It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Following is a series of questions that you will want to investigate for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your Saint Petersburg FL home, as well as the cost of tuition, will probably be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school options based on those initial qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have put together several of those additional questions that you should ask every school before making a final determination.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Saint Petersburg FL employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Saint Petersburg FL barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not looked into. Finally, contact the Florida school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in Saint Petersburg FL, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not provide the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering techniques and abilities involves lots of practice on people. Ask how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a Saint Petersburg FL barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So try to find alternate schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that he or she receives help in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer help maintain relationships with area employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Saint Petersburg FL area shops and establishments they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only verify that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not omit it as an option until you determine what financial help may be available in Saint Petersburg FL.