From shampooing to cutting and coloring hair, a hairdresser apprentice assists a senior or more experienced hairdresser in all types of salon procedures. A new hairdresser apprentice may be in charge of routine tasks like cleaning the floor and sterilizing the hair cutting equipment, while a seasoned apprentice may apply chemical treatments to a client’s hair under the supervision of a more experienced hairdresser. A hairdresser apprentice may begin by shampooing hair or scheduling appointments, but as the apprenticeship progresses, the apprentice will be given increasingly difficult tasks to complete within the salon.
For many aspiring stylists, becoming a hairdresser apprentice is a way to break into the industry. Some salons will let you start working as a hairdresser apprentice with only a few hours of training. Patience and determination are usually required when learning a trade through on-the-job training. Before being allowed to work with customers, the early apprentice is often assigned to the most mundane jobs in the salon. A self-taught hairdresser frequently applies for an apprenticeship. This process enables a person with no formal education to become a hairdresser while also safeguarding clients while the apprentice learns and perfects skills.
Customers’ hair is frequently washed by a hairdresser apprentice to prepare them for a more experienced hairdresser. This gives the apprentice the chance to establish a rapport with a customer and begin honing the people skills needed to become a hairdresser. One of the main goals of the apprenticeship program is to help the new hairdresser improve his or her people skills by putting them in positions where they can control conversations. The apprentice will help the hairdresser with coloring, conditioning, and styling in some salons. In most cases, any tip will be split evenly between the two hairstylists.
When a hairdresser apprentice has completed his or her apprenticeship, the new hairdresser can usually apply for work at the salon. Occasionally, a new hairdresser will choose to work in a different salon. When this occurs, the new salon will usually contact both the apprentice’s instructor and the salon owner to discuss the applicant’s qualifications as well as any concerns. The new salon may make an offer of employment to the applicant if they are satisfied with the information they have received. When hiring stylists, many salons will require a probationary period as a condition of employment.