How to become a hairdresser!

Surprisingly, no formal qualification or license is needed to become a hairdresser!

In a nutshell, anyone can open a salon and start cutting hair…

It isn’t recommended of course and I doubt one would get far without doing some damage to some poor unsuspecting soul along the way.

Hairdressing involves a huge amount of different skills, which makes it difficult to believe that no qualifications are needed in order to carry them out!

The learning process

The way in which a hairdresser can train and learn the job hasn’t really changed much over many years.

Learning is usually salon based with a college or training provider placement to enable exams and practical assessments to take place. A trainee apprentice should receive on the job training and can usually practice on models or using a head block.

Other skills may be needed, for example, if a certain level of maths and English wasn’t achieved before leaving school, the learner would have to study both subjects until a minimum level 1 is achieved.

Maths is used a surprising amount within hairdressing! Ratios, measurements, time, percentages, angles and probability are all used, not to mention adding and subtracting.

Science plays its part, particularly in composition of shampoos and different products and the science of colouring.

Our ability to form relationships, chatting and listening to clients even some counselling skills are in there too and one of the most important thing of all is customer service skills. Everything we do within hairdressing is to please our customers and make them feel good.

A beautiful hair-cut, or new colour with some lovely styling is a big part of it but there is a bigger picture which is more personal, when you get to know a person from working closely with them and understanding their needs. This builds trust and creates an environment of reliability and mutual respect.

There is talk of changing how hairdressing is taught and learned on a higher level, involving new skills. It remains to be seen how these new courses will pan out – if they ever get off the ground but whatever happens, the skills needed to be a hairdresser are essential and should always remain.