Hairdressing Colleges vs. Apprenticeship
If you have decided upon a career as a hairdresser, you will also
have to decide if you want to join a hairdressing college, or learn as
an apprenticeship. The question of choosing the hairdressing colleges
vs. apprenticeship can be quite tough. Both have their own pros and
cons. You should decide on your course of action by keeping your goals
and situation in life in mind.

If you plan to train as a hairdresser through apprenticeship, you will
have the benefit of earning while learning. This is especially useful if
your situation demands that you earn. You can choose to work as a
trainee in one of the local salons. Working as an apprenticeship gives
you more hands-on experience, and it ensures that you learn your work
right from the basics.
In the training, you will have to start from scratch, and as such, you
will gradually come to know about all the various aspects of
hairdressing, sometimes even knowing about the factors that you might
not be taught in college.
In additions, another advantage of learning though apprenticeship is
that you will be able to gain a loyal customer base while you are in
learning. This will ensure that you begin to earn as soon as you
complete the training. However, the main drawback of learning though
apprenticeship is that it can take even up to 3 years for you to be
trained. The time factor is often a hindrance for many.
On the other hand, a hairdressing college will teach you about all the
newest techniques and styles in the field, and take about 50 weeks at
the most. You can also train at your own pace, if you so wish by
completing the various units of the National Vocational Qualification at
various times.
In Australia, there are a number of institutions where you can train
yourself to become a hairdresser. The hairdressing colleges offer
various types of courses, each of which carters to your various needs.

The drawback of this option is that you cannot earn while you train
yourself. Though this is not really an issue with young people who are
just starting off. In the business, older people who have to earn their
own living will find it difficult to train in the hairdressing colleges. |