Barbering Classes
How to Select the Best One Near Shrewsbury Massachusetts
Once you have made a decision to attend a barber school near Shrewsbury MA, the process begins to search for and choose the right one. It's essential that the school you choose not only furnishes the appropriate education for the specialty you have decided on, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. You may be somewhat confused when beginning your search for barbering classes as to the difference between cosmetology and beauty schools, which both provide barber training. Since the names are in effect interchangeable and pertain to the same kind of school, there is no need to be. You will want to find a school that is within reasonable commuting distance of your home unless you plan to relocate for training. Tuition will additionally be an important aspect when reviewing potential barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the closest or the lowest in cost it's not always the right choice. Reputation and accreditation, for example are among the other qualifications that you need to evaluate when comparing schools. We will examine what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are thinking about later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss 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 Shrewsbury 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 contemplating. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Shrewsbury MA residence, 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 undoubtedly be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a barber college. Below we have collected some of those supplemental 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 agency, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which frequently are not offered for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Shrewsbury MA businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or may look more positively upon individuals 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 field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have referred their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly demanded. Check rating companies for reviews together with the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any connections with Shrewsbury MA barber shop owners or managers, or any person working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Massachusetts school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.
What’s the School’s Specialty? Many beauty schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as barbering. Schools that offer degree programs typically broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick 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 respected for that program. If your desire is to launch a barber shop in Shrewsbury MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly regarded school with a poor program in barbering will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining barbering skills and techniques involves lots of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the barber lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that allow students to practice their developing skills on real people. If a Shrewsbury MA barber college provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends heavily on the use of mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for cultivating your skills. Therefore look for other schools that furnish this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from a barber school, it's essential that he or she gets support in securing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that provide aid develop relationships with area employers that are searching for skilled graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and find out which Shrewsbury MA area shops and businesses they refer students to. Also, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only confirm that they have extensive networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Most barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn 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 except for cost, do not eliminate it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be provided in Shrewsbury MA.
Find Out More on Training to Become a Barber in Shrewsbury
Choose the Right Shrewsbury Barber School
Picking and enrolling in the ideal barber college is essential to get the appropriate training to become a licensed technician. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to compile all of the information you get from the barber school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that data to contrast schools. A sensible beginning in your due diligence process is to make sure that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the ideal choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to start your new career as a professional barber in Shrewsbury Massachusetts.