Apprenticeship or Course trained?

Whats better or what path did you take - Apprenticeship or Course training?

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"If you beleve you can, or if you believe you can't. You're absolutely right."

Chumba Concept Salon
Pro Hairstylist (main website)

I have always thought that courses would be a great idea, but I currently have 2 women who are almost at the completion of their course doing work experience with me.

To say they are hopeless is an understatement. $14000 and they can't do the work that my 6 month aprentice can do, and my second year blows them out of the water.

I do feel sorry for these girls, I think it is a case of the school miss leading them into thinking they are more able than they really are, they tell them what a great job they are doing etc. Well I guess it is nice to encourage people but keep it real. I wouldn't give this pair a job at the end at a 3 or 4th year level.

I would employ them at a 1st year because despite all their book learning, they have no practical skills.

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I think this is a MAJOR issue in our industry, as well as the rest of the beauty industry in the state of Victoria, people trying to buy, or 'fast track' their way into the industry through school based training.

After i finished school, i put a lot of thought into how i would get into hairdressing, i knew that my two options were A 3 year Apprenticeship, or 1 year of full time schooling. at this point i was rather naive. and put all of my energy towards sussing out school based training.

I visited 2 training institutes, neither of them i will name, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do that, because what I'm about to say will definitely reflect badly on them.. haha

After a long conversation with one of the teachers at one of the schools, he convinced me that id be an awesome hairdresser in a year, and that most of his students go on to work in top Melbourne salons. however, i wasn't allowed the chance to talk to any students.

This course would have cost me $12,000+ and i would have been at school 5 days a week for a year.

i have actually now met some ex fast trackers, and i can safely say that its definitely a fast track to NOWHERE.

a friend of mine who is a qualified hairdresser from a fast track course has never had steady employment. she has never been paid as a qualified hairdresser. has a book load of knowledge about hairdressing, but no skills to apply it. she has now given up at the age of 22 to work full time in another industry, after 3 years of unemployment.

another girl who i met briefly at a course was employed as a second year apprentice after completing her fast track course. i have no idea how her employers managed this, because its against the law to do so. its like paying a qualified hairdresser as a second year apprentice. But i guess when choosing between being under paid and unemployed, what would you choose?

Now i fear the problem is about to escalate.
Tafe institutes around my area are opening these fast track courses, and taking on a crazy amount of optimistic students.

Will this water down the standards of hairdressing? or will it just create more unemployable hairdressers?

I totally think this is wrong, we have a mad skill shortage, and future hairdressers are being pushed out of the industry by bad choices.

I have a close friend who, against my advice has opted to do the fast track course, starting in... October or something?.. anyway since she has had alot of trouble getting an apprenticeship she saw this as an easy way into the industry, and the fact that she will be qualified in a year appeals to her.

I will follow her and her progress encouragingly. and let you all know how she goes.

i will also encourage her to join this forum and post about her experiences.



In conclusion, this is my point of view on the matter, to some i may seem really prejudice towards school based training, but my personal experience, and the experiences of those I've met has been really negative.


If there are any successful fast trackers out there, id love to hear from them, and their experiences getting employment, and weather or not they had a chance to compare their skills to a fully qualified apprenticeship based hairdresser. i kinda feel bad for slamming school based training. to see some good experiences posted on this thread would be awesome

I think the only way to learn properly is an apprenticeship!

I did the 12 month fast track course when they first started offering it.. and i can tell you now even though i got top marks on everything and 98% on my science exam when i graduated i could not do anything!!

I could not get a job and had to settle for doing the extra 3 years anyway. At the time i was hurt and thought i was a lot better but now i have completed a full 4 years i can really see the importance of doing the time.

All in all my parents and many others wasted $12 000!!

I was 16 years old when i did my course and it burnt me deep that people in my class in their 30's who i had to help came out of the course and were hired as seniors just because they were over 21 when i was only given the 12 months credit for the time of the course.

BIG BIG BIG RIP OFF BREEDING BELOW STANDARD INEXPERIENCED "HAIRDRESSERS"

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Sugar & Spice & all things nice

Hats off to you for sticking at the industry! And Pete you are an amazing writer!
I will even go as far to say that a 3 year apprenticeship is not enough. I went through in 4 years and the extra time really takes the pressure off. The 4th year is great to focus on Client communication, still under supervision, training and mentoring.
I am so committed to teaching and training the craft of hairdressing, BUT to teach maturity, decision making and the ability to deal with so many Clients needs takes my ability to train to a whole other level.
I would love the course system to work and I would love to here some positive success stories as well!
VOTE 1- Apprentiship's and more support and focus on employers willing to teach the craft.
Cheers

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Smile, we have the greatest job in the world!

We have a work experiance girl (well she is 31) who is fast tracking she had heard of our reputation of "perfection or nothing" and asked us if she could work in the salon without pay on her spare time (work experiance ONLY...No actual applying colours etc) just so she can actualy learn the trade in a salon enviroment she does about 15 hrs a week of her own time...........she tells us that it's chalk & cheese.

Murray

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There's no such thing as alittle off the top,we're talking full make over here!

Yes my aprenticship was 4 years but I worked for 3 years as a junior before that.....

After about 10 years I thought I was pretty hot stuff.....

After about 15 years I though I still had so much to learn.....

Now 25 years after I started in a salon washing hair I can finally say I feel comfortable with what I do and I do it to the highest level.

So anyone who thinks they can do it in 12 months.......

As much as I would really like these courses to work, I am afraid just being competnent isn't enough! Like Murray said, "PERFECTION or NOTHING"

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I find the biggest thing you need to know is what to do when something goes wrong!

this is something you dont know anything about doing the course..

We have had issues with 2 apprentices so far.. the first was a 17 year old first year. she was fired because money went missing that was in her watch.
The second was a 21 year old who had completed the cert 3 fast track course who couldn't even apply a colour.. she was rude, refused to clean, lazy.. would sit at the front desk when ever she could, would talk back to clients, argue that she knew more then you while in training... all in all a waste of space in a salon.
After 3 official written warnings and many spoken warning she continued with her attitude over the year she was with us.

We started her on the floor doing mens and childrens cuts but she always tried to get out of them saying she couldn't do it.. but at the same time saying she wanted to be fast tracked.

After her 3rd written warning an apprenticeship mediator came in for a meeting with her and the boss. The boss put forward her issues and what the problems were then the mediator turned to the apprentice and ask her what she thought. Her reply was "i dont want to be an apprentice, i want to be treated and payed equally"

The mediator told her she could early complete whether she had the bosses promision or not so they made a deal. Her apprenticeship would be completed a month from that day but after that month she would no longer be employed by us.

Anyway after 2 big disapointments my boss is scared off ever employing another apprentice even though we desperately need one.
Our salon is 2 full time seniors (me and the boss) and 2 part time seniors..

do any of you guys have any advice or opinions on the matter?

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Sugar & Spice & all things nice

Nasty, will add when I get a sec

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Smile, we have the greatest job in the world!

A very interesting and time old debate.
Most older hairdressers I know did their apprenticeship over 4 years.
(I did my apprenticeship over 4 years and worked as a basin hand for nearly 3 years proir to that)
A lot of these hairdressers will tell you a 4 year apprenticeship is better than 3 years.
The next generation of apprentices who did their apprenticeship over 3 years will tell you they are great and that 3 years is enough.
I have also worked with many hairdresser who have done the 1-2 year couse to be qualified.

I have found that all ways have advantages and disadvantages.
What it really comes down to is the individual and their salon's training.

Are all hairdressers that have been trained through an apprenticeship great, or even good? No
The same goes for Hairdressers that have trained with the fulltime course.

When completeing the full-time cert 3 course, the students are required to complete 450 hours in salon placement.

If a salon takes on one of these students for workplacement (cost is about $5- per day) and treats them as one of their staff members, this includes in salon training, staff meeting, product training and real work experience, then the student will grow to become a very valuable member of the salon team. This is usually 1 day per week for about 12 months.
If however, the salon treats them as a cheap cleaner, then there is no benifit to the student at all, and we cant expect them to become a great hairdresser.
This is where we should take some responsibility ourselves for our industry.

I will give you some positive examples of great hairdressers, that are employed full time, that completed their certificate 3 in hairdressing full time.

Hairdresser 1 - Now manages a top salon in South Yarra, has been hairdressing for 8 years full time since completing her course, and has some of the best perming and styling skills I have ever seen. She has a full and loyal clientel.

Hairdresser 2 - Started her apprenticeship and after completing her first year she cnacelled her apprenticeship and enrolled in the full time course. After completion, she was re-hired by her original salon. This time as a qualified hairdresser. After 2 years, she managed the salon while her boss had a baby. She has really great hairdressing & communication skills.

Hairdresser 3 - Started as a cert 2 full time student and went on to do cert 3 full time. Throughout this, she completed work experience in a salon 1 day per week. The salon were very supportive of her, and trained her the same as the rest of their staff. She was very motivated, and keen to learn, bringing in models to train on. Throughout her time in the salon she was able to build a small clientel. After she completed her course she was employed but the salon, first part time, and then within 6 months, full time. She is now a valuable senior member of their team. This salon also employe's apprentices. This result was win / win.

Basically, what I am trying to say, regardless of which way you go on your road to becoming a hairdresser. The end result is really upto the motivation and commitment of the student, as well as the support of salons.

Anyone interested in having a Cert 3 fulltime student do work placement in their salon should contact their local TAFE or College.

Good luck with your career!