So disheartened.... advice please guys

[jodipodi]

:cry: Hi guys, need your help and words of encouragement but be warned this is a long one so here goes......I have recently started back on my part time college course, 2nd year and have been soooo excited about getting back and into the swing of things. I love hairdressing with a passion and enjoy my course but Im starting to feel held back slightly. I feel sometimes there arent enough tutors to students and that we dont get enough practical hands on nitty gritty. We currently do three half days practical and an afternoon of theory but by the time we get in and set up then clear up and pack away half the times gone. I have spoken to tutors but I just keep getting 'dont worry' and 'your just having one of those days..' thing is I really dont think I am....:cry: I also think they have to say this as they cant really say ''yes I know we are understaffed and you dont get enough practical!'' They have just started a new intensive 20wk (PART TIME!!!!) course and when I asked how they expect people to be competent after 20wks she just rolled her eyes and said ''I know...'' This to me says it all-its not the end of the world in their life if you arent progressing properly as long as the boxes are ticked.
I was actually crying yesterday because I am so frustrated:irked: My passion is there as much as it ever was but I think this is playing a part in the frustration I feel-I want to be stuck in not fannying about as we seem to be doing for half the time. I know Im whingeing but I used to look forward to going and now I feel restrained. Please dont take this as an attack on tutors as its definitely not them I have the problem with, in fact I feel for them in a way trying to teach a class of 25+ all needing 1-1 at some point.
I've sat down and thought long and hard about what I can do-Im not going to give up even if it kills me because its my dream but Im wondering if theres another way to go about it...... I think Id learn alot more in a salon environment but Im too old now for an apprenticeship and the hours aren't suitable as my children are still young. Can I do my level 2 in a salon? If you were a salon owner and I came to you with this proposition what would you say? Im thinking of offering to be voluntary from 9-3 mon-fri (with one day college I think thats what usually happens) would you say this was a good idea or would you say college is the better option? Please help me as Im so down hearted with this and want to be a great hairdresser not a whingey one! xxxxx

 

[Fitz]

I would approach Salons definately and see if you can do some Voluntary work. College Courses within Hairdressing appear to be going down the pan, as a Salon owner I have noticed this. We get 2/3 calls a week from people looking for placements or looking for work because they have dropped out. Having said that some of the Juniors our local College have sent us, I cannot understand what they are doing there. Useless beyond belief! It makes you wonder big time if the Standards are rapidly dropping. Its not good :irked:

 

[liana kay]

you could go to a salon , you do learn differant things and a lot from watching , but in a salon it will be just as frustrating ,because you will only get hands on training when the stylists are free,the rest of the time you might start to feel like a dogsbody. dont give up just plough through it and practice all you can x

 

[dee]

wow its changed a lotsince i trained then !! we did 2 yrs full time and 3.5 days were practical and some late nigts too !!
and even then at the end of the 2 yrs some had to do a few extra weeks to get their assesments fully done and signed off
am not surprised you feel held back hun , why not ask if you can do an extra bit of practical in another class , even if they put you in a level 3 class to assist it will be better than nothing xxxx

 

[jodipodi]

Thanks for the replies, I feel I am good at what I do and want to progress as anyone should but it just seems like no matter what stage/level you're at you cant move on as you have to stay on par with their ''schedule''. Surely if I was in a salon I would get much more hands on and be able to go at my speed. As for being a dogsbody I dont mind sweeping up and making cuppas as long as I am also getting the training I need. I would feel a bit cheated if I was coming in voluntarily to a salon that agreed to teach me and then didnt make time to-thats the reason why Im frustrated at college.
So what would you salon owners say then if I put this to you? Can it actually be done-can you finish your nvq level 2 in salon and has anyone done it or taken someone into their salon to do this? xx

 

[Fitz]

As an owner I would want to take a good look at where you are, run an assessment with my Head Stylist working alongside you before I could answer that. I would then have to have a look at where exactly I could fit you into a busy Salon so you could continue your training and course. I don't believe there would be a problem providing you with clients as they are always looking for cheaper Hairdressing which of course I would offer via you doing it.

Thats what I would do anyway, I certainly wouldn't start you on a training course without the above and tbh I think you would be being unfair expecting it. I couldn't see any Owner doing any other tbh.

 

[jodipodi]

Thats totally understandable Fitz-thats your livelihood and your name at risk. Im just wondering if its actually a possibility to continue your qualification mid flow and go into a salon or is it only done from the first step level one as an apprenticeship? Dont know if this works with the qualification side of things. Is it a good idea or better to bite the bullet and stick it out at college....so many people say to me ''you'll never get a job without lots of salon experience..'' Id rather sort this out now and start the way I mean to go on, than have to do the inevitable after another year at college. I really dont know what the right thing to do is. xx

 

[liana kay]

i dont think that you are halfway thru shoud make a differance , as the salon ive worked in doesnt even send juniors to college- they are assessed in salon and then someone comes out every now and again and then signs them off( from a private company i think) . i didnt mean you would be treated as a dogsbody -only that you might feel one - id probably get you to pass up foils ,explain colour choice ,placement etc then get you to finish / rough dry etc - some trainees think that thats a bit above them and prefer to go 4 a *** . i do think you progress quicker in a salon , but it really depends on the person .

 

[jodipodi]

I know you didnt mean that hun. I would soooo love to do what you have said like finish and help where needed, I can do foils,colours etc (granted I dont know the full technical side of mixing etc as we havnt covered this yet) but thats why Im frustrated because I dont get enough hands on at college.
Go for a *** ???!!!!! Thats exactly the kind of thing that ticks me off with some people-I actually want to learn Im so keen to progress-I get sick of hearing ''whens break?'' Id rather get my timings up to speed than stop mid flow. I dont know if Im just a total whinger or not......am I?! LOL XXXX

 

[nailstarlet]

Hi hun, dont get disheartened, there are ways around it. I am 27 and the only way i was able to start level 2 out of college and in a salon was by doing the train to gain course, this is done in a salon and at a private college and its government funded, take a look at their website for more info Train to Gain - Train to Gain i hope it all starts to get better soon!! x

 

[Rhino]

Just thought I would share what we do in our salon - we have two level 2 students who attend college two days a week and work three days a week in the salon.

We pay them for the three days they work. We try and make sure they get a chance to do a bit of everything - this does depend who is booked in etc. This also depends on the students as we have found the skill levels to vary from college to college.

We also this week have a mature student starting with us - she is level 2 and very disheartened, none of the salons she tried would let her work as a junior due to her age. She does not expect to get paid, she be with us for 2 half days a week and we will pay her a percentage of what she earns for us. The rest of time she will be at college.

Good luck with the rest of your course.

 

[jodipodi]

Thanks everyone for your support,its nice that youve taken the time to try and cheer me up xxx Im going to have a look on the train to gain site and see what my options are with that. Wish I had a salon who could help me out like that Rhino, hope your students appreciate such a great opportunity and good experience xxx

 

[lorrainesg]

Dear Jodi, not sure if you still need advice,but here goes.The salon is definately the best place to learn to be a hairdresser,with a college day-release included.Its the only way to really get confident in all aspects of the job.When I trained 30yrs ago,I did 3yrs apprenticship,with 2yrs as an improver.Thats where you build your confidence after serving as a trainee.College training doesnt seem intense enough to me.We could always tell a college trained hairdresser from an apprentice,if they both applied for the same job,guess which one would get it!!.Hope this helps your dilemma.Lorraine

 

[jodipodi]

Thats what my feeleings are also Lorraine, not that us who attend college cant be as good as those who are in a salon but it does give you the intensity you need and gets your speed up to salon timings. I really dont see how 3 half days(with tea breaks!!!!) can be enough to prepare you for the hairdressing world??!! Im going to continue on at the moment and see if I can find someone who has the time to train me in salon, its so hard as obviously salon owners are extemely busy but hey, if there are still people taking on apprentices then surely someone can find the time for lil old me, after all itll be voluntary so they wont be losing out. I know girls that have finished college and ended up in some job they hate now because no one wants to know when youve just come from college, its such a shame after two years of work. xx

 

[Bebeautiful]

Hi hun, let me be the first to say sorry you are feeling this way. It sounds as though you have great passion for what you love doing and all you want to do is just simply get on with it. There is a thread that gives advice on how to question trainers, what their background is, how long they have been training for. I hope you did not pay for this course? What do the other students think of this, do they feel the same way as you do, is there a student support network, because when I was training, the disruptions were dealt with very swiftly and we were able to get lots of work done. If you need to make the decision and change to a salon, I would say "go for it", don't cause any further delay and unneccessary stress, that way you will be happerier in yourself and be a stressfree mum to your lovely children. I really hope this is helpful, here's sending you a big hug :hug::hug::hug:

 

[*JOANNE*]

I am wondering if this is specific to different colleges i cannot praise mine enough.....the tutors we have are fantastic, and i feel i am learning much more than if i was day release....only becasue we have had a few girls leave to go to salons do one day at college and to come back fulltime to college.
similar to dee's experience and this is in the present as i am now onto level2.

 

[jodipodi]

Thank you me darling you are such a sweet person Be Beautiful and always have something nice to say. Thank you for recognising that I am so passionate about it-I really really am and this is why I get irritated! There are girls who also feel like me but tend not to do anything about it as I think they feel they cant do anything about it. I see that all of us enjoy what we do but there are only two or three that I would say are passionate about hairdressing and want to be progressing and improving at a quicker pace. There is definitely not enough tutor:student ratio and so feel there is not enough 1:1 for those that need it and no room for progression for those that take to things that little bit faster.
Joanne I cant speak for all colleges definitely not and although I am a bit miffed at the mo my tutors are lovely ladies and Im sure if they had a higher number of staff to students then I and some of the other girls wouldnt feel this way! Three half days just aint enough!!!!!
The poor tutors aint got an easy job to say the least but I dont want to be the one to suffer the consequences of it. Hope I dont come across as a pain in the butt lol! Heres hoping I get sorted- if anyone can help me out in tyne and wear feel free!! :hugplease) xxxx

 

[jodipodi]

Have thought about all my options and decided to start fresh next week at college and grin n bear it until june,Im going to try and get my timings up with nails-practice practice practice and hopefully come june Ill be able to get my qualification and go ahead with nails full time whole heartedly but still getting the qualification in my hairdressing that I so desperately wanted in the first place.Hope this will stand me in good stead for the future. Thanks for all your support everyone xxx