, men's, colour correction - again different centres pick different unit routes but these are the ones ours covers. You would not be any where near ready to go on the floor after just doing the vrq 2 as you wouldn't have had enough client contact yet. For example you only need to do 3 haircuts compared to 7 on the NVQ! NVQ must be paying clients, vrq you can also be assessed on peers, family but no blocks at all except for perming if there is a lack of models. All assessments must be timed but there is a little more flexibility with times on the vrq. I have had really talented students come through the vrq but also ones who just scrape a pass doing the bare minimum. It's up to you how much you get out of it but if you want to learn and are committed to your training, there's no reason you can't do as well on a vrq then an NVQ. I would recommend you find a placement or a saturday job in a salon somewhere on your non college days as it will benefit you no end. The majority of our students that found regular placements had no problem finding a job when they qualified and many were kept on by their placements but the ones who weren't really that bothered about work experience are the ones still without a job now! Good luck, it's a fantastic industry to work in with lots of different career routes to progress into and hairdressers are amongst the happiest in their jobs according to some research!
Sent from my iPad using SalonGeek mobile app