Barbering Training
How to Pick the Right One Near Plymouth Massachusetts
Now that you have made the decision to begin your career in barbering, you must find the right barber college near Plymouth MA to get your training. It's important that the program you choose not only provides the proper training for the specialty you have selected, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you start your initial search, you may be rather unclear about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools, which both offer barbering programs. Well don't be, because the names are essentially interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We'll talk a bit more concerning that in the following segment. If you plan on commuting to classes you will need to choose a school that is within driving distance of your residence. An additional consideration when examining prospective barbering schools is the cost of tuition. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are many other qualifications that you should weigh when analyzing schools, such as their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask concerning the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what kinds of courses are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Barbering Career Below
Barbering and Cosmetology
Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human anatomy look more beautiful through the use of cosmetics. So naturally it makes sense that many cosmetology schools are regarded as beauty schools. Many of us think of makeup when we hear the term cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person's skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a barber, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Plymouth MA barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many barbers, once they have gained experience and a clientele, open their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing clients either in their own residences or will travel to the client's house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many titles and work in a wide variety of specializations including:
• Hairstylists
• Beauticians
• Barbers
• Manicurists
• Nail Technicians
• Makeup Artists
• Hair Coloring Specialists
• Estheticians
• Electrolysis Technicians
As previously mentioned, in every state practicing barbers have to be licensed. In some states there is an exemption for cosmetologists in general. Only those offering more skilled services, such as barbers or hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others working in cosmetology and less skilled, which include shampooers, are not required to become licensed in those states.
What to Ask Barber Schools
Below is a series of questions that you need to research for any barber school you are contemplating. As we have already discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Plymouth MA home, as well as the cost of tuition, will most likely be your primary 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 reduced your school options based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and consider before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have compiled several of those supplemental questions that you need to ask each school before making a final selection.
Is the Barber School Accredited? It's important to make certain that the barber school 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). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for acquiring student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Plymouth MA employers will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the industry. Being accredited is an excellent starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials from their network of employers where they have referred their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly demanded. Visit rating companies for reviews along with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any contacts with Plymouth MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the trade, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to propose others that you had not considered. And finally, check with the Massachusetts school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? A number of beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a particular specialty, for example barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you decide on 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 respected for that program. If your vision is to open a barber shop in Plymouth MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Picking a highly ranked school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Practicing and perfecting barbering techniques and abilities demands plenty of practice on volunteers. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber classes you will be attending. Some schools have shops on site that make it possible for students to practice their growing talents on real people. If a Plymouth MA barber college provides limited or no scheduled live training, but instead relies predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for developing your skills. Therefore look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's important that she or he receives assistance in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that furnish aid develop relationships with area employers that are searching for trained graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which Plymouth MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly respected as well.
Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of barber schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Speak with a counselor and find out 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 as well. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not omit it as an alternative before you learn what financial aid may be offered in Plymouth MA.
Learn More on Learning to Become a Barber in Plymouth
Choose the Right Plymouth Barber School
Locating and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel positive about your decision. Make certain to organize all of the responses you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A good beginning in your due diligence process is to make certain that the college and program you pick are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing test, you will be self-assured that you are ready to launch your career as a professional barber in Plymouth Massachusetts.