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Hair Stylist Training: What to Expect from Hairdressing Courses
Hair Stylist Training:
What to Expect from Hairdressing Courses
Are you interested in becoming a hair stylist? Do you enjoy staying on top of current hair trends, and experimenting with different styles, cuts, and colors? If so, the hairdressing courses typically offered at hair design schools could be the perfect way to turn your interest into an enjoyable career in the cosmetology industry.
Hair Stylist Training: What You Will Learn
Hairdressing courses can provide you with a solid foundation in a variety of techniques. You can gain hands-on experience in hair styling, cutting, and coloration for all lengths and types of hair. Many hair stylist courses also include training related to chemical retexturing, permanent waving, hair extensions, and even head and neck massage techniques. Some hairdressing courses can focus more on the design aspect of hair styling, allowing you to use your creativity in order to pull off the unique, eye-catching designs required in the fashion, film, and theater industries.
Many hairdressing programs also include vital business courses, such as merchandising, customer service, and salon management. In addition, some hair stylist schools run an on-site salon, giving you the opportunity to gain real-life experience working with actual customers under the supervision of instructors.
Industry Certification for Hair Stylists
After you have completed the hairdressing courses in your program, in most states, you will also need some type of licensing or certification to legally work as a hair stylist. The National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) is the governing body for cosmetology licensing, and consists of licensing boards from all U.S. states and territories. In order to become a licensed hair stylist, you must first complete the minimum requirement of training hours, which can vary between 1200 and 2100 hours. The next step is to successfully take the written examination. Therefore, it is useful to find a hair stylist program that complies with their licensing requirements, and includes examination preparation. Practice examinations are also available through the NIC website.
Career Options for Hair Stylists
Once you have successfully completed your hairdressing program and licensing examination, you will be ready to pursue a wide range of entry-level positions, including shampoo technician, hairdresser, hair stylist, hair colorist, and hair design artist. Here are some of the settings you could find yourself working in:
- Salons
- Spas
- Cruise ships
- Modeling agencies
- Film companies
- Fashion stylist agencies
Hair Stylist Career Statistics
According to government employment statistics*, the personal appearance worker sector, which includes hair stylists, has an expected growth of 20 percent between 2008 and 2018, bringing the projected number of employees in this sector from 630,700 to 757,700.
Now that you have learned more about hairdressing courses, the programs they are part of, and what they can prepare you for, the next step is to research individual schools. This guide to hair stylist schools is a great place to start!
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, web site accessed on Nov. 18, 2010.
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