Barbering Training Courses
How to Pick the Best One Near Wakefield Massachusetts

Now that you have made the decision to become a barber, you must find the best barber college near Wakefield MA to get your training. It's imperative that the school you choose not only provides the appropriate instruction for the specialty you have selected, but also readies you for passing the licensing exam. You might be a little confused when beginning your search for barbering programs as to the difference between beauty and cosmetology schools, which both provide barber training. Because the names are in effect interchangeable and pertain 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. Tuition will also be a critical aspect when assessing possible barber schools. Just bear in mind that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not necessarily the best option. Reputation and accreditation, for example are among the other qualifications that you should look into when weighing your school options. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the barber colleges you are considering later within this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about barbering as a career.

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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 Wakefield 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

Below is a series of questions that you should investigate for any barber school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Wakefield MA home, together with the cost of tuition, will probably 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 consider before enrolling in a barber school. Below we have collected several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.

Is the Barber College Accredited? It's essential to make sure that the barber school you choose 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). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must meet their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not obtainable for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in some states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, many Wakefield 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?  Any barber college that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for testimonials 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 demanded. Check rating services for reviews along with the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Wakefield MA barber shop owners or managers, or someone working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to recommend others that you had not considered. And last, 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 cosmetology schools offer programs that are expansive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for instance barbering. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your intention 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 Wakefield MA, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator. Selecting a highly rated school with a weak program in barbering will not deliver the training you need.

Is Enough Hands-On Training Provided?  Studying and refining barbering skills and techniques involves plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is provided in the barber classes you will be attending. A number of schools have shops on site that enable students to practice their developing skills on volunteers. If a Wakefield MA barber school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead depends mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the best alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that furnish this type of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance?  As soon as a student graduates from a barber college, it's imperative that she or he receives support in securing that first job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that provide aid maintain relationships with local employers that are looking for skilled graduates available for hiring. Confirm that the programs you are looking at have job placement programs and ask which Wakefield MA area shops and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, find out what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only verify that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Aid Offered?  The majority of barber schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and learn what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school is a member of the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students also. If a school fulfills all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an option until you learn what financial help may be provided in Wakefield MA.

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Choose the Best Wakefield Barber College

Picking and enrolling in the right barber school is essential to receive the necessary training to become a licensed practitioner. Make sure to ask all the questions that you require in order to feel positive about your decision. Make sure to collect 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 reasonable start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the institution and program you decide on are accredited and have excellent reputations within the profession. If you start with that foundation, and address the additional questions presented in this post, you will be able to reduce your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. Once you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are prepared to begin your career as a professional barber in Wakefield Massachusetts.

 

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