Crisis? What crisis?
Only a few years ago, hairdressing apprentices were plentiful
College classes were full of 16 year old school leavers, wanting to learn the trade.
Fast forward to today and colleges are struggling to fill those same classes.
The demand for hairdressers has never been higher as barber shops, hair salons and hair and beauty businesses pop up in high streets daily.
So why is it difficult to find apprentices?
The situation is complex but one of the reasons is that since 2013, the government introduced a caveat to schools that every pupil had to stay on until 17 unless they carried on their education at college.
Then in 2015 it changed to 18.
This meant that schools were influential in keeping their pupils exactly where they were and for every pupil staying on at school, funding would increase.
Government league tables also come into play for pupils sitting A levels and higher education qualifications.
Another factor for school leavers taking apprenticeships is what they may earn.
An apprentice wage age 16-17 is £6.40 per hour, rising to £7.49 at 18.
The hours are long and the work can be demanding. Invariably, you would need to work on Saturdays and often at least one late night per week. When an apprentice starts training, there is always lots of cleaning and tidying and this can be off-putting and seemingly endless to a 16 year old.
Then there is job security…
Unless there is an agreement in your contract, you are generally not guaranteed a job at the end of your training.
However, for many apprentice hairdressers, it might be something that they have wanted to do for a long time and therefore it is fait accompli!
Not every person is suited to staying on at school, no matter what they could gain. A level 2 apprenticeship in hairdressing is hard work and covers many subjects. It is a fantastic career to go into and can set you up well for owning your own business.
Most of our stylists started their hairdressing journey as apprentices at 77 The Hill and many have worked here for over 15 years!