Just a little rant about training

One of the things I get really cross about is the treatment of apprentices, juniors, technicians or whatever you want to call the lowest rung on your staff ladder at ‘bad attitude cuts inc.’ Here I lift the lid on the darker side of in salon apprenticeships.

There seems to be a system whereby a trainee is brought in as cheap labour. I don’t just mean fetching coffees and sweeping hair, these girls and boys probably work the hardest out of most staff members when pushed, and for the lowest wage. The salon is kept spotless by their daily endeavour and this is nothing to do with hair. Whilst I understand the cleaning must be done, I feel the training becomes a happy accident along the way and the primary focus is as dogsbody.

The apprentice is usually paid just £100 per week. The reason is that their qualification is paid for alongside this awful wage. I worked out the cost of a college course and it could be paid for at least twice over by the trainee themselves if they were to receive minimum wage. The shameful thing is that the salons get a big bonus payout, sometimes in the thousands, when the trainee passes their course. This covers the initial spend, making it cost effective for the unethical salon owner to hire trainees and get both a £2.00 per hour slave and a cash payout when they qualify.

Of course, the training is not the most important thing and the junior is left to glean their trade from stylists who are not teachers. Nor are they employed, or often inclined to teach. Certainly in my experience there were some lessons that required a classroom and a teacher with a real deep and fundamental knowledge of all aspects of the biology, chemistry, geometry and art that is hair.

‘In house’ training is farmed out to separate training companies who actually come in to the salon on a supposedly weekly or even monthly basis to check on the development of the trainee.

A course rep does visit intermittently, to ensure they will continue to receive their money from the training they provide and tick a few boxes. Over 3 years a junior learns badly what can be taught well in a year in the right facility.

Upon qualification the apprentice finds there is no position for them as a stylist at the salon that apparently trained and produced them. Their skills are not being perceived as being good enough. They have been overlooked and underrated. They are then left looking for work in other places, who tell them they will require further ‘training’ and ‘experience’ to perform. They are lucky if they can find somewhere that can offer this as usually their potential is ignored.

It is at this stage many turn away from hairdressing and the 3 hard years go to waste. The government pay the salon. The salon already has a low wage bill anyway. The training provider gets their cheque every month and the only person who does not win is the failed apprentice. If a student fails it is a failing on the part of the educators. If the educator is a salon they should stand by the young person they have mentored and offer them a job as a stylist in full confidence they will represent their teachers well.

If a new qualified junior has enough inherent drive they practice and perfect their skills, despite these hurdles.  They may find a way to carve out a future in their chosen trade, either through further training, finding a decent employer or making a go of things self employed. However, their success is hard earned through their own endeavour, in spite of the salon that has held them back whilst masquerading as their benefactor. The salon does of course have its occasional favourite, compliant, willing to work for nothing trainee that becomes a permanent fixture, but they are the unlucky few who are afraid to aim higher.

Whilst some salon owners do have a real devotion to their training system and the young people within it, unfortunately they are few and far between. It is difficult for anyone to discover which salon will provide them with real training and a future.

Here at Scott Jessop Hair we would love to help to change this loophole in the education system that has become an endemic abuse of the apprentice.

We promise our apprentices a full time position with us on qualification. I even buy them nice scissors as I am proud to say we are helping them to become confident, excellent stylists.

I was lucky to meet Marc Young in the early stages of my hairdressing career. His fabulous salon and academy in Poole made a real impression on me, as did his sound advice. Marc has been a driving force and inspirational success his whole career. He has won the awards, written the books and was in the vanguard that changed hair styling forever during the 60’s and 70’s. Marc offers real training in a system that produces stylists he is proud to employ. It is different from most ‘in house’ training. It works. The trainees are paid properly and educated to the highest standards.  

(You can find out more about Marc here http://www.marcyoung.co.uk )

Most salons are not happy to employ freshly qualified stylists from colleges. Whilst I will discuss this issue further just a note to say that the belief they are not capable stylists is a fallacy. I found the college system allows the determined student to flourish and develop into a really competent stylist every time. If you couple this in depth education with salon experience and confidence you have a winning formula. It is a shame that most salons reject these candidates out of turn instead favouring experienced and established stylists, who they are happy to pay well. I find the freshly qualified stylist generally has developed sharp skills and has been well versed in all the modern aspects of hair design.

The journey does not end upon qualification and after ten years I am pleased to say I am still learning new things and researching traditional ideas. The industry changes very quickly and we strive to ride the wave of modernity.  Fresh, well educated young stylists have the most to give.

Glad I got that off my chest...

Scott

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