Q2A

Got a question from claire ......

what qualifications do I need to be a hairdresser?

 

This is our reply.......

Hi, thanks for your email about becoming a hairdresser.

There are no set minimum academic qualifications to be a hairdresser because your
personal qualities are more important:

# You should be able to talk to people in a relaxed way, face-to-face, and on the
telephone when taking bookings
# You should be able to advise people in a thoughtful and caring way about styles
and colours that suit them
# You should be neat and tidy in your own appearance
# You should be good at working with your hands
# You should have an interest in fashion and trends in hairstyles
# You should be able to think creatively and artistically
# You should have an eye for the different colours and shapes of hairstyles
· You should have plenty of stamina as you can be standing for a lot of the working
day, although it may be possible to use a stool sometimes

The usual ways to get into this kind of work are:

# Applying for a junior or trainee job in a salon. You learn while you're working and
go to college for maybe one day a week to study for qualifications, usually National
Vocational Qualifications (NVQ's) or a Diploma because these are recognised by most
employers
# Studying a full-time or part-time college course, again usually for NVQ's or a
Diploma
# Doing an Apprenticeship. This is a mixture of working for an employer and going
to college, usually to study for NVQ's

For some full-time college courses you may need one or two GCSE's at grades A*-C, or
Key Skills passes. For example Accrington and Rossendale College have a one year full-
time Level 2 Diploma course in Hairdressing. They don't ask for academic qualifications
but entry is by a points system, an interview and a skills test.

You can find details of all the local college courses by contacting the Information Team at
Accrington and Rossendale College, 01254 354354 or by looking on the Steps4me
website: http://www.steps4me.co.uk

If you're interested in hairdressing as your future career you could look for a part-time job
or offer to volunteer in a hairdressing salon. This would give you valuable experience for
when you eventually leave school.

We hope you find this information helpful. Please email us again if you need to, about this
or anything else.

Best wishes from q2a.

Expert advice and every precaution has been taken to ensure that the information

in this answer is trustworthy and reliable, but the publishers do not hold themselves responsible for any inaccuracy as information can go out of date very quickly.  This page gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law.  With regard to suggested weblinks given in this reply please note that Lancashire County Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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