Hairdressing Case Study - Modern Apprenticeship

Shannon Wilkinson (19) is an Apprentice Hairdresser at LCTG in Elgin, She is nearing completion of a two year apprenticeship with an option of a third year at College if she chooses.   Shannon is now at a stage in the training where she can start to style her own clients but as an apprentice Shannon covered the whole range of traditional apprentice work from greeting customers, shampooing and conditioning clients’ hair, assisting the qualified hairdressers to making the tea and coffee, ordering stock and cleaning the salon all the while observing the hairdressers at work.    Two days a week she would spend learning various specialised hairdressing skills from the qualified hairdressers in the salon such as cutting, styling and colouring as well as customer service skills.     She also has a learning programme from Moray College UHI which she does at work, when time permits, or at home for core skills including the technical aspects of hairdressing e.g. chemical components of hair colouring to skin allergies etc. this combination of core skills and practical work means that when Shannon qualifies she will have a Modern Apprenticeship rather than an SVQ level 2.

Shannon said:  “I enjoy the apprenticeship because I love hairdressing and working with people.  I am learning all the time from skilled hairdressers who have done all the range of hairstyles, colours etc and who have a lot of knowledge to share.   I am now taking on my own clients, using all the skills I have learned and when I complete I will have a recognized qualification and hopefully a full-time job with LCTG.”

Alison Camlin is a Director of LCTG hairdressing in Batchen Street Elgin where she has worked for the last 19 years, 15 of those as a Business Partner.  LCTG has 17 employees of which 5 are apprentices at every stage of their apprenticeship.  As an SQA Approved Centre, with qualified SVQ assessors and verifiers, LCTG do almost all of the training themselves which ensures their apprentices have the level and range of skills and technical knowledge they require of their staff and almost always leads to permanent employment in the shop.

Alison has nothing but praise for the Modern Apprenticeship scheme which provides her with learning support from Moray College UHI towards the apprentices’ qualifications and financial support for the scheme.

“Doing the training course in the place of work gives the apprentice more confidence, they see all the aspects of hairdressing work in real situations in realistic time and they come away with a recognisable qualification.”

Alison admits it is a big commitment in terms of time but is clear that it is worth the investment. “It works both ways.  Your business and your employee will benefit more in the long term from a good solid learning foundation and all the life skills that come with it.”