Creative HEAD Ireland March/April 2020

that includes college and in-salon education and supports
employers in developing their apprentices. The nationally
recognised certification will give participants the opportunity
to work towards a Quality Qualifications Ireland Level
6 qualification over a minimum of three years. The
apprenticeship has been welcomed by many in the industry,
especially those who wanted to see standards set for
hairdressing training and the career path promoted.
“Until now, there has been no regulation for the training of
new stylists coming into salons or a recognised qualification
for their hard work,” explains Bridget Haren, the owner of
Bridget Haren Hair and Beauty in Ennis, Co. Clare, the first
salon to sign up to the new programme. “This apprenticeship
will create consistency in national standards for Irish
hairdressing as it blends college and in-salon education in a
structured learning programme. It will also attract people of
all ages who previously considered a career in hairdressing
but didn’t pursue it as there was no formal qualification.”
She continues: “Without a recognised qualification in
hairdressing, the industry has been forgotten as a career path
for students completing their Leaving Certificate. But newly
trained young people entering the workforce in salons helps
to keep everyone on-trend and hungry for improving their
skills. Young people create a healthy competition that elevates
the industry as a whole.”
For hairdressers who want to invest in an apprentice, there
is a process in place with SOLAS, the Irish state agency in
charge of promoting further education. Aidan Fitzgerald,
owner of Aidan Fitzgerald Hair Salon in Blackrock, and
ambassador to the Generation Apprenticeship competition,
explains: “Employers must register with SOLAS for the
apprenticeship. A senior training adviser will meet with the
employer at the salon to complete an application form and
will process it with SOLAS on behalf of the employer. Once
the salon receives approval, they can take on an apprentice by
completing a registration form.”
Although he welcomes the apprenticeship, Aidan does note
that the financial implications of taking on apprentices will be
significant. “It will be a challenging year,” he says. “The new
National Minimum Wage has increased to €10.10 per hour,
and any apprentice 20 years old or over is entitled to the new
minimum rate. The apprentice will also have to be released
for one day every week for offsite training, and this will be at
a cost to the employer. The employer has to offer a mentor to
provide leadership and guidance to the apprentice at work.”
Some salon owners, such as Louisa Murphy, owner of
Saints Colour Specialist in Ferns, Co. Wexford, believe that
these costs are too large for her salon to absorb. “I would love
to take on an apprentice in the salon but when I looked into
it the amount of effort it takes to put everything in place,
along with the cost and procedures, it wasn’t really worth it,”
she explains. “I have an assistant in the salon who does the
odd day in return for her training but would love to be able to
make this more official.”
However, Louisa, agrees that there is a need to attract more
young people into the hairdressing industry. “Hairdressing is
definitely the best job in the world and young people should
be encouraged to join the industry. Hairdressing is an art and
it needs to get passed on to young people so the industry can
keep growing and expanding.”
Two apprentices have joined Bridget Haren’s team,
mentored by salon manager Michelle Nugent-Considine.
According to Michelle, the training varies from week to week
to give the apprentices a proper feel for salon life. “They have
a structure to follow with their college work so we follow
that for the training session, and they also shadow different
stylists and assist them on a daily basis,” she explains. “Our
stylists are always eager to take them under their wing.
This helps to build team bonds and confidence in both the
apprentices and the stylists. I think it’s extremely important
for stylists to want to give back to the next generation.”
And what do the apprentices themselves think of their
experiences so far? “Hairdressing is something that I
always wanted to do – I had started off doing a course in
office administration and knew it was not for me,” says new
apprentice Sophie Ward. “When the opportunity for the
apprenticeship came up at Bridget Haren Hair and Beauty,
I was delighted. I hope to have a full column by the end of
my three-year apprenticeship and discover what skill I am
strongest in. Knowing we have the full support of the team
at the salon makes it easier – all the ladies help us with new
things and they love hearing what we are doing in college.”
Apprentice Grace Bardon agrees that the opportunity to
gain education in the hairdressing industry was particularly
attractive. “I hope to gain the necessary skills and experience
to become a successful stylist at Bridget Haren Hair and
Beauty, and I’m very grateful to have been allowed to work in
a salon that is so focused on training,” she says. “I’ve wanted
to be a hairdresser all my life – I’ve tried other things but
always wanted to come back to hairdressing.”
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