Are we being served? Cert 3 Hairdressing Schools

Ok, i've had this burning, kinda of naggling thought in the back of my mind for a while now. Actually I've had this persistant 'mind ache' ever since I worked in a School/Salon providing students with Certificate 2 & 3 in Hairdressing some years ago now.
Before I continue I should say that my view is Victorian only since we seem to be doing things differently than our more intelligent nieghbours to the north.
Here's the question;

Question - Are Cert 3 private providers (Hairdressing Colleges)really serving our industry well - or are they just making money from false hopes?

Here's the problem that I see in our current system;
Employers don't employ school trained hairdressers due to lack of experience, skill level, maturity 'in-salon'.

Here's another problem the courses cost a fortune. Fair enough if there's a viable career afterwards. But is there given the first point?

Here's another problem Victorian hairdressing schools are being exposed for qualifying overseas immigrants in Cert 3 hairdressing to gain quick Visa's into the Australian job market. Only to have these people turn their back on the industry once that Visa is stamped.

Can i have your feedback on this people?

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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)

Cert 2
The facts:
Apprentices in Victoria have gone from 4 years to 3
Completing a cert 2 takes 6 months off your apprenticeship
Hairdressing is suffering a huge skills shortage

I have employed many hairdressing apprentices that have completed cert 2 and many who have not. In comparing the 2 situations I fail to see how having cert 2 takes 6 months off. There is simply no comparison with an in salon trained apprentice with 6 months in the salon to a cert 2 completed apprentice. I do not feel completing cert 2 in the equivalent to 6 months on the job.
In making that comment I do feel cert 2 is a great introduction to hairdressing, but that is all.

Employing School based Cert 3 trained hairdressers
Unfortunately the cert 3 school based trained hairdressers just do not compare to an on the job trained cert 3 completed hairdresser. In my 4 and a half years as a salon owner Im yet to employ a cert 3 school based hairdresser and it is not through lack of applicants. How can I employ a qualified hairdresser who my 2nd year apprentices run rings around in every aspect of hairdressing? The schools will argue that us salon owners are not giving the course trained hairdressers a go and all we do in complain that we can not find staff, but the reality is I would need a good solid 6 to 12 months to get the course trained hairdressers up to being able to be competent on the floor in my salon and at a cost of $1000 per week to employ this is suicide!
This is just my personal experience, Im sure there are some great corse trained hairdressers who have made it, Id love to here your story of success to give me hope that this system working.
Sadly I hate to say, most but not all hairdressing academies are sharks just wanting to take you money and offer false claims of potential employment (please prove me wrong with facts, testimonials and figures). I would love to get some hard core facts on the reality of gaining employment from schools qualifying cert 3 hairdressers. I feel the corse system currently is a sham and needs a huge overhaul and serious consultation with salon owners to create a better system for students and employers.

On the job employed Apprentices have been the best way forward for my business and the industry. I am blessed that I am not faced with lack of applicants when I advertise for apprentices. This is due to heavy lobbying at local schools and tireless work lifting the profile of hairdressing in the local community. Being educated to train staff is a must and offering a solid career path is very inviting to potential applicants. Take the time to find out what it is you can offer staff? How can you attract them? Would you want to be employed by you?

The real crisis in our industry is the watering down, fast tracking of our craft.
cheers
BeBeBelle
Belinda Watts
Chumba Concept Salon
Chumba Concept Salon contact details. Look here for our salon locations or contact details for our Warragul and Drouin hairdressing

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Smile, we have the greatest job in the world!

hi guys, my name is richard, i couldnt agree more .ive been doing platform work and running seminars for years .in house training is definately the way to go. ive trialed cert3 apprentices over the years, and found the kids come out with a false sense of achievement after their course. ive learnt its better to train someone who knows nothing about hairdressing but has keeness to learn and initiative, and a great sense of street savvy fashion sense. ive seen too many bad habits and out of dateness come out of these "establishments"and it is very hard to reverse these habits.

Thanks Richard,

I guess to be fair it's not always the kids fault. But some don't help themselves either.

What's the solution? We need youth coming through of course otherwise we'll go the way of the barber. Remember them? Our almost extinct cousins who lost touch with changing times and quickly disappeared.

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

Chumba Concept Salon
Pro Hairstylist (main website)

hi karl, firstly an overhaul of the state curriculum would be a great start and secondly, the "career advisors" of our secondary schools could do with a shake up. i have talked to many "career advisors" over time and they are under the impression that hairdressing is something you do if youve got nothing better to do, or offer.they need bringing up to speed that hairdressing is a professional job and it is not really a poor paid job anymore. i think they are unaware of the possibilities hairdressing has, if you are good, ie session work for instance.if the kids are fed the right info we might start getting a more driven prospective influx. cheers richard.

I have had many a run in with ''Carer Advisers''
I was invited into a private school to conduct and be involved in a carers activity day, we did mock interviews, motivation speech etc. Im feeling pretty good about things at this stage, representing the hairdressing industry along with many other local business identities.
BUT then a teacher pulled me aside and asked me if I would have a special chat with a student who is interested in Hairdressing?
Then she proceeded to tell me that the girl was not that bright and that her parents were wasting their money on private school and I should chat to her about hairdressing!
I was so mad, what makes people think that people not so bright are a good candidate for hairdressing?
Anyways I had a chat to this very lovely girl, she was takenback that I had pulled her aside for a chat as she was interested in Beauty therapy not hairdressing. I found her to be bright, driven and had researcher her career path extensively.
I have many more bad experiences with careat techers! It is a shame. I wonder how many kids are put off our industry due to the attitudes of teachers!
I do personally work hard in this area to change their narrow perceptions.
If I had a dollar for every teacher that told me I was to smart to b a hairdresser!
cheers

__________________
Smile, we have the greatest job in the world!