Barbering Training Classes
How to Select the Best One Near Lawrence Massachusetts
Now that you have decided to begin your career in barbering, you must find the best barber school near Lawrence MA to receive your training. Because barbers are licensed in all states, the college you select should prepare you to pass the licensing exam as well as provide the proper training for your specialty. When you start your initial search, you might be rather unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Since the names are for all practical purposes interchangeable and pertain to the same type of school, you shouldn’t be. If you intend on commuting to classes you will want to find a school that is within driving distance of your residence. Tuition will likewise be a critical consideration when evaluating possible barber schools. Just keep in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best choice. Accreditation and reputation, for example are among the other qualifications that you need to look into when weighing your school options. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about barbering as a career.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below
Why Choose Barbering?
Hairstyles are increasingly being considered by people to be a projection of their personalities. As a result, barbers are still very much in demand. However, most people are looking for trained professionals and will not just drop in on any Lawrence MA barber shop displaying a red, white and blue pole. Training to become a barber is a career move that offers many benefits for those that are both artistic and sociable. The artistic side is indulged by creating a plethora of different and sometimes challenging hairstyles. The social aspect obviously comes into play by keeping the customer engaged while creating your masterpiece. In fact, some barbers are so proud of their artistic accomplishments that they will take photos of their finished hairstyles and post them on their websites as a portfolio to attract new clients. And barbering lends itself to a more intimate form of customer service by providing time with the client while cutting his (or her) hair. This time spent together can lead to the development of a rapport or even a new friendship. As a result, many customers come back not only because they are pleased with the service, but also to enjoy the social amenities that their neighborhood barbershop can offer.
Questions to Ask Barbering Colleges
Below is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously covered, the location of the school in relation to your Lawrence MA home, in addition to the expense of tuition, will undoubtedly be your first qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you must research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's important to make sure that the barber school you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards assuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for securing student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lawrence MA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every barber school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, showing that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Lawrence MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to propose others that you had not looked into. And last, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all areas of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your ambition is to be trained as a barber, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your desire is to open a barber shop in Lawrence MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Live Training Provided? Learning and mastering barbering skills and techniques requires lots of practice on volunteers. Ask how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on campus that enable students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Lawrence MA barber college provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends heavily on using mannequins, it may not be the best alternative for cultivating your skills. So search for other schools that offer this kind of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? Once a student graduates from a barber school, it's crucial that she or he gets assistance in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that offer aid develop relationships with local businesses that are seeking skilled graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and find out which Lawrence MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students also. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not discard it as an alternative until you find out what financial help may be available in Lawrence MA.
Find Out More on Learning to Become a Barber in Lawrence
Enroll in the Best Lawrence Barber School
Finding and enrolling in the right barber training program is essential to obtain the appropriate training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to organize all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then utilize that information to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you select are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. Once you graduate and pass your licensing examination, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional barber in Lawrence Massachusetts.