Background Information:

The industry

• The hair and beauty industry is a billion pound industry. (£3.4 billion turnover in 1999)
• There are over 99,000 hairdressers working throughout the UK, and over 40,000 hair and beauty businesses in the UK, from small salons to large centres, including more than 36,000 hairdressing salons.
• Hair and beauty salons account for more high street premises than any other retailer.
• The average salon employs four staff, but larger ones can employ hundreds of people at different levels.
• More than 87 per cent of hairdressers are women.
• There are about 25,000 new recruits to hairdressing every year.
• The industry attracts twice the national level of dyslexics.

The career 'personality'

The film shows Matt to be an outgoing, relaxed person with a strong creative streak and confident and easy-going manner with the public. He is also willing to admit his mistakes and take on challenges even though they fill him with fear. These are the sorts of personal traits that would suit someone entering this career. Good listening skills as well as an ability to communicate clearly are important. There is also a lot of theory, technical and chemical knowledge that is required for technicians.

Some things to be aware of!

• Most hairdressers work a 40-hour week, usually including Saturdays (which are often the busiest days) with a weekday off instead.
• Most of the work involves standing!
• Chemicals and frequent contact with water can irritate or cause dermatitis and breathing problems if allergic.
• Wages are not very high ­ a trainee can expect to earn not much more than the minimum national wage, around £7,000 a year.
• Fully trained stylists earn between £9,000 and £14,000 a year.
• Top stylists can earn much more.
• Hairdressers are usually expected to dress fashionably and look good.

Training

• You do not need formal qualifications to start training, but proof of artistic and practical skills helps.
• Technicians and hair stylists can be trained within salons, learning on the job like Matt.
• However, there are many training possibilities through approved bodies, which will result in NVQ/SVQ (National or Scottish Vocational Qualifications) at various levels.
• It is possible to get government funding for some of this training. Formal and recognised training is becoming increasingly desirable, especially to the larger salons.

Full-time courses at college or a training centre last one to two years.
The levels of training are generally as follows:

• Level 1 is an introduction to the industry, based on assisting salon staff.
• Level 2 is the minimum standard to be a competent hairdresser.
• Level 3 is the desired level of expertise when seeking work. This level is aimed at senior stylists and technicians and salon managers who want to update their skills.
• Level 4 is aimed at salon management, including responsibility for financial matters and staff as well as salon management.

Opportunities

There are many openings for skilled technicians beyond salon work, and there are many specialist areas of work. For example, there is a growing demand for specialists working with Afro-Caribbean hair and there are training centres that specialise in this. There is also the potential to work in film and TV as well as the fashion and photo shoot work, as well as freelance and 'mobile' work.