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When Laura Leigh Kerr introduced to her dad and mom that she wished to change into a hairdresser, her choice was met with “horror and dismay”.
{The teenager} was a excessive attaining pupil, gaining the highest grades in her fourth 12 months exams, and had set her sights on college.
She stated their instant response was primarily based on a permanent notion that hairdressing shouldn’t be one thing younger folks do if they’re brilliant.
Such was her mom’s concern over her change in profession course that she went into the salon the place the 16-year-old had performed per week’s work expertise, hoping the proprietor may assist change her thoughts.
He defined that her daughter had a pure expertise and persuaded her that hairdressing might be a really profitable profession.
“After that, she was supportive and gave me her full assist,” says the 41-year-old, who now trains younger folks coming into the business with Rainbow Room Worldwide and has simply been named the UK’s high educator on the British Hairdressing Awards.
“There’s undoubtedly a stigma connected to hairdressing and it is one I have been making an attempt to vary,” she says.
“It is nonetheless seen as a really non-academic. It can get you out of the best way of the buses sort of factor.
“However they do not truly perceive that it takes actual laborious work and dedication.
“You must have literacy and numeracy and communication expertise, all of these primary core expertise that you just study at college.
“We’re working with fractions and percentages, we’re working with chemical compounds, you’re working with science.
“We’d like extra educational children.”
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She stated that pre-Covid she spent lots of time going into faculties to speak to pupils concerning the business and was stunned that some members of employees had been truly fuelling unfavorable perceptions about hairdressing.
“I used to be getting in and having conversations with careers advisors who had been saying “I’ve received this cohort of ladies, they’re actually disengaged at college so we’re considering hairdressing for them,” stated the hairdresser, who lives in Glasgow’s west finish.
“I used to be considering – okay, cool, how a lot do you earn. My stylists are incomes greater than your head instructor is incomes. Have you ever received any concept what this business can provide.
“Statistically we’re the happiest folks at work. We’re met in opposition to this on a regular basis. It is low paid, no expertise required and it is actually not.”
She initially wished to be a PE instructor and had deliberate to go to Loughborough College however this modified after she inquired about work expertise with a college pal at Rainbow Room.
“We thought, hairdressing appears to be like like it might be lifeless simple. It is going to be a skive from college however it was something however.
“I walked in and fell in love with it – the folks, the thrill.
“I used to be fairly educational and there are perceptions [about hairdressing] and
being trustworthy these perceptions haven’t modified.
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“I’ve nonetheless ended up educating, albeit it isn’t bodily schooling.”
She has labored with the corporate for 26 years and now primarily trains the subsequent era of hairdressers at Rainbow Room’s academy in Glasgow metropolis centre, whereas nonetheless seeing purchasers a few days per week.
She says there may be additionally a stigma connected to boys coming into the business, regardless of the very fact a number of the greatest names in hairdressing, traditionally, have been males together with Vidal Sassoon and Nicky Clarke.
She was concerned in a challenge with the charity Motion for Youngsters which supplied barbering coaching to a gaggle of boys who left college with none {qualifications}. Whereas none of them ended up within the business, they’re all now employed in different roles.
All trainees come into Rainbow Room by trendy apprenticeships and stylists throughout the firm are certified to a sophisticated degree (NVQ 3) however she says this isn’t at all times the case in salons.
She is concerned in efforts to strengthen laws within the business with the Hair and Magnificence Business Authority (HABIA) and helped devise new occupational requirements.
“In the mean time anybody can arrange a salon,” she says.
“It could very harmful however the onus could be very a lot on the salon to make sure that employees are totally certified and have all the talents required.
“The UK is likely one of the least regulated however we’re pushing.”
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