Barbering Training Classes
How to Choose the Best One Near Oxford Massachusetts
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Oxford MA, the process begins to locate and select the ideal one. Because barbers are licensed in all states, the school you select should prepare you to pass the licensing test as well as provide the proper training for your specialty. You might be a little puzzled when starting your search for barbering classes as to the difference between beauty and cosmetology schools, which both provide barber training. Since the names are in effect interchangeable and relate to the same type of school, you shouldn’t be. You will want to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your residence unless you can relocate for training. Another consideration when evaluating prospective barber schools is the cost of tuition. But keep in mind, a school is not always the right option simply because it has the lowest tuition or is located closest to your home. Reputation and accreditation, for example are among the other qualifications that you should look into when weighing your school options. We will examine what questions you should ask concerning 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 Become a Barber?
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 Oxford 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.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Following is a list of questions that you need to investigate for any barber college you are considering. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Oxford MA residence, in addition to the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you wish to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you should research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber training program. Below we have put together some of those supplemental questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Barber College Accredited? It's necessary to make certain that the barber college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a superior curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for securing student loans or financial aid, which often are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, many Oxford MA businesses will not recruit 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 excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Check rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any connections with Oxford MA barber shop owners or managers, or anyone working in the business, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are reviewing. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints filed or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many cosmetology schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs frequently expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on 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 respected for that program. If your dream is to open a barber shop in Oxford MA, then you want to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and mastering barbering techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Oxford MA barber school offers limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly 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 Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's essential that she or he receives aid in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid maintain relationships with local employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Check that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Oxford MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Also, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Available? The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Speak with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might get approved for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option before you learn what financial help may be provided in Oxford MA.
Find Out More on How to Become a Barber in Oxford
Enroll in the Right Oxford Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber school is imperative to receive the proper training to become a licensed specialist. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel confident about your decision. Be sure to collect all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then use that data to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the college and program you select are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this article, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the proper choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional barber in Oxford Massachusetts.