Barbering Training Courses
How to Find the Right One Near New Bedford Massachusetts

Now that you have made a decision to attend a barber school near New Bedford MA, the process begins to locate and choose the ideal one. Because barbers are licensed in all states, the college you select should prep you to pass the licensing exam and provide the necessary training for your specialty. When you begin your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast 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 kind of school, you shouldn’t be. You will need to find a school that is within reasonable driving distance of your residence unless you can relocate for training. Another consideration when examining possible barbering schools is the price of tuition. But keep in mind, a school is not always the right choice just because it happens to have a campus near your home or is lower in cost. There are several other considerations that you should weigh when comparing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will examine what questions you should ask about the barber colleges you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about barbering as a career.

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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 New Bedford 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 Schools

Following is a list of questions that you should research for any barber college you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school relative to your New Bedford MA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber school. Following we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber School Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the barber training program you choose is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards guaranteeing a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many New Bedford MA employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.

Does the School have an Excellent Reputation?  Each barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of employers where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Visit rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with New Bedford MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the business, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are considering. They may even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And finally, consult the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances filed or if the schools are in full compliance.

What’s the School’s Focus?  Some beauty schools offer programs that are broad in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs commonly expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's important that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your intention 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 dream is to open a barber shop in New Bedford MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Any Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is included in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a New Bedford MA barber school provides little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies heavily on using mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for cultivating your skills. So try to find other schools that furnish this kind of training.

Does the School have a Job Placement Program?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's crucial that he or she gets support in securing that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with local businesses that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the schools you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which New Bedford MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher 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. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and find out what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative before you find out what financial aid may be provided in New Bedford MA.

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Choose the Right New Bedford Barber School

Choosing and enrolling in the right barber college is imperative to get the appropriate training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to collect all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you decide on are accredited and have outstanding reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and answer the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to start your new career as a professional barber in New Bedford Massachusetts.

 

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