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Back to School: Is Hair and Beauty The Career For You?

Getting that back to school feeling? Why not learn a new skill? Our Training Executive, Rosie, look at the skills needed to be a successful hair stylist/colourist, beauty therapist or nail technician. 



What does it take to be successful in the hair and beauty industry?

If you’re contemplating a career in hair and/or beauty, there are a few things to consider first. As well as the obvious (needing to have an interest in this industry), do you have the personality to make a success of this career? Confidence is key in this field of work, as you’ll be meeting new people day in day out. You’ll need to be chatty, and also able to listen and advise as it’s well known that clients confide in their hairdressers. Being driven and ambitious is important too. It’s a competitive industry and it takes hard work and determination to reach the top, so be prepared for this.

Being a hairdresser or beauty therapist can be a physically demanding job, so good stamina is an absolute must. You’ll be on your feet most of the day, so some level of fitness is required. Concentration is key too – whether you’re doing an intricate nail design or a basic haircut, being able to focus whilst in the middle of a busy salon is really important.

If you’ve read the above and it sounds exactly right for you, the next thing to think about is how exactly to start your career. Learning your trade is the place to start.

So, what training do you need to be a hairdresser? There are a few options: go to college and do an NVQ, start an apprenticeship and learn on the job, or, do a few short courses in cutting and colouring (our Essential Cutting course is suitable for beginners and is a great place to start).

And, if you’re asking the question; how to train to be a beauty therapist? Well, there are similar options available. Many colleges offer NVQs and Diplomas, or you could start with a one-day course, like our TMC Gel Workshop, and build your offering from there.

What kind of roles are there in the hair and beauty industry?

There are many varied roles in the hair and beauty industry. Let’s break them down and see what options are out there…

Hair

If hairdressing is the direction you’re heading in, then where’s your final destination? From cutting to styling or colouring to barbering, there are many different areas you could specialise in.

Most people will start off in a salon as a junior stylist, but the options from there are endless. If you need something flexible that will work around family life, why not start your own mobile hairdressing business? Or if you’ve got the ambition and the drive, why not open your own hair salon?

Beauty

What jobs can a beauty therapist do? Well, there’s a huge variety of options. You could focus on a specific area like nails, lashes, waxing, tanning or massage, or you could train in all of them! If you’re asking yourself ‘is beauty therapy a good career?’ the answer is yes! The industry is bigger than ever before, and with possibilities such as working in a spa, on a retail concession, in a beauty salon or as a mobile therapist, there’s something out there to suit everyone.


What training is available?

If you’ve decided you’re going to embark on a career in the hair industry, what training do you need to be a hairdresser? Depending on your lifestyle and family commitments you could consider an NVQ at college, a diploma, an apprenticeship or a series of short courses. Here at Capital we’ve got a range of 1 day hair styling courses suitable for beginners, as well as a range of cutting and colouring courses.

If beauty is your thing and you’re wondering how to train to be a nail technician, Capital offer a 5-day Complete Nail Technician course, covering everything from manicures to gel polish to acrylic extensions. Or if lashes and brows take your fancy, we’ve got a 1-day Marvelash Semi Permanent Lash Extensions course you could try. One of our recent course attendees, Kerry, said “I left feeling full of confidence and so happy I can now add another service to my growing list of clients!”

A career in the hair and beauty industry really does have endless possibilities. Whether your dream is to be a hairdresser running your own salon, or a mobile nail technician with appointments fitting in around family life, there is something for people of all ages, lifestyles and interests.

If you’re feeling inspired and ready to take the leap into your new career, see how we can help get you started with one of our many training courses, available here.