Re-training: already hold NVQ L2 but not confident

[jodipodi]

Hi all, never been on here for sooo long but Im looking for some advice please.
I went to college a good few years back and gained my Level 2 Hairdressing...Ive always loved and been gopd at doing hair but not in the 'professional' sense and so did the college thing to get those much needed qualifications however- at college I really felt like we were hurried through and more time was spent on those who piddled about than those who actually wanted to learn, not the tutors fault but I suspect a lack of tutors:students ratio due to college funding...anyhooo, at the end I came away with my NVQ L2 but did not feel competent or confident at all and only did a few cuts/colours after qualifying. I would love to gain some more experience and a lovely friend did try and help me by allowing me to help out in her shop. I am not totally incompetent and have great communication skills and know Id be a good hairdresser given the chance to gain valuable experience but sadly not enough people want to pay to have a 'trainee' cut their hair and so I didnt get many opportunities to try. Id love to maybe do an adult apprenticeship or even go to college/training facility to retrain but Im not sure how things work with me already having that NVQ - college said I couldnt re-do it.....so, does anyone know of anywhere that would be willing to train me and do it well? I dont need paying and would do it in my spare time voluntarily so long as I get some decent training/experience. I really dont think it would take me long to get up to scratch.
Hoping someone will know?.....
Thanks

 

[Leely]

Check with your local college hun, the one I study at has a re-fresher course which is for 6 weeks I think. X

 

[jodipodi]

Ahh thankyou, but unfortunately I think Id really need more than 6 weeks if Im honest with myself, its been so long since I qualified and makes it worse the fact I came away feeling inadequate to start with. I think I need at least a few months but would like to do more in order to be salon standard.
Thanks for the advice

 

[LauraP]

If you have already gained level 2 why not go back to college and do level 3? I'm sure all the skills you learned will come flooding back to you, you'll learn different techniques while rebuilding your confidence x

 

[jodipodi]

Hi, I did enquire but they actually said I have to be working in a salon in order to do my level 3 asI need some experience, and that level 3 is about building on the skills you already have along with more in depth colouring...I really need cutting experience which I havnt got and cant seem to get, however I could possibly get this if there was some sort of course I could attend in which they go over this again and supply clients x

 

[LauraP]

What about enquiring into doing an HNC at college? I think that's different from an NVQ....not sure tho! Or ask around some of your local salons to see if any of them need a junior x

 

[jodipodi]

Whats an HNC? I did shadow/junior in my friends shop but the problem arises when clients dont want to pay for a junior to cut their hair so I ended up mainly watching, which granted you do learn tips and techniques but I really need hands on. Im sorry - I know I probably sound like a defeatist but I have tried that option and found that they just didnt have time to go through the haircuts all the time with me which is totally understandable as I know that time is money, this is why I think retraining within a 'training facility' environment rather than a salon may be more beneficial as they dont have the time constraints of a busy salon IKYWIM?
Thank you x

 

[caresbears2010]

Hey I don't know if this will help but I did my level 2 about 10 years ago and left college just before qualifying. I went back to college last sept to start again and found it awful so ended up going to my local academy an doing my course there. I've found it much better, class sizes smaller and I'm only going over what I need to to qualify plus doing customers from their salon. Maybe that could be an opinion for you. My friend just needed to complete her cutting to qualify so she just did that. It's more personal I find I get one to one with my tutor and she's helped me find the confidence to actual do clients. I'm even going back next year to maybe barbering and nails Jodi xx

 

[KayaPapaya]

My hairdressers.com has great training resources that may help you out. Costs about £100 a year I think. It's a good resource, for watching videos of the basics and advanced hairdressing.

There's also a couple of freebie resources, like scissor.boy and another one which I can't remember the name of.

DVDs - Vidal Sassoon ABC of cutting.
Toni and Guy - Classic cuts both great to watch over and over.

Get a training head and get practicing.

I would've thought now was a great time for people to want to pay a trainee - get advertising on facebook/gumtree and charge "trainee" prices to get your confidence up.

Other than that, colleges, will allow you to sit in on the NVQ classes if you're not confident, we had a lady do 2 terms with us, for her colouring.

Private academies, I can't comment on, as have no experience.

Other than that, go round your local salons and ask if you can do work experience with them, and watch and learn.

Good luck.

 

[LauraP]

An HNC is a higher national certificate, maybe that's a Scottish thing tho?! We have a college where I stay which offers an HNC and another college that offered the NVQ which I am currently studying. Most good salons in the city I stay where offer training nights where clients come in on a certain night of the week and get a cheap cut or colour knowing that it will be a junior carrying outthe service. Maybe try look for a salon like that xx

 

[spikeyfaerie]

HNC is the next level up from nvq3.

 

[Lamaur man]

2 years ago, I was in a similar situation as you.
I worked unpaid in a barbers shop for 1 year to gain that crucial salon environment experience again. Well worth it I have to say.
Now I practice regularly on head blocks and is constantly using myhairdressers.com

I now have some regular clients from my other work place although I feel I am always having to learn new skills, but that's just part of being a hairdresser. (Just try and be more confident and you will get there) x

Another tip I can give you is to tell people that you can cut/color their hair relatively cheap because you are still practicing new cuts and gaining more experience. As long as you feel confident enough to do this, the client/friend is usually more than willing, and you get that real confidence boost afterwards which is just the tonic you need to go further in your quest to become a more confident hairdresser.

:wink2: